CARLA ANN O.

BANTILAN
BS ARCHITECTURE 1F

MIDTERM in UTS:
October 20, 2022

1. What is your reflection on the quote of Socrates “Unexamined LIFE is not worth
Living”. Cite example base from your experience.

Socrates used the phrase "unexamined life is not worthy living" to refer to the state of being free
to make decisions about your surroundings, your destination, your ability to criticize issues, your
ability to set goals for yourself, and your ability to determine whether what you are doing is right
or wrong (Baggini). The phrase "the unexamined life" refers to a way of living that is rote and
governed by other people's standards without the subject ever questioning whether or not he
actually wants to live this way. Two options were presented to Socrates: leave Athens or remain
silent for the remainder of his days. The philosopher refused to leave his house and he also
refused to remain silent. He believed that being silent signified his support for the administration
and represented living an unquestioned life. Socrates committed suicide because he didn't want
to lead such a life. Socrates believed that such a life was not worth living. In one of his final
speeches before committing himself, Socrates is said to have said these words: "Rather than
living an unexamined life, Socrates chose death." In modern times, the phrase has come under
scrutiny for being elitist. Critics of the idea claim that only the elite can live an examined life. The
huddled masses, in contrast, have to work within the system just to stay alive. They do not have
the choice to opt out of something that they do not believe in, whether they examine it or not.
Militarized police. Riot squads. Camouflage gear. Black uniforms. Armored vehicles. Mass
arrests. Pepper spray. Tear gas. Batons. Strip searches. Surveillance cameras. Kevlar vests.
Drones. Lethal weapons. Less-than-lethal weapons unleashed with deadly force. Rubber
bullets. Water cannons. Stun grenades. Arrests of journalists. Crowd control tactics. Intimidation
tactics. Brutality. Lockdowns. This is not the language of freedom. This is not even the language
of law and order. This is the language of force. This is how the government at all levels—
federal, state and local—now responds to those who speak out against government corruption,
misconduct and abuse. These overreaching, heavy-handed lessons in how to rule by force have
become standard operating procedure for a government that communicates with its citizenry
primarily through the language of brutality, intimidation and fear. There was this only time that I
felt free, it was one of VICE President Leni Robredo campaign for the presidency in a “miting de
avance” in Masbate City. According to Robredo, despite the noise of the political campaign,
Filipinos proved they are still capable of loving themselves and each other, and as such, even
the country. “Ang panata ko, palalayain kayo ng gobyerno mula sa dumadagan sa inyo [My
pledge is, this government will free you from the yoke weighing you down],” she said, vowing
she would make sure every peso will count in uplifting the lives of Filipinos. Robredo said it is
the right of every Filipino to have a dignified future and it is their responsibility to fight for it.
Today, regardless of whether they analyze it or not, they are unable to choose to refuse
anything they do not believe in.That’s why I want to live my life in freedom, a state of making
choices about your surroundings, a state of choosing your destination, having the freedom to
criticize issues, setting your goals in life, and deciding whether what you are doing is right or
wrong.

2. Explain the “Meaning of Life” according to St. Augustine.

Augustine views the self as being open to a relationship with God, which contrasts with certain
contemporary definitions of the self. He distinguishes between self-presentation and self-
realization as two different ways of understanding the individual as profoundly devoted to God.
Because of his own life experiences, Augustine came to the conclusion that only God can
satisfy the needs of the human soul and that we were created in the image of God. Furthering
this idea, Aquinas considers self-knowledge to be a lifelong endeavor. Although self-knowledge
is essentially an internal experience, we get more understanding of ourselves as a result of our
interactions with the outside world. Augustine encourages us to develop good health practices
both physically and spiritually: "Take care of your body as if you were going to live forever; and
take care of your soul as if you were going to die tomorrow." Unless you can demonstrate that
he is advocating that you put your health before your love of God, which nothing in his writing
does, there is nothing materialistic about that. God had a grand plan in mind when He made the
human race. He entrusted a piece of Himself, our soul, to every one of us. We shall always exist
because God does. Our souls will live on after our physical bodies pass away because they are
more powerful than this limited earth, which is why we are curious about life after death. Even
though some people try to disregard it, God's plan is still in place. The Bible summarizes what
God accomplished and our limited understanding of it, saying that although He "placed eternity
in the human heart," mankind are nonetheless unable to grasp the full extent of God's creative
activity from beginning to finish” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). According to Augustine You have a soul
and it doesn’t end with the death of your body. The resurrection of Jesus not only provided
evidence of the afterlife but also offered the opportunity to be with Him in paradise. Augustine
believes that the physical body is radically different from and inferior to its inhabitant, the
immortal soul. He ultimately came to view the body as “spouse” of the soul, both attached to
one another by a “natural appetite. “He believes that the body is united with the soul, so that
man may be entire and complete. Nevertheless, as areligious philosopher, he contemplates on
the nature of man with emphasis on the soul as an important element of man. He believes that
the soul is what governs and defines a man.

