UNDERSTANDING THE SELF - UNDS111 on what is the definition of the said

(PRELIM: VENICE) individual.

o Possession of knowledge is a
LESSON 01: PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE virtue and that ignorance is a vice,
SELF that a person’s acceptance of
January 31, 2023 & February 07, 2023 Tuesday ignorance is a vice, that a person’s
acceptance of ignorance is a source
› Philosophy = “Love for Wisdom” or a springboard for the acquisition
› Answers questions regarding the nature of of knowledge later on.
and existence of man and the world. o So, one must first have the humility
› (Socrate, Plato, St. Augustine Descartes, to acknowledge one’s ignorance so
Locke, Hume, Freud, Ryle, Churchland, as to get or acquire knowledge.
Monty-Ponty). o Answers will always be subjective.
› All to answer the basic question, who are o There is really no right or wrong
you? answers to the questions posited by
› Philosophy offers a ton of philosophers Socrates, the quality and quantity of
offering a ton of perspective with just about answer is dependent on the
any topic. But for this endeavor, some respective person.
selected philosophers were collected who o Answering these basic premises and
directly talked about the self. his subsequent actions is best
› Philosophically, discussion of the self is a understood on how he defined
basic search for meaning and purpose in himself.
life. Determination, rationalization, and o Thus, the constant reminder of
identification of self; sets the direction from “know thyself.”
which an individual travels to fulfill his o Historically, he is known as the
identified purpose in life. first martyr of education,
› Inability to define oneself leads to a lot of knowledge and philosophy. For
contradictions in life later on, hence, it is lighting up the minds of his students,
one of the many imperatives of life to know he was literally charged with
oneself right away and to go on with the corruption of minors. Socrates is
business of leading a life charted by even considered to be so ugly, that
oneself. only his own mother could love.

SOCRATES (GREEK)
› We only know Socrates because his
illustrious students (from Plato to Aristotle)
spoke eloquently and generously about his
knowledge, wit, wisdom and intellect.
› Socrates left no known writings; his highly
regarded student Plato, though, wrote
extensively about Socrates.
› “Gmothi seuton” = “know thyself.”
› If you know who you are, all basic issues
and difficulties in life would be gone in a
simple snap of a finger. If you know who PLATO (GREEK)
you are then everything would be clearer › He is the acknowledged author of the
and simpler. One could now act according groundbreaking book “The Republic” which
to his own self-definition without any doubt became the bedrock of democracy as we
and self-contradiction. now know it today.
› Socrates (Greek) (Cont’d) › This book talks about justice, balanced
o “Socratic Method” or the art of equality, how best to rule and how to
questioning. prepare for ruling. It talks about statecraft,
o His simple teaching of basic how to run a country, how to govern with the
questions such as “who am i?”, best interest of people at heart.
“what is the purpose of my life?”. › Believes in the division of body and soul.
What am I doing here?”, “what is o Appetitive Soul - Needs and wants
justice?” were all questions that are to be satisfied.
predicted on the fact that humans o Spirited Soul - Courageous part of
must be able to define these simple the person; one who wants to do
things so as to move so as to move something or right the wrongs.
forward and act accordingly based o Rational Soul - “The conscious
mind”; decides, plans, and thinks.
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF PRELIM [Venice]. 1
 ST. AUGUSTINE (GREEK) › You have a lot of choices, but your mind is
› A saint and a philosopher of the church. liberated.
› + Known as doctor church. › “Existence precedes essence” (This is given
› + Fruit of knowledge and wisdom. to value as a person.)
› + Utilization = Paggamit o Before you have this, you need to
› “Original Sin” exist.
o We have to be baptized.
o He also decided on a new image of DAVID HUME & IMMANUEL KANT (Greek)
God. David Hume VS. Immanuel Kant.
o Benchful = Kaya ka niya parasuhan › David Hume
kapag hindi ka sumunod. o Skeptic, Empiricist, Naturalism.
› Body and Soul (There is no permanent self: Sense
o Body is Temporary. & Perception)
o Soul is Eternal. o Skeptic - Always in doubt
o Heaven = Idea of St. Augustine. o Empiricist - Generally feel
▪ The City of God (Mabuti) o Naturalism - Only believes in
▪ City of Man (Masama) natural sciences. (Biology,
› Moral Drives Chemistry, Physics)
o From St. Augustine. o Attiest - Hindi sumasamba sa kahit
DESCARTES (GREEK) anong Dios.
› “Diskarte” o Agnostic - There’s a possibility to
› In English - Rene Descartes. have Dios.
› French Philosopher known to be the father
of modern philosophy. › Immanuel Kant
› Because of his radical use of systematic o A German Philosopher that is known
and early scientific method aid his ideas and for his works on empiricism and
assumptions. Rationalism.
› “Cogito Ergo Sum” = “I think therefore I o Argued that the awareness of
am” (Known for the statement.) different emotions that we have,
› Questioning themselves. impressions and behavior is only
› A person who knows how to solve a part of our self.
problem. o “Transcendental Apperception” -
› He explains this because we cannot always Is an essence of our consciousness
trust our senses and in turn what we that provides a basis for
perceive as who we are is the essence of understanding and establishing the
our existence. notion of “self”.
› He also implies that being in constant doubt o Reason (Mind; Connected in
regarding one’s existence is proof that a experience) - Experience (Memory)
person actually exists. o We have different persona = (Carl
Jung)
LOCKE (GREEK)
› English Philosopher, Physician. “We Born as many, but we will die as one.”
› Considered to be the father of classical
liberalism. (Synonyms “Freedom”) FREUD (GREEK)
› “Tabula Rasa” = “Blank Slate.” (Stone › Sigmund Freud
tablets before) › Austrian Psychologist and Physician.
o Blank Books or empty comp. › Also known as the father of
› Victor Frackle - Existential Psychologist psychoanalysis.
born World War II. › And known for his work on human nature
› Jewish = Kalaban. and the unconscious,
› Sinusunog, Nilalason, Experiment. › Very popular in discipline.
› Doctor Joseph Mengles › Nag recall ng idea sa sex.
o The Angel 0f Death. › Everything we do has everything to do with
o Unang makakakita agad ay Judio. sex.
o Pageekperimentuhan ang mapipili o For survival of our race.
niya. › 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
o Pinagkakabit kabit niya ang mga PROVINCE OF MIND:
organs ng tao at hayop. o Conscious - Everything you are
› Walang kasalanan, pagiging Judio lamang. sensing.
› “Malaya parin ako.” o Pre-conscious - Like storage
› They don’t believe in destiny. o Unconsciousness - Mga bagay na
› Choice is existentialism. hindi natin maintindihan.

