MODULE 2 Concept and Nature of Self Who Am I? At the end of this Module, you will be able to: 1. explain the nature, concept, and Meaning of the seit: elf from 3. discuss the conceptualization from various disciplines 4. develop a pleasant 2. describe the nature of the s YOUF Own Point of view, and representa: tion of the seit and perspectives; and and wholesome attitude towards oneselt Group Singing Find the following songs on the internet and make the Class sing them. Also reflect on the songs’ lyrics. Then, answer the questions that follow, “Sino Ako” by Jamie Rivera “Who am I" by Casting CrownsCONCEPT AND NATURE OF SELF: WHO AMI? 5 Questions: 1. Who are you? 2. How would you describe yourself? 3. Do you love yourself? Why or why not? 4, What are you most grateful for in life? 5. . What are the biggest and most important things you have learned in life so far? Activity 4: Self-examination Look at yourself in the mirror and answer the following questions. 1. How can you describe yourself based on your own perspective or point of view? “lam " . What aspect of yourself do you feel good about? Why? x 3. What aspect of yourself do you believe you have to improve? Why?& UNDERSTANDING THE SELF The Philosophical View of Self Socrates: Know Yourself Socrates is principally concerned with man. He considers man from the point of view of his inner life. The famous line of Socrates, “Know yourself,” tells each man to bring his inner self to light. A bad man is not virtuous through ignorance; the man who does not follow the good fails to do so because he does not recognize it. The core of Socratic ethics is the concept of virtue and knowledge. Virtue is the deepest and most basic propensity of man. Knowing one’s own virtue is necessary and can be learned, Since virtue is innate in the mind and self-knowledge is the source of all wisdom, an individual may gain possession of oneself and be one’s own master through knowledge. Plato: The Ideal Self, the Perfect Self ‘According to Plato, man was omniscient or all-knowing before he came to be born into this world. With his separation from the paradise of truth and knowledge and his long exile on earth, he forgot most of the knowledge he had. However, by constant remembering through contemplation and doing good, he can regain his former perfections. Man who is now an exile on earth has a guiding star, a model, ora divine exemplar which he must follow to reach and attain his destiny. In practical terms, this means that man in this life should imitate his former self; more specifically, he should live a life of virtue in which true human perfection exists. Happiness, which is the fruit of virtue, is attained by the constant imitation of the divine exemplar of virtue, embodied in man’s former perfect self. Immanuel Kant: Respect for Self Man is the only creature who governs and directs himself and his actions, who sets up ends for himself and his purpose, and who freely orders means for the attainment of his aims. Every man isCONCEPT AND NATURE OF SELF: WHOAMI? 7) thus an end in himself and should never be treated merely as a means—as per the order of the Creator and the natural order of things. This rule is a plain dictum of reason and justice: Respect others as you would respect yourself. A person should not be used as a tool, instrument, or device to accomplish another's private ends. Thus, all men are persons gifted with the same basic rights and should treat each other as equals. René Descartes: “I think, therefore I am” Descartes states that the self is a thinking entity distinct from the body. His first famous principle was “Cogito, ergo sum,” which means “I think, therefore I am.” Although the mind and the body are independent from each other and serve their own function, man must use his own mind and thinking abilities to investigate, analyze, experiment, and develop himself. John Locke: Personal Identity John Locke holds that personal identity (the self) is a matter of psychological continuity. For him, personal identity is founded on consciousness (memory), and not on the substance of either the soul or the body. Personal identity is the concept about oneself that evolves over the course of an individual’ life. It may include aspects of life that man has no control over, such as where he grew up or the color of his skin, as well as the choices he makes, like how he spends his time and what he believes. David Hume: The Self is the Bundle Theory of Mind Hume is skeptical about the existence of the self, specifically, on whether there is a simple, unified self that exists over time. For him, man has no “clear and intelligible” idea of the self. He posits that no single impression of the self exists; rather, the self is just the thing to which all perceptions of a man is ascribed. Moreover, even if there were such an impression of the self, it would have to a48 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF m. stant over time to constitute identity, However, man's remai! nsta