4UNDERSELF

Prof. Bianca Camille Banog | 2074

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE SELF - All things that exist in the physical world are
therefore unreal as they are immaterial blueprints
SOCRATES & PLATO of objects in the physical world.
Socrates - The concrete objects in this world are mere copies
of these abstract universal essences.
- No historical document if he really existed. There
- Ideas are objects of the ontelect known by reason
were no known writings.
alone and are objective realities that exist in a
- 469 - 399 BCE
world of their own.
- Plato highly regarded him.
- Concept of Self — he believed in an enduring
- He is credited for his many contributions to
self that is represented by the soul; it is eternal
western philosophy.
and constitutes the enduring self. Even after
gnothi seauton
death, the soul continues to exist.
- Know Thyself (ancient Greek aphorism)
- If an individual knows who they are, all the basic
issues and difficulties in life will vanish and ST. AUGUSTINE
everything will be clearer. Memory and Expectations
Technique in asking questions - The existence of the past and future is only
- Who am I? possible through memory and expectations.
- What is the purpose of my life? - Introspection – the inquiry of the soul then of the
- What am I doing here? mind, consciousness, and thought.
- What is justice? - This confirms the superiority of humans
Self-Knowledge over other organisms since humans have
- Knowing one’s degree of understanding about the self-consciousness.
world and knowing one’s capabilities and - He argued that consciousness determines the
potentials. identity of the person.
- Self is achieved and something to work on.
Possession of knowledge is virtue and ignorance is vice RENE DESCARTES
- One must first have the humility to acknowledge Who is he?
their ignorance so as to acquire knowledge - A french philosopher and mathematician
Socrates is a Dualist - 1596 – 1650 CE
- “What is it that when in a body, makes it living?” - Cogito, ergo sum – “I think, therefore I am”
- Man has soul, which is divine, immoral, intelligible, - Fun fact: He allegedly never left bed before 11
uniform, indissoluble, and ever self-consistent and am. But invented analytical geometry and the
invariable Cartesian Coordinate System, and discovered
- The ruler of the body is the soul. Soul pre-existed some basic laws of optics. He was a tutor of
the body, and it is what makes the body alive. Queen Christina of Sweden.
- Body is human, mortal, multiform, unintelligible,
dissoluble, and inconsistent. Cogito, Ergo Sum
- Death is the release of the soul from the body. - The existence of anything that you register from
- The soul controls these emotions and actions your senses can be doubted.
through proper judgement and reason. - One can always doubt about the certainty of
things but the very fact that one doubts is
Plato something that cannot be doubted.
- Ancient Greek philosopher. - Only humans have the Hubris (excessive pride) of
- Student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle. thinking such irreverent questions on existence
- 428 – 347 BCE and purpose of life.
Plato’s Idealism - Humans have satisfied themselves with their own
- The empirical reality we experience in the answers to their own thinking.
experiential world is fundamentally unreal and is - Humans have the audacity and impertinence to try
only a shadow or a mere appearance. to figure out the meaning of life and are actually
- The ultimate reality is real as it is eternal and self-aware of their own existence.
constitutes abstract universal essences of things.
Self - He was a French phenomenological philosopher.
- “A thinking thing or a substance whose whole - Main Interest: constitution of meaning in human
essence or nature is merely thinking.” experience.
- The self is real and not just an illusion.
- Self is different from the body. Self and body exist Body
but differ in existence and reality. - Two types of body:
- Self is a feature of the mind, thus a mental - Subjective Body (as lived and experience)
substance rather than a physical substance. - Objective Body (as observed and
scientifically investigated)
Mind & Body - These 2 are not different bodies, “The former is
- Self is nothing else but a mind-body dichotomy. the body as-it-is-lived.”
- Thought (mind) always precedes action (body).
- Humans are the masters of their own universe. Self as Embodied Subjectivity
- Western philosophy is largely influenced by - It sees human beings neither as disembodied
Descartes. minds (existing without body) nor as complex
machines.
PAUL AND PATRICIA CHURCHLAND - We are living creatures whose subjectivity
(consciousness) is actualized in the forms of their
Who are they?
physical involvement with the world.