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF PRELIM [Venice]. 2

› Regression › “Monty-Ponty”
o An active defense mechanism. › French Philosopher.
o Basically, forget unwanted › Existentialism and Phenomenology.
memories. › The idea of Phenomenology of Perception
› Info Manic - Mahilig mag engage sa sexual according to Monty-Ponty is divided into
activities. three (3) division:
› Psychoanalysis - Sub-discipline and o The Body - Both receives the
analysis. experience as well as integrates
› 3 ASPECTS OF PERSONALITY: such experiences in the different
o ID perceptions.
▪ Also known as the child o The Perceived World - The
aspect of a person. accumulation of the perception as
▪ On satisfaction of one’s integrated by the experiences of the
needs and do what is morally body.
right and socially acceptable. o The People and the world - That
▪ + The one who drives to enables one to not only be able to
pleasure and aggression. integrate the other objects in the
o SUPEREGO world but also to be able experience
▪ Conscience of one's the cultural aspect and relate to
personality. others.
▪ Has the inclination to uphold › Meaningful and Reality - According to him
justice and do what is morally tayo ang nag lalagay ng reyalidad sa sarili
right and socially acceptable natin.
actions. › Subjective - Person to person.
▪ + Timbang, Ano ba ang › Reality is not objective; it is subjective to
tama? (Reality Given). the person. Many possible meanings.
o EGO
▪ Sometimes known as the
police or the mediator LESSON 02: SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
between id and superego. OF THE SELF
▪ Operates within the February 21, 2023 Tuesday
boundaries of reality.
▪ + Moral Given. SOCIOLOGY
› The study of how human society is
CHURCHLAND (GREEK) established.
› Paul Churchland › Structure and how it works, the people’s
› Neurologist interaction with each other.
› Canadian Philosopher › It is also important to understand that the
› Focus is on the idea that people should establishment of the “Self”.
improve our association and use of words in
identifying the self. GEORGE HERBERT MEAD
› He has this idea that the “self” is defined by (The Social Self)
the movements of our brain. › American Sociologist
› + We should understand our brain to be › Father of American pragmatism
able to understand ourselves. › One of the pioneers in the field of social
› + Eliminative Materialism = Common psychology
Sense. › Rejected the idea of biological
determination of the self which proposes
RYLE (GREEK) that an individual already has an
› Gilbert Ryle established self from the moment he is
› His behavioristic approach to self, said that born.
self is the behavior presented by the › He reiterated that the process of
person. establishing the self is through the
› His notion of dualism is the behavior that we construction and reconstruction of the idea
show, emotions and actions. of who we are as a person during the
› Does not believe in the mind and body. process of social experience.
› + Ghost in the machine. (Idea)
› + Unity of the body and the soul. (He’s Idea) THE” I” AND THE “ME”
› + Walang duality, › Mead proposes that there are two
components of the self which the person
MEARLEAUR-PONTY (GREEK) has, these components are the “I” and the
› Maurice Jean Jacques Merleau-Ponty. “Me”.

