Gen Ed 002 UNIT 1 ~ The Self from Various Perspectives

UNIT 1 LESSON 1: Philosophical View ASSESSMENT 1

Name: John Rey Y. Oñate Course, Yr. & Section: BAEL- 1B Date: March 29,
2022

Instructions: Now that you have explored the various philosophical views of the “self”, please
answer the following questions concisely. You will get 20 points for this activity.
1. Discuss the idea of the “self” according to the following philosophers in not more than five
sentences (2 points each)
a. Socrates

According to Socrates, the human being is dualistic: it has both a body and a soul.
Our bodies are physical: they change, they are imperfect, and they die. Our souls, on
the other hand, are from the ideal realm: they are unchanging and immortal, surviving
the death of the body.

b. Plato
Plato introduces the concept of three parts of the soul/self: Reason (which allows us
to think deeply and make wise decisions), Physical Appetite (basic biological needs),
and Spirit or Passion ( our basic emotions ). Plato used a vivid metaphor to illustrate
his view of the soul/self in Phaedrus. The soul is compared to a chariot drawn by two
powerful winged horses: a noble horse representing spirit and a wild horse
representing spirit, with a charioteer representing reason. When conflicts arise, it is
the responsibility of reason to resolve them.

c. Descartes
Rene Descartes sought to understand the nature of our thought process and its
relationship to the human self. “If you would be a true seeker after truth, it is
necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, everything,” he
says.

d. Locke

According to Locke, all knowledge stems from our direct sensory experience
( Empiricist view of knowledge). Your personal identity is intertwined with every
aspect of your physical body (substance).

e. Hume
Gen Ed 002 UNIT 1 ~ The Self from Various Perspectives
According to David Hume, there is no permanent self that exists indefinitely. This
means that one’s self is not fixed and can change. He contends that all ideas are
ultimately derived from impressions, and thus the concept of a persistent “self” is
derived from impressions.

f. Kant

Immanuel Kant believed that we create our own selves. Our self allows us to
experience an intelligible world because it is responsible for synthesizing the discrete
data of sense experience into a meaningful whole.

2. In not more than 5 sentences, deliberate how the views of the different thinkers influenced your
understanding of your “self”? (3 points).

Philosophies of the self are ornaments and jewels on the knowledge Christmas tree. The more I
know about the self, the better I will be, and knowledge is power. Self is God and brimming with
divine opulence. Through equanimity, anything approaching the self is promised peace and
happiness.

3. What makes you, you? (5 points)

My options. They shape who I am, and I don’t mean the clothes I choose to wear. I mean how I
treat myself and others. What I take from life. What I accept and what I fight. What I indulge in
and what I outgrow. How gracefully and lovingly I live and love finally.