- Paul Churchland: born on October 21, 1942
- The body is a general medium for having a world
(Vancouver, Canada)
and we know it is not through our intellect but
- Patricia Churchland: born on July 16, 1943 (Oliver,
through our experiences.
British Columbia, Canada)
- They are Canadian-American philosophers whose
Self (a self) Essentially Requires a Body
work has focused on integrating the disciplines of
philosophy of mind and neuroscience in a new - Consciousness cannot simply be immaterial but
approach called Neurophilosophy. must be embodied.
- Rather than using “I Think”, we use “I Can” which
means you can go somewhere else as a being
Eliminative Materialism
possessing a body.
- “A radical claim that ordinary, common sense
- Mind and Body are essentially correlated.
understanding of the mind is deeply wrong and
Consciousness is both perceiving and engaging.
that some or all of the mental states posited by
- “I am my body.”
common sense do not actually exist.”
- He accepts the idea of mental states, but he also
suggests that the use of the mind is inseparable
Folk Psychology
from our bodily, situated, physical nature.
- Common Sense is something that is FALSE.
- Most people think that we have a stream of
THE SELF FROM THE SOCIOLOGICAL AND
consciousness that contains images and
ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
conceptions of things about which we have beliefs
and attitudes.
- It is also a fold belief that our sense of the world SOCIOLOGICAL
and of ourselves is a direct representation of how GEORGE MEAD
the world is formed.
Mead’s Social Self
- Self is not biological but social (He is a
Self
sociologist).
- Self is nothing else but the brain.
- It is something that is developed through SOCIAL
- Self is contained entirely within the physical brain.
INTERACTION.
- “Touching a Nerve: The Self as a Brain” (2013)
- It is developed as one grows and ages.
- To understand the self, one must study
- It’s constructed by directly engaging in the world
the brain, not just the mind.
through interaction and through reflections on
those interactions.
MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY Self
Who is he? - 2 parts of self:
- March 14, 1908 — May 3, 1961
 - Self-awareness: Conscious knowledge of - It represents the conventional objective
one’s own character part of the self.
- Self-image: The idea one has one;s Generalized Others
abilities, appearance, and personality. - It is an organized community or social group
- Self develops through social interaction which gives to the individual his or her unity of
- Exchange of symbols (language) and that self.
understanding of symbols involves being - The attitude of a generalized other is the attitude
able to take the role of another. of the entire community.
- Each person involved must correctly
interpret the meanings of symbols and CHARLES HORTON COOLEY
intentions of others.
The Looking Glass Self
- This can only succeed through the
- A social psychological concept.
existence of common symbols, but
- The self is developed as a result of one’s
actually accomplished through the
perceptions of other people’s opinions.
process of role playing.
- People are the way they were at least partly
because of other people’s reactions to them and
Role Playing
to what they do. When people pick up feedback
- The process in which one takes on the role of
from others, they incorporate it into their sense of
another by putting oneself in the position of the
self.
person with whom they interact.
- 3 Steps of Social Interaction
- Through this…:
1. People imagine how they must appear to
- individuals develop a concept of self; &
others.
- one is able to reflect upon oneself.
2. They imagine the judgement on that
appearance.
3 Stages of Development
3. They develop themselves through the
1. Imitation or Preparatory Stage judgement of others.
- A child imitates the behavior of their - People imagine how others judge what they see,
parents (like sweeping the floor). whether with approval, doubt, or hostility.
2. Play Stage - As a result, Looking-glass Self is made up of
- The child plays the roles of others such as feelings about other people’s judgement of one’s
acting as a teacher, soldier, carpenter, etc. behavior.
3. Game Stage - It provides an idea on how the self develops in
- The child comes to themselves from the relation to the perception of others.
perspective of other people.
POSTMODERN VIEW OF THE SELF
“I” and “Me” Self
Postmodernism
- All humans experience internal conversation.
- Self is essentially a social process going on - A report on the mindset of western culture in the
between the I and Me. latter half of the 20th century.