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF PRELIM [Venice]. 3

 › “I” roles and the roles of the others that
o Is the reaction of the individual to the is playing with them.
attitude of others, as well as the o With this, the children at this stage
manifestation of the individuality of learns the implications of their
the person. actions as well as the understanding
o One’s response to the established or taking into account how one can
attitude, and behavior that a person take into account the view point of
assumes in reference to their social the society on the attitudes and
interactions. actions.
› “ME”
o The characteristics, behavior, and or LESSON 03: ANTHROPOLOGICAL
actions done by a person that PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF
follows the “generalized others” that February 21, 2023 Tuesday
person interacts with.
o The attitudes, and behavior of the ANTHROPOLGY
person with reference to their social The Self and the Person in Contemporary
environment. Anthropology
I. Anthropology and Its Subdisciplines
MEAD’S THREE (3) ROLE-PLAYING STAGES o The academic discipline of
OF SELF DEVELOPMENT anthropology, or “four-field”
› Mead proposed that there three stages in anthropology.
which a person has to go through for one to o Studies human species and its
develop one’s self. These stages are the immediate ancestors includes four
Preparation/Language Stage, Play stage, main sub disciplines or subfields
and Game stage. - sociocultural, archeological,
biological and linguistic
1. THE PREPARATORY STAGE (BIRTH – 2 anthropology.
YEARS OLD) o Each sub discipline studies
o According to Mead, during this stage adaptation, the process which
the infant simply imitates the actions organisms cope with the
and behaviors of the people that the environmental.
infant interacts with. o Anthropology is a systematic
o Because the child is only mimicking exploration of human biological and
what he or she observes from his or cultural diversity.
her environment their actions are
only the reflection of what they can THE SUBDISCIPLINES OF ANTHROPOLOGY
remember without any intention or 1. CULTURAL ANTHROPOLGY
meaning behind their actions or o The study of human society and
behavior. culture which describes, analyzes,
2. THE PLAY STAGE (2 – 6 YEARS OLD) interprets and explains social and
o For the Play stage, it is the time cultural similarities and differences.
where children begin to interact with o It explores the diversity of the
other with which certain rules apply, present and the past.
these rules often time does not o Ethnography and ethnology are
adhere to any set or standards but two different activities which can
rather are rules that are set by the study and interpret cultural diversity.
children themselves. o Ethnography (Based on field
o Also, this is the stage where the work)
child practices real life situations ▪ Requires fieldwork to collect
through pretend play and is the data, often descriptive and
onset of self- consciousness. specific to group.
o The development of the self in this o Ethnology (Based on cross-
stage occurs through the preliminary cultural comparison)
experiences that serves as practice ▪ Data collected by a series of
for the child. researches, usually synthetic
3. THE GAME STAGE (6-9 YEARS OLD) and comparative.
o The final stage of self-development
according to Mead where are 2. ARCHEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
characterized by the ability of the o Describes and interprets human
children to recognize the rules of the behavior and cultural patterns
game and be able to identify their through material remains.