3. Choose among the Modern Philosophers their view of the SELF. Explain and cite
examples.

Sigmund Freud
The Philosopher
(6 May 1856 - 23 September 1939)

Although Freud was not, in the truest sense, a philosopher, his ideas on the nature of the self-
have profoundly influenced not only philosophical thought but also nearly every other field in the
humanities and social sciences. Freud's theories were developed with a biological perspective
in mind. "As a former scientist, Freud never left his interests in biology behind. When he referred
to the psyche, or mind, he considered both its physical elements, the brain and the rest of the
nervous system, and its mental elements, primarily our consciousness (which is made possible
by the structure and function of the brain)." Kelland, 2015. Structural Model of the Mind, The
Ego and the super ego. The Ego, develops from the id during infancy its goal is to satisfy the
demands of the id in a safe a socially acceptable way mediator between id and superego
follows the reality principle: behavior must take into account the external world while The
Superego, develops during early childhood through rewards and punishment responsible for
controlling the id’s impulses, it follows the morality principle and motivates us to behave in a
socially responsible and acceptable manner, ensuring that moral standards are followed and it
has two systems: conscience and the ideal self (ego-ideal). Conscience: can punish the ego
through causing feelings of guilt when it gives in to the id’s demands and Ideal self: an
imaginary picture of how you ought to be; represents career aspirations, how to treat other
people, and how to behave as a member of society. If a person’s ideal self is too high a
standard, then whatever the person does will represent failure. The ideal self and conscience
are largely determined in childhood from parental values and how you were brought up. The
superego can make a person feel guilty if rules are not followed. When there is a conflict
between the goals of the id and superego, the ego must act as a referee and mediate this
conflict. The ego can deploy various defense mechanisms to prevent it from becoming
overwhelmed by anxiety. Freud believed that psychological development in childhood takes
place in a series of fixed psychosexual stages. Each stage represents the fixation of libido on a
different area of the body. Each stage is associated with a particular conflict that must be
resolved before the individual can successfully advance to the next stage. In conclusion
Sigmund Freud believed that the self is multilayered, divided among the conscious,
preconscious, and unconscious. He mainly focused on the unconscious self (which he believed
to have the dominant influence in our personalities) and this marked a significant departure from
previous efforts in philosophy to understand the nature of the self.