- The “I” - Michael Foucalt (French philosopher):
- The phase of the self that is unsocialized - Self is also seen as a product of modern
and spontaneous. discourse that is socially and historically
- The acting part of the self, an immediate conditioned.
response to other people.
- It represents the self that is free and 4 Basic Postmodernist Ideas about the Self
unique. - Anderson (1997) addressed the issues of change
- The subjective part of the self. and multiple identities:
- The “Me” 1. Multiphrenia: the many different voices speaking
- The self that results from the progressive about “who we are and what we are.”
stages of role playing or role-taking and 2. Protean: a self capable of changing constantly to
the perspective one assumes to view and fit the present conditions.
analyze one’s own behaviors. 3. De-centered: a belief that there is no self at all
- The organization of the internalized since the self is constantly being redefined or
attitude of others. constantly undergoing change.
 4. Self-in-relation: means that humans do not live - Personal Identity – the way they see themselves
their lives in isolation but in relation to people and as an individual.
to certain cultural contexts. - Collective Identity – the way they see themselves
as a member of a certain group.
⤷ Mead – self is shaped by outside forces; self is
socially constructed. Identity
⤷ Postmodernist – people have no fixed identities - Refers to “who the person is” or the qualities and
which are separable from their surroundings and traits of an individual that make them different
which remain the same even though certain from others.
characteristics and conditions may change. - There are many ways to distinguish people:
⤷ Foucault – self is a text written from moment to - By geographical context or based on
moment according to the demands of a multitude where they come from.
of social contexts. - People from the West are different from
the people from the East.
Person’s Status
⤷ Traditional Society – determined by their role. Cultural Identity
⤷ Modern Society – determined by their - Refers to the identity or feeling of belongingness
achievement. to a certain culture group.
⤷ Postmodern Society – determined by fashion or - It is an individual’s perception about himself or
style since it changes and people adapt to these herself anchored on:
changes or is left with identity in question. - Race
- Gender
Two Realities of Postmodern Social Condition - Nationality
- The rise of new media technologies - Religion
- The dominance of consumerism - Ethnicity
- Language
⤷ Lyon (1997): the predicament of the self in - The cultural categories that shape one’s overall
postmodern societies is complicated by the advent cultural identity prove how one’s cultural identity is
of electronic-mediated virtual interactions of cyber meant to be multidimensional.
selves and the spread of information technology.
⤷ Green (1997): the self is “digitalized” in Cultural Identity Theory
cyberspace. - It explains why a person acts and behaves the
way they do.
Email and Memory - A single person can possess multiple identities,
- “Every little piece of information that you post on simultaneously making them part of many cultural
the internet—the message you write, the website groups.
you visit, the files you download, the email
address you contact, the book, tapes, CDs, and Nation
airplane tickets you order on the internet and the - A group of people built on the premise of shared
credit card numbers you give— all these become customs, traditions, religion, language, art, history,
raw data from which someone out there can piece and more.
together an identity, a virtual version of who you
are.” National Identity
- Refers to the identity, or feeling of belongingness
ANTHROPOLOGICAL to one state or nation
- Rupert Emerson (political scientist): “A body of
CULTURAL IDENTITY AND NATIONAL IDENTITY people who feel that they are a nation.”
Culture - A socially constructed, influenced and shaped by
- Derived from the Latin word cultura or cultus material and non-material cultures.
meaning care or cultivation. - Material Culture: National flag, emblem,
- An individual has both personal identity and seal that represents all the people who
collective identity. are part of a nation.
- Non-material Culture: embodies the
shared understanding of a group of
 people which includes norms, beliefs, and makes awareness and self-awareness
traditions. possible.
- It requires a process called Self-categorization. - An individual turns himself or herself into
- Self-categorization – one must identify a Me when he or she makes himself or
themselves with an in-group and herself the object of his or her own
differentiate themself from the out-groups. thinking.
- A human being has the capacity to be a thinking
INDIVIDUAL SELF, RELATIONAL SELF, AND subject and the object of his or her thinking at the
COLLECTIVE SELF same time.
