WHAT PHILOSOPHY SAYS

ABOUT THE SELF

 Philosophy of the Self
- Philosophy is often called the mother of all disciplines simply
because all fields of study began as philosophical discourses.
- The self has been defined as “ a unified being, essentially
connected to consciousness, awareness, and agency”.
Philosophers introduced specific characteristics and meanings of
the self, which, over time, transformed from pure abstractions to
explanations that hold scientific proof.

3 Great “Golden Age” Greek Philosophers

[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
 Ancient and classic Greek philosopher, student of 
Socrates (c. 470–399 BCE), teacher of Aristotle
(384–322 BCE), and founder of the Academy, best
known as the author of philosophical works of
unparalleled influence. He was the founder of the
Academy in Athens, the first Institution of higher
learning in the western world. An influential figure in
western philosophy and the founder of western
spirituality. Plato stated that the PSYCHE or the
MIND is comprised of three elements
Plato (424-347 BC)
According to Plato, the soul, conceived of as
self, has three parts:
1. Rational Soul –For Plato, the rational soul is located in the head.
Being located in the head, the rational soul enables the human
person to think, reflect, analyze, and do other cognitive functions.
2. Spiritual Soul – on the other hand, is located in the chest. It
enables the person to experience happiness, joy, sadness,
abomination, anger, and other emotional feelings.
3. Appetitive Soul – is located in the abdomen. This is the part of
the soul that drives the human person to experience physical
pain, hunger, thirst, and other physical wants.
 Was a classical Greek Philosopher and a
pioneer in Western moral philosophy. As a
contribution to the field of philosophy, Socrates
introduced the Socratic problem also known as
the Socratic question. The goal of which was to
“Know thyself.” Accordingly, there should be a
dialogue between the self and the soul. One
should accept that he knows nothing and
accept it as this leads to learning and
discovering the truth.
Socrates (470-399 BC)
He was greatly known for his SOCRATIC METHOD stated
that “An Unexamined life is not worth living.” One has to
self-examine and discuss about the self as this is a duty to
achieve what is the greatest good to life. It is the goal of
Socratic perspective to better the quality of human life
through consistent self-explanation
 He was a student of Plato.
Aristotle called the ideal essence and the
phenomena as matter. He also
emphasized that the two co-exist and co-
dependent; the essence provides
meaning and purpose to the matter, and
the matter provides substance and
solidity to essence.

Between 384-322 BC
 Classical Antiquity

Philosopher Orientation Philosophy Description

SOCRATES Idealism Socratic Philosophy • Knowledge is the personification of good
while ignorance is that on evil.
• Self-knowledge is the ultimate virtue, it will
lead to ultimate happiness.

PLATO Idealism Dualism and • Moral virtue is rooted in the intellect and
Idealism leads to happiness.
• Wisdom and knowledge lead to virtue which
will lead to happiness.
Aristotelian
ARISTOTLE Empiricist Philosophy • Ideal found inside the phenomena and the
universals inside the particulars.
 Middle Ages

Philosopher Orientation Philosophy Description

St. Augustine Platonism Neoplatonism • All knowledge leads to God.
• Only the pure in heart can see God.
• Love of God, faith in Him, and
understanding of his Gospel will ultimately
lead to happiness.
 Renaissance
Philosopher Orientation Philosophy Description
Rene Descartes Rationalist Mind-Body Dualism • “I think, therefore, I am”
• The mind and soul can exist w/out the body
• Establishing the distinction of soul from the
body can make people believe in the
afterlife and soul’s immortality.

Theory of Personal • It is consciousness alone that identity exist,

John Locke Empiricist Identity not in the body and soul.
• There is a distinction between man and
person.
• The soul may change, but consciousness
remains intact.
Philosopher Orientation Philosophy Description
David Hume Empiricist Skeptical • All knowledge passes through the senses.
Philosophy • Separate ideas can be joined in the mind.
• There is no self, only a bundle of perceptions.

• Reason is the final authority of morality.

• There is inner self and outer self.
• The inner self includes rational reasoning and
Immanuel Kant Rationalist/ Metaphysics of the psychological state.
Empiricist Self • The outer self includes the body and physical
mind, where representation occurs.
 Modern Times
Philosopher Orientation Philosophy Description
Gilbert Ryle Empiricist The Concept of • “I act, therefore. I am”.
Mind • The mind is not the seat of self. It is not a
separate, parallel thing to our physical body.
• The mind is a category mistake, brought about
by habitual use. The only way it can affect the
other is through the external world.
• A fully matured neuroscience will eliminate the
need for beliefs since “ they are not real.”
Patricia Empiricist Neurophilosophy • The physical brain gives us a sense of self.
Churchland
Philosophe Orientatio Philosophy Description
r n
Maurice Existentialist Phenomenology • Both empiricist and intellectualism are
Merleau-Ponty Empiricist of Perception flawed in nature
• “ We are our bodies.”
• Our bodily experiences do not detach the
subject/object, mind/body,
rational/irrational.
Never stop learning, because life never stops
teaching.