UNIVERSITY OF THE CORDILLERAS

College of Arts and Sciences

Psychology Department

P100: Understanding the Self

Module 1: Philosophical Perspectives of the Self

I. TEACHING-LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

❑ Explain why it is important to understand the self.

❑ Describe the different concepts of the self from various philosophers
across time and space.
❑ Compare and contrast how the self has been represented in different
philosophical schools.

II. TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITY (Lesson Proper)

What is Philosophy?

- From the Greek words: “Philos” and “Sophia” meaning: Love for Wisdom
- PHILOSOPHY - study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality,
and existence, especially in an academic discipline. - a particular
theory that someone has about how to live or how to deal with a
particular situation.
- PHILOSOPHY - academic discipline concerned with investigating the
nature of significance of ordinary and scientific beliefs - investigates the
legitimacy of concepts by rational argument concerning their
implications, relationships as well as reality, knowledge, moral judgment,
etc.

Why is it essential to understand the ancient philosophical perspectives

about self?
▪ It was the Greeks who seriously questioned myths and moved away from
them in attempting to understand reality and respond to perennial
questions of curiosity, including the question of self.
The different perspectives and views on the self can be best seen and
understood then by revisiting its prime movers and identify the most
important conjectures made by philosophers from the ancient times to
the contemporary period.

P100| Understanding the Self| Module 1| Philosophical Perspective of the Self | 1

The following are discussions of different perspectives and understandings of the
self-according to its prime movers. From philosophers of the ancient times to the
contemporary period.
Philosopher Key Concepts of the Self
THE PRE- The Pre-Socratics were concerned with answering questions
SOCRATICS such as
AKA: First ❑ What is the world really made up of?
Philosophers ❑ Why is the world the way it is?
(Thales, ❑ What explains the changes that happen around us?
Anaximander, ❑ arché- origin or source/the “soul”/the primal matter
Heraclitus, ❑ the soul’s movement is the ultimate arché of all other
Parmenides, movement
Pythagoras, ❑ arché has no origin outside itself and cannot be
Empedocles, destroyed
Anaxagoras, ❑ explains the multiplicity of things in the world
Democritus)

Socrates
(470BC-399BC) ❑ Concerned with the problem of the self
❑ Renowned ➢ “the true task of the philosopher is to know
Greek Teacher oneself”
❑ The father of ➢ “the unexamined life is not worth living”
Western
Philosophy ❑ underwent a trial for ‘corrupting the minds of the youth’
❑ succeeded made people think about who they are
❑ ‘the worst thing that can happen to anyone is to live but
die inside’
❑ “every person is dualistic”
➢ man = body + soul
❑ individual = imperfect/permanent (body) + perfect &
permanent (soul)
Plato
(428/427 or ❑ 3 components to the soul/ Psyche
424/423-348/347 ➢ Rational soul – reason & intellect to govern
BC) affairs
➢ Spirited soul – emotions should be kept at
bay
➢ Appetitive soul – base desires (food, drink,
sleep, sexual needs, etc.)

❑ when these are attained, the human person’s soul

becomes just & virtuous

Philosophical Question: What happens to a person whose 3

Components of the Soul are imbalanced?

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III. ANALYSIS/ ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITY: REFLECTIONS ABOUT THE SELF (25 points)

Reflect on the following questions in relation to understanding your ‘self’.

1. How do you view your ‘self’? Include definitions, descriptions, and

examples.

2. What makes you stand out from the rest? What makes your ‘self’?

3. In what manner will you present the ’self’ to others? Are there titles, labels
or categories you would like to associate the self with?

4. How has your ‘self’ transformed itself?

5. How shall you manage and care for the ‘self’ as being a member of a
family, community, church, school, or any other criteria you would like to
be identified with?

IV. APPLICATION: MY SELF PHILOSOPHY (30 points)

Create your own philosophy about yourself using your insights from the
Enhancement Activity.

Express this self philosophy creatively through a photograph, illustration,

slogan, etc.

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