- As a thinking subject, an individual is both
Three Fundamental Selves
conscious of their environment and conscious of
⤷ Each self is important and meaningful to human
their existence.
experience.
1. Individual Self
Self
- Reflects the cognitions related to traits,
states and behaviors that are stored in - The self can be contextualized in 3 categories:
memory. - The feelings and emotions aroused in
2. Relational Self the individual (self-feelings) because of
- Reflects cognitions that are related to their knowledge and appraisal of their
one’s relationships. empirical existence in the world.
3. Collective Self - The actions the self prompts
- Relefects cognitions that are related to (self-seeking) the effort of every
one's group. individual to preserve and improve oneself
based on one’s self-knowledge and
resulting self-feelings.
IDENTITY STRUGGLES
- Constituents of the self refer to the
- Introduced by Anthony Wallace and Raymond further sub-categories of the self
Fogelson. including:
- It characterizes the discrepancy between the - Material Self: consists of one’s
identity a person claims to possess and the body, clothes, family, home, and
identity attributed to that person by others. other material possessions that
- Regardless of the truthfulness of how people he or she values and regards as
perceive you, it provides opportunity for his or her own.
self-reflection. - Social Self: connotes the image
- Your response to how people describe you will of an individual in the eyes of the
depend on your own perception of yourself. people around him or her which
- Some people can be confrontational or determines his or her reputation
non-confrontational towards how others identify in society.
them. - Spiritual Self: includes one’s
- People’s actions in every situation vary depending thoughts beliefs and feelings
on physiological and psychological states. - Pure Ego: is the most puzzling
- An individual can be unsympathetic because of aspect of the self.
particular individual issues, but people,
sometimes, fail to consider any justification for
why one can be unsympathetic.

THE SELF FROM THE PSYCHOLOGICAL

PERSPECTIVE

WILLIAM JAMES
- American philosopher and psychologist
- Two categories of Self:
- The continuous stream of consciousness
internal to an individual constitutes the I
which is responsible for the thinking and
 CARL ROGER - CATEGORICAL SELF
- American psychologist and among the founders of - It starts after a child recognizes his or her
the humanistic approach to psychology. existence as a separate entity and
- The Self does not exist at birth. becomes aware that he or she is an
- It is developed gradually during childhood wherein object in the world.
one differentiates the self from NON-SELF. - An individual starts to categorize himself
- He proposed that by means of FREE CHOICE or herself in terms of age, sex, height and
and ACTION, one can shape himself or herself weight.
based on what he or she wants to be.
- His theory focuses on the nature of the self and Three Components of Self-concept
the conditions that allow the self to freely develop - Rogers (1951) believed that the self is composed
of concepts unique to every individual:.
Real Self and Ideal Self 1. SELF-WORTH or SELF-ESTEEM:
- REAL SELF: - Is what one thinks about oneself. This
- Is who an individual actually is, develops in the early childhood stage
intrinsically resulting from the interaction of the child
- It is the self that feels closest to how one with his or her mother and father.
identifies with. 2. SELF-IMAGE:
- Real self = One’s Self-image - Is how one sees himself or herself, which
- IDEAL SELF: is important for good psychological health.
- Is the perception of what a person would Includes the influence of body image on
like to be or thinks he or she would be. inner personality.
- It is the IDEALIZED IMAGE that has 3. IDEAL SELF:
developed over time based on the - Is the person that one wants to be. It
influence of the environment and the consists of one's dreams and goals in life,
people one interacts with. and it is continuously changing.
- CONGRUENCE:
- An agreement between the selves, which
happens when the ideal self is closer to GLOBAL VERSUS DIFFERENTIATED MODELS
the real self.
→ People with congruent selves are more likely to GLOBAL MODELS
attain SELF-ACTUALIZATION compared to those - Look into a human being in his or her totality, as
with incongruent selves. an indivisible entity that cannot be broken down
→ SELF-WORTH is high when the real self and into parts.
ideal self are close to each other.
