NAME: ROSE ANNE T.

CASAMORIN SUBJECT CODE: GE 111

COURSE: BSED-ENGLISH 1-C

ACTIVITY #1

Discussion Points and Exercise Questions

Direction: In your own words, state what “self” is for each of the following philosophers. After
doing so, explain how your concept of “self” is compatible with how they conceived of the self.

1. Socrates

According to Socrates every person is made up of both body and soul. This means that every
human being is dualistic, meaning that he is made up of two distinct aspects of his identity. It
compatible when I work at my job and my body and soul are doing my job wholeheartedly.

2. Plato

Plato agreed the idea of his teacher Socrates that man is dual nature of body and soul and he
added that there are three components of soul the Rational, Spirited and Appetitive Soul’s. this
concept of self in accordance to Plato’s belief to self is even me myself in every situation or
decision making, I always consider to what I think, what gives pleasure to my heart and its
beneficial to my physical being. But then as Plato that rational soul is superior to spiritual and
appetitive soul, I always consider the rational which is always choose what you think is right and
just.

3. Augustine

Augustine acknowledged that man’s nature is bifurcated. One element of man lives in the world
and is flawed, yearning to be Divine, while the other is capable of attaining immortality. This
simply justifies that ourselves must live in accordance to the will of God. In every decision
making, in every circumstances, let us trust in the Lord.

4. Descartes

Descartes saw a human being as having both a body and a mind. He taught that only thing one
can be certain of is one’s own existence. Cogito and Extenxa are the two different terms. In his
opinion, the body is nothing more than a mechanism that is controlled by the mind. In my own
perception, this believes conceive to the idea that our actions always depends to what our mind
dictates.

5. David Hume

David believes that one may know what one feels and sees through their senses. He claims that
the self is nothing like what his forefathers thought of it, and that it is nothing more than a
collection of impressions. We tend to think of ourselves as selves, but no matter how closely we
examine our own experience, we never observe anything beyond a series of transient feelings,
sensations and impressions.

6. Kant

According to Immanuel Kant we humans have both an inner and an outer self which unify to
give us consciousness. The inner self is comprised of our psychological state and our rational
intellect. For me it include such ideas as self-awareness, higher brain functions, and the ability
to relate to others.

7. Ryle

Ryle used ordinary language philosophy to call into questions the concept of mind. Arguing that
the mind does not exist and therefore can’t be the seat of self, Ryle believed that self comes
from behaviour. For me it is the way of one views themselves and how to behave which more or
less states what we are what we think we are. So if we think we are unworthy whether if it is
conscious or unconscious.

8. Merleau- Ponty

According to his theory, since we are only able to know ourselves based upon the input of
others, all of our actions, thoughts, and statements define us and has historical consequences,
in accordance with the idea that true human nature never ceases to change.