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF PRELIM [Venice]. 4

 o These materials remain such as communicate, perpetuate, and develop their
plant, animal and ancient garbage knowledge about and attitudes toward life".
provides stories about utilization and
actions. LESSON 04: PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTVE
OF THE SELF
3. BIOLOGICAL, OR PHYSICAL February 21, 2023 Tuesday
ANTHROPOLOGY
o Focuses on this special interest. PSYCHOLOGY
o Human evolution as revealed by › Has various ways of understanding a
the fossil, human genetics, human person and the therapist way of helping
growth and development, human people understand themselves.
biological plasticity and the biology, › Self by definition is a reference by an
evolution, behavior and social life of individual to the same individual person.
monkeys, apes and other nonhuman › Having its own or single character as a
primates. person, referring to the person as same
individual.
4. LINGUISTIC ANTHROPOLOGY › The psychology of studying self is about
o Studies language in its social and either the cognitive and affective
cultural context across space and representation of one's identity or the
over time. subject of experience.
o Universal features of language are › Earliest formulation of the self in modern
analyzed and association between psychology forms the distinction between
language and culture are evaluated. the self as I, the person knower, and the
o Also studies how speech changes in self as Me, the person that is known.
social situations and over time.
“THE SELF AND IT SELVES”
THE SELF EMBEDDED IN THE CULTURE › WILLIAM JAMES
› Culture refers to customary behavior and o A psychologist.
beliefs that are passed on through o Introduced in his document The
enculturation (Kottak, 2008). Principles of Psychology (1890) a
› Culture a social process that is learned and numerous concepts and distinction
passes from generation to the next. of self.
› Culture depends on images, which have a o His main concepts of self are the
specific significance and incentive for “me-self” and the “I-self”.
individuals who share a culture. ▪ “ME-SELF”
› Cultural traditions take regular marvels, ▪ Is the phenomenal
including organic desires, and transforming self, the experienced
them specifically headings. self or the self as
known.
▪ Has experience the
phenomena and who
had known the
situation.
▪ “I-SELF”
▪ Is the self-thought or
the self-knower.
o James had claimed that the
understanding of Self can be
separated into three categories:
› Culture Defined: Culture is shared, 1. Its constituents
symbolic, natural, learned, integrated, 2. The feeling and emotions
encompassing and maladaptive and they arouse – Self-
adaptive. feelings.
› Csordas (1999) elaborated that the human 3. The actions to which they
body is not essential for anthropological prompt – Self-seeking
study but the paradigm of embodiment can and self-preservation.
be explored in the understanding culture o Also, James wrote sub-categories
and the self. of self:
› Geertz (1973) described culture as "a 1. The Material Self - Is
system of inherited conceptions expressed constituted by our bodies,
in symbolic forms by means of which men clothes, immediate family
and home.

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF PRELIM [Venice]. 5

 2. The Social Self - Is
based on our interactions › According to Kenneth Gergen
with society and the o Proponent of Postmodern
reaction of people Psychology, the individual has
towards us. thought to many potential selves. He carries
have multiple divergence within him the capacity to identify
or different version of himself, whether warm or cold,
ourselves. dominant or submissive, sexy or
3. The Spiritual Self - It is plain. How we bring ourselves in
the most intimate every situation will help him get
because it is more through for a day. Therefore, maybe
satisfying for the person it is healthy to have many mask.
that they have the ability Multiple selfhoods are part of what it
to argue and discriminate means to be human, and forcing
one’s moral sensibility, oneself to stick to one self-concept
conscience and maybe unhealthy.
indomitable will.
THE TRUE SELF AND FAKE SELF
CONCEPTION OF THE SELF TRUE SELF
› Carl Rogers, had come up with his › As rooted from early infancy is called the
conception of self through the intervention simple being.
he used for his client, the Person-centered › The sense of self based on spontaneous
therapy. authentic experience and feeling of being
› Believe that people must be fully honest alive, having “real self”.
with themselves in order to have personal o Example, as a baby we react base
discovery on oneself. In this concept of on our sense of reality. The baby
self, he had come up with three sides of reacted spontaneously based on our
a triangle. instinctual sense.
FAKE SELF
1. The Perceived Self (Self-worth - › Is our defense facade.
how the person sees self & › Overlaying or contradicting the original
others sees them) sense of self.
2. The Real Self (Self-Image - How › Problem would be we might build false set
the person really is) of relationship through concealing a barren
3. The Ideal Self (How the person emptiness behind an independent-seeming
would like to be) façade.