4. How will you explain the True self vs the False self? Give example.

The true self refers to a sense of self based on authentic experience, and the feeling of being
truly present and alive. The false self is a defensive façade, behind which the person can feel
empty, its behaviors being learnt and controlled rather than spontaneous and genuine. The
process of developing a false self begins at a very young age. The late English pediatrician
Donald W. Winnicott (1896-1971) described the False Self as: “An artificial persona that people
create very early in life to protect themselves from re-experiencing developmental trauma,
shock, and stress in close relationships.” As early as childhood the false self is actively avoiding
being vulnerable to others, shielding against sharing how one truly feels. This version of the self
has the belief that it is necessary to emotionally protect oneself in order to gain acceptance,
knowing survival is dependent on a connection with others (e.g., Caretaker). This early pattern
of survival, dependent on others, becomes ingrained as a way of life without being aware of the
relationship-forming habit that is guarding against emotional harm from others. There is much
effort, either consciously or subconsciously, exerted to protect and hide the True Self with a fear
of not being accepted. This form of hiding can cause mental exhaustion and is compared to
wearing a mask to conceal what is real. With a human need to belong, the false self creates
relationships that are superficial in nature in order to gain acceptance from social groups (e.g.,
family, friends, colleagues). It’s like being a superhero that never reveals its real powers, afraid
of losing connections with people. The false self is a defensive attitude that is imprisoning to the
mind, lonely, and limits the ability to freely experience life. This artificial persona can be
necessary when viewed as a spectrum, healthy versus unhealthy. To act from the false self can
be beneficial in navigating the demands of social situations. To be functional in society, it is
healthy to refrain from sharing how you really feel as a means of being polite around strangers
with no emotional connection. It’s an application of healthy boundaries with people for self-
preservation and adaptation. Acting from the false self, in a healthy way, empowers you to
navigate unknown social situations that mitigate emotional harm. On the other side of the
spectrum, Donald W. Winnicott defines the unhealthy false self as one that fits into society
through forced compliance rather than a desire to adapt. Through our life teachers, we learn to
put others ahead of ourselves and to always be of service. These teachings are understood that
self-sacrifice is the expectation. To be conscious of the self and respond to the world around
you authentically is to be your true self. This empowers freedom of thought and to be impulsive
with expressing your true self. As Donald W. Winnicott summarized: “True self can be
spontaneous, creative, and feel real. Spontaneity and real impulse can only come from the true
self, and for this to happen someone needs to take over the defensive functions of the false
self.” To be real and honest with yourself and others takes courage in the pursuit of living your
true self. This is vulnerability set in motion, requiring you to be brave without knowing how
people will respond. To have the courage to be your true self is an unmasking. The freedom of
letting the canary out of the cage to fly free is terrifying but a truly liberating experience. You are
consciously and respectfully being real with people about what you need, what you can truly
offer, and what you are willing to accept. This sets in motion the creation of healthy boundaries,
which allows for self-preservation with well-being in the long term.

5. Describe your learnings from the different Perspectives we discussed.

I've gained knowledge about what each philosopher believes and how they may explain and
apply it to actual situations by listening to their various points of view. In addition, I have learned
from Socrates and St. Augustine how we value life. Socrates said that "unexamined life is not
worth living" because it lacks meaning and purpose, but if we don't think, we are no different
from animals who are only interested in eating, sleeping, and trying to find some way to survive
in this world. According to the St. Augustine quotation from "The Meaning of Life," it is extremely
easy to grasp that since God is only our Creator and that we are only His creation, we should
treasure our lives above all else and never question God's overall purpose. Simply by adhering
to him and praising him, we will be together in peace. All of the questions I addressed in this
post are properly explained and offer new information that will help us better comprehend our
lives and the difference between our genuine and false selves. The false self is nothing more
than your own opinions and views, whereas the true self is your true personality as displayed on
the inside and outside. I've also learned that learning philosophy improves one's ability to solve
problems. It improves our ability to distinguish between relevant information and irrelevant
information, helps us organize our thoughts, and tackles issues of meaning and worth.
Philosophy enhances our ability to communicate complex ideas, helps us express the distinctive
features of our thoughts, and increases the clarity of our writing and spoken communication by
removing ambiguities and vagueness. I have also gained self-reflection because of the different
perspectives that we discussed. I was curious to learn why reflecting on our experiences is so
valuable. Perhaps articulating the why will encourage you to do your own reflection. If we don’t
reflect on the things that we learn, we will have a much harder time incorporating these things
into our daily life. Or, we might forget them entirely. Reflection “gives the brain the opportunity to
pause amidst the chaos, untangle and sort through observations and experiences, consider
multiple possible interpretations, and make meaning. This meaning becomes learning, which
can then inform future mindsets and actions.” When we reflect on the things we learn, it allows
us to put that learning into practice and take action. Without that, it’ll remain an idea that
becomes fleeting and fades away. Once we connect the dots through reflection for ourselves, it
allows us to help others. Without processing something ourselves, we can’t put it into practice. If
we don’t do that, it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to articulate the important learning that could help
someone else.