Gestalt Psychology
Self-Concept - It is guided by the principle that:
- Is defined as the totality of a complex, organized - "The whole is greater than the sum of its
and dynamic system of learned beliefs, attitudes parts."
and opinions that each person holds to be true - This particular school of thought is interested in
about his or her personal existence. looking at the entirety of the self - the mind, body,
- It is a social product, developing out of physical attributes, behaviors and more.
interpersonal relationships and striving for
consistency. Humanistic Psychology
- EXISTENTIAL SELF - It is guided by the principle that:
- It begins when an individual recognizes - "Human beings, as humans, supersede
his or her existence as a separate entity the sum of their parts."
from others and realizes that he or she - That cannot be reduced to components.
will continue to exist over a period of time - It puts more emphasis on the influence of the
and space. environment on one's experiences rather than
- It usually starts from infancy up to early internal thoughts and desires that define one's
childhood. personality.
Comparison - If superego is dominant, a law-abiding, morally
- Both Gestalt and humanistic psychology focus on upright, god-fearing and socially acceptable
the totality of the self. individual appears.
- The former believes that understanding the self
relies on social behavior while the latter believes CARL JUNG
that the self is best understood based on how
- He was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst
others perceive it.
who founded analytical psychology.
- The human psyche is divided into three parts -
DIFFERENTIATED MODELS The ego, the personal unconscious and the
- Look into a human being through examining its collective unconscious.
parts for it is divisible or can be broken into
components. The Ego
- Is the center of consciousness.
Sigmund Freud - It is the person's sense of identity and existence
- He was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of - It organizes thoughts, feelings, senses, and
psychoanalysis. intuition.
- The psyche is composed of three parts - the id,
ego and superego. The Personal Unconscious
- It refers to all information stored in a person's
The ID mind that is readily accessible to consciously
- it exists since birth, pertaining to instinct. recall.
- It serves as a storeroom of wishes and
obsessions related to sexual and aggressive The Collective Unconscious
desires. - It refers to the unconscious mind shared by all
- It is driven by the so called libido (sexual human beings such as instincts and archetypes.
energy)
- It operates on the hedonistic or pleasure ALBERT BANDURA'S AGENTIC THEORY OF THE
principle - seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. SELF
- If it is dominant, an egoistic, boorish, and - Bandura is a Canadian-American psychologist.
barbaric brute emerges. - The social cognitive theory makes use of the
AGENTIC THEORY OF THE SELF.
The EGO - To be an agent means to be capable of
- it operates according to the reality principle. intentionally influencing one's own functionality
- This structure's role is to maintain equilibrium and life circumstances.
between the demands of id and superego in - People are not merely passive entities molded
accordance with what is best and practical in by environmental forces or driven by inner
reality. influences
- It is developed by the individual's personal - This theory rejects the notion that the selfhood
experiences and adheres to principles of is culturally influenced or controlled by urges,
reason and logic. rather, it looks upon every human being as
- If ego is successful, it turns out to be a brilliant, capable of thinking, deciding, foreseeing, and
creative and emotionally balanced individual. controlling his or her actions, free to decide for
himself or herself.
The SUPEREGO - This capability is termed by Bandura as
- It operates according to the morality principle. HUMAN AGENCY.
- It ensures compliance with the norms, values
and standards imposed by society. Four Core Properties of Human Agency
- It is developed by means of socialization in 1. Intentionality: is manifested in how an
various agents like home, school, church and individual forms intentions with action plans and
others. strategies to realize them.
- It has two systems: the conscience and the 2. Forethought: refers to how an individual
ideal self. positions his or her plans in the future.
 3. Self-reactiveness: shows that agents are not Individualistic cultures
only planners and fore-thinkers but also - Puts more emphasis on promoting the individual
self-regulators. The goals that the person wants and the immediate family's welfare.
to reach should be clear and specific.
- Self-regulation: allows the person to set Collectivistic cultures
goals that are better and higher than the - Gives more importance to loyalty to the in-group,
former, challenging his capabilities and which in turn takes care of the individual's welfare.
making him a wiser and self-actualized
individual. Western conception of the self is individualistic.