CONCEPT OF UNIFIED AND MULTIPLE SELF LESSON 05: THE SELF IN WESTERN AND
› As DanielCW (2016) wrote in his article ORIENTAL/EASTERN THOUGHT
“Psychoanalysis vs Postmodern February 21, 2023 Tuesday
Psychology” he has emphasized how Freud › There is a clash of civilization that is
perceived person as a unified being and plaguing the country right now and though
Gergens concept of multiple “selves”. this is not officially and consciously
› In Freud’s concept, he argued that mind is acknowledged, this war for dominance is
divided into three connected but district victimizing all Filipinos in one form or
parts. The Id, Ego and Super Ego. another.
› There is really no middle ground, and it is
o ID either one is rooting for the other side or
▪
As the center of primitive, opposing all contentions and wisdom from
animalistic impulses (sex, another side.
food & comfort) following the › This is the battle for the dominance, and
pleasure principle. prisoners are not taken and captured.
o SUPEREGO › This is literally, the war between the eastern
▪ As the center for ethical self-versus the western self.
imperative. The one that
reminds the self of what is WESTERN CULTURE
right of wrong following › Basically, is about the focus on oneself and
morality principle. personal needs; Eastern culture is about
o EGO focus on others and the feeling of others.
▪ As the moderator between › Western culture is predicated on putting
these two which was driven egoism first while Eastern culture is about
by rationality principle.

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF PRELIM [Venice]. 6

 collectivism. Conceptually, there is a vast of both Brahman (the
difference between egoism and collectivism. ontogenetically spiritual essence of
› While egoism is focused on oneself, and here and the universe)
collectivism is all about focus on others. now through the Four
awareness. Yogas (Hinduism)
› While the Western culture is inclined in
› Self is both › Attainment of
more acquisition of material things, the
phenomenal liberation in the
Eastern culture is tilted towards less assets and no identification of
(thus the mantra less is more). phenomenal Atman (the spiritual
› Western culture is obsessed with being › Self acquires essence of all
successful, the eastern culture is more substance individual human
inclined towards long life; for the Eastern according to beings) and
culture, long life is equated with wealth. semantic, Brahman (the
syntactic and spiritual essence of
EASTERN CULTURE pragmatic the universe)
through the Four
› Wealth and poverty is the result of fortune
Yogas (Taoism)
and luck, for the Western culture, wealth
› Concept of Kapwa,
and poverty is the result of enterprise and
recognition of
hard work. shared identity, an
› The Eastern culture values the wisdom of inner self shared
years and seniority, while the Western with others; Two
culture celebrates the youth and being levels or modes of
young. Philosophically, the Eastern culture social interaction
subscribe to concept of reincarnation while ibang-tao or
Western culture subscribe to the idea of “outsider” and hindi
evolution. ibang-tao or “one-
of-us” (Filipino
› Taken as a whole, these basic and subtle
Psychology).
differences between the Eastern culture and
the Western culture are taking its toll on
INDIVIDUALISM VERSUS COLLECTIVISM
Filipinos on which culture to adopt.
INDIVIDUALISM COLLECTIVISIM
› The dilemma is whether to follow and
› People are › Interdependent
subscribe to the Western influences or
autonomous within their in-
subscribe to Eastern ideas.
and groups.
independent › Give priority to
CONCEPT OF SELF
from their in- the goals of
WESTERN EASTERN
groups. their in- groups
› Self is a social › A gentleman by
› Give priority to › In-groups
construction following the moral
which is way consisting of their personal primarily shape
symbolically the virtues of love, goals of their in- their behavior
and signally righteousness, groups. › Behave in
created wisdom, propriety › Behave on their communal way.
between and and loyalty in order basis of › Concerned in
among social to promote harmony attitudes rather maintaining
beings in society than norms. relationship with
› Phenomenolog (Confucianism)
others
ical object › (Theravada)
which can be detachment and
productively desire lessness to
studied reach nirvana;
through a reciprocal
series of relationship;(Mahay
evanescent ana) compassion to
actions, self is other humans for
multidimension belief that we are
al entity part of the same
› Self is an ever-changing
interpersonal universe
unit Self takes (Buddhism).
form in › Attainment of
communication liberation in the
› Self is identification of
intimately Atman (the spiritual
connected to essence of all
bodily individual human
experience beings) and
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF PRELIM [Venice]. 7