ae Sara vary and always change. Even attempts to have ssions vary a h ven att ae of the self must fail for all these attempts are re, imy ‘ally just occasions for one to notice perceptions. Put simply, a Person, inl mere observe oneself without some other perceptions, Thus, Hume asserts that what we call the “self” is really just “a bundle or collection of different perceptions which succeed each other with an inconceivable rapidity.” The Holy Bible “God created man in His image; in the divine image He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them, saying, “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds in the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.” Genesis 1:24.28CONCEPT AND NATURE OF SELF: WHO AMI? Religous Aesthetic _-—~ Emotional | Physical Mora! (Rational | Sentiment The Crown Creation of Self | Spintuat Sensual and Sexual | Politica Economic Social Figure 1. The self as a crown of creation St, Augustine: Love and Justice as the Foundation of the Individual Self St, Augustine believes that a virtuous life is a dynamism of love. It is a constant following of and turning towards love while a wicked life is a constant turning away from love. Loving God means loving one’s fellowmen; and loving one’s fellowmen denotes never doing any harm to another or, as the golden principle of justice states, doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. LIBRARY SSCT COLI’1@ UNDERSTANDING THE SELF The Psychological View of Self Sigmund Freud: The Psychoanalytic Theory of Self Freud’s asserts that the human psyche (personality) is structured into three parts (tripartite). These structures—the id, ego, and superego—all develop at different stages in a person's life, These three structures are systems and not physical parts of the brain, Although each part comprises unique features and contributes to an individual's behavior, they interact to form a whole. Parts of Personality 1. Id (internal desires), Also called internal drives or instinctive drives, it consist of the body's primitive biological drives and urges which are concerned only with achieving pleasure and self-satisfaction. Id lives completely in the unconscious. . Ego (reality). It is the “I” part of the individual that gives him/ her the sense of his/her own identity. The ego is the rational part of the personality. . Superego (conscience). It is the part of the personality concerned with morals, precepts, standards, and ideas. The superego is also the critical faculty of the personality. xv w Freudian Stages of Psychosexual Development Freud also argues that the development of an individual be divided into distinct stages characterized by sexual drives. As @ person grows, certain areas become sources of pleasure, frustration or both. 1. Oral. From birth to the end of the first year, the mouth becomes the part of the body through which gratification is secured. can 2. Anal (expulsive phase). From the age of 2 to 3 years, the aut It derives the feelings of pleasure or pain from defecating: covers the toilet-training period. ye 2CONCEPT AND NATURE OF SELF: WHO AMI? 11 3. Phallic. From the age of 3 to 6 years, the child gets curious about his/her genitals and becomes attached to the parent of the opposite sex. The attraction of a boy to his mother is called Oedipus complex, while that of a girl to her father is called Electra complex. s . Latency. From the age of 10 to 12 years, sexual motivations presumably recede in importance as the child becomes preoccupied with developing skills and other activities. wa . Genital. After puberty, the deepest feelings of pleasure presumably come from heterosexual relations. Erik Erikson: The Psychosocial Stages of Self-development Erikson was primarily concerned with how both psychological and social factors affect the development of individuals. He has formulated eight major stages of development, each posing a unique developmental task and simultaneously presenting the individual with a crisis that he/she must overcome (Table 1). As defined by Erikson, a crisis is not “a threat of catastrophe but a turning point, a crucial period of increased vulnerability and heightened potential” (Erikson, 1968, p. 96). 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You may use these suggested topics » MeasIseeme » How other people see me » How I would like other people to see me Summary vn module presented three major lenses—philosophical, il ca , and Psychological—through which one can un ae the self. In the first perspective, which is focused aa pack self, Philosophers believe that a person is in his/her physical aspect. Meanwhile, in the biblical view, x dea a conclude that a person, as a creation of God, ieee a sreater things through the grace of God and phases a life, Finally, psychologists use stages or in ts diffe tthe self isa Product of life's development aspects. It is important for you to explore yourself and not limi ; t lis : given to you, mit your understanding to those that are