REYES, SHEIRA YOL-LANE T.

BSA 1 BLOCK 4
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
SIR. RICHARD RIVERA JR.

LESSON 1 (APPLICATION AND ASSESSMRNT)

1. Choose six philosophers and explain what “self” is based on
their standpoints. (5pts each)
 SOCRATES - He believed that our true self is our soul,
rather than the stuff we generally connect with defining
who we are (status, material belongings, physical
appearance). According to Socrates, we cannot know
ourselves well enough without virtue. He also discusses
what we should learn in order to avoid living a life empty
of knowledge.
 ST. AUGUSTINE - Unlike some modern notions of the self,
Augustine sees it as open to a connection with God. He
sees the ego as radically oriented to God in two ways:
self-presentation and self-realization. Augustine's
personal life experiences led him to the idea that humans
were created for God and that nothing less than God can
satisfy the human spirit.
 THOMAS AQUINAS - According to Thomas Aquinas' idea of the
"self," we never encounter ourselves as separate minds or
selves, but rather as actors interacting with our
surroundings. And that our understanding of ourselves is
dependent on our observations of the world around us. And
that the labels we give ourselves are always based on how
we feel or think about other things.
 RENE DESCARTES - Rene Descartes, the creator of modern
philosophy, felt that the self is distinct from the body
and that it thinks. "Cogito, Ergo Sum," his renowned
premise, states that man must utilize his own mind and
cognitive ability to explore, analyze, experiment, and
develop oneself. Descartes proposed that the self is not a
material thing like the physical body, but rather
something immaterial and non-physical made up of 'thinking
stuff.'
  David Hume - Before delving into concerns of 'the self,'
Hume's theory proposes studying the 'impression' and
'identity' we have of ourselves. According to Hume, we
tend to think of ourselves as selves—steady things that
exist over time—but no matter how thoroughly we examine
our own experiences, we never observe anything more than a
series of temporary feelings, sensations, and impressions.
 Immanuel Kant - He believes that we all have an inner and
outside self that combine to make our consciousness. Our
psychological state and rational intellect make up our
inner self. Our senses and the physical world are part of
our outward self. There is apperception while discussing
the inner self.

2. Choose one idea and explain how your concept of “self” is

compatible with how he/she claims it to be. (10 pts)
- St. Augustine held that the soul of the self is eternal.
Because, the soul is seen as the union of the body and the
self, it cannot live without a body in this world. Man's
ability to define and manage himself, according to him, is
also important. Because of our inherent propensity for
kindness, we all comprehend that we were created in God's
likeness and image. St. Augustine was correct because we
live in our bodies on Earth, but we live in our souls
beyond death. We must choose our own route while we are
still here on Earth since it will determine where our soul
is taken after death. The ego is our soul and the most
honest of all the facades we exhibit to others. When we
are at ease around someone, we tend to show our true
selves, just like we do in real life. Our souls define who
we are and value the person we want to become. To perceive
one's soul through one's eyes, one must be honest and
authentic in their true self.

3. What is your major takeaway concerning the philosophical

perspective of self? (10 pts)

- I was encouraged to study further into the existence and

purpose of the self. I realized that understanding oneself
is the key to living a happy life. You will be able to use
your abilities more effectively if you understand who you
are and what your potential is. For me, the self is what we
choose it to be, and hence, no one can define the self more
precisely than the self itself. I cannot describe you since
it is up to you to decide what you want to be, just as you
cannot define mine. For me, the self is unique to each
individual who lives and breathes beneath the same sky.