4. Self-reflection: signifies that people are - An independent self that is free from the influence
capable of self-examining their own functioning. of culture and environment and from the
- Bandura's theory views the self as a expectations and welfare of society.
person and not as a distinct entity - It emphasizes the uniqueness of every individual
responsible for bearing information and and is predicated on egoism or self- orientedness.
- Individualism foregrounds that a human being has
regulating behavior.
a self, is an individual, and is a person.

THE SELF IN WESTERN AND EASTERN THOUGHTS

Eastern conception of the self is collectivistic.
- It prioritizes the needs and goals of society over
INDIVIDUALISM VS COLLECTIVISM
the needs and desires of every individual.
Individualism - It puts more importance on belongingness to a
- It is an orientation concerned with the large group and emphasizes social obligations.
independence and self-reliance of the individual. - Individual behavior is guided by adjustments to
- People who belong to the individualistic culture social demands and situations.
might describe themselves in terms of personality - It is others-oriented because it encourages people
traits and characteristics. (EX. I am generous, to be kind, benevolent, charitable, dependable,
kind, and funny) and sensitive to the needs of others.
- Does not promote isolation - Collectivism stresses that an individual has "many
- An individual has the capacity to consider their selves" instead of having a one knowable self.
own best interest.
- Everyone is free to decide whether to take part or
THE SELF IN FOUR GREAT SYSTEMS OF EASTERN
not in solving societal problems.
THOUGHT
- Countries w/ generally individualistic cultures:
Buddhism
- New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Greece,
Poland, Italy, Belgium, Ireland, Spain and - There is no such thing as the ATMAN (self).
Finland - The ATMAN is impossible to perceive by one's
senses for it does not actually exist in any
metaphysical, material and spiritual level.
Collectivism
- It is regarded as an illusion, an imaginary concept
- It is an orientation characterized by belongingness
born as a product of evolved consciousness and
to larger groups or collectives.
misguided thinking of humans.
- People who belong to the collectivistic culture
- Humans have no real knowledge of a self or a
would more likely describe themselves in terms of
clear proof of claiming that there is a self.
social relationship and roles. (EX. I am kind
- Everything is just an illusion, a flux of momentary
son/daughter to my parents)
perceptions, thoughts and feelings. What is
- It is an idea that man should think, live, and act
perceived by one's senses becomes one's reality.
toward certain goals that benefit the group.
- Buddhist Philosophy refutes the idea of having an
- An individual decides according to the interest of
enduring self.
the group.
- Buddhism does not consider humans as
- Countries with generally collectivistic cultures:
individuals with a fixed and unified identity.
- Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland,
Instead, a human being is a product of 5 changing
Indonesia, Philippines, Argentina, Brazil,
processes that experiences them all:
Mexico and Portugal
- Physical Body
- Feelings
 - Perceptions - Tao is the core concept of Taoist beliefs and
- Responses practices.
- The Flow of Consciousness - It is referred to as the life force that surrounds and
- In Buddhism, the "I", "Me" and "Myself" which are flows through all living and nonliving things, and
processes of identification are believed to be that balances, orders, unifies and connects them.
hidden from awareness. - Knowledge of the universe or nature can be
- Instead, one can identify with his or her body, attained by studying the self because Taoists
feelings, and thoughts, or with images, patterns, regard the human body as the miniature of the
roles and archetypes. This is when the self arises. universe, as an extension of the Cosmos.
- In Buddhist terms, the ANATTA (no-self) is not a - Taoism does not support the philosophical
denial of existence. teachings of Confucius about self and society.
- It is a conviction that no words can define the
essence of this present moment of existence. Hinduism
- Buddhism tries to reject the conception of self as - The Hinduist view about the self was written in the
unchanging and separate unto itself. Upanishads, "Story of Creation," which tells about
- The Buddhist version of the creation of human the origin of the universe and of humans.
beings is taken from Hinduism's "Story of - Story of Creation
Creation" in the Upanishads. - In the beginning this was Self alone, in the
shape of a person which was called
Confucianism Purusha. He looked around and saw
- It is a way of life that was propagated by nothing but himSelf. He first said, "This is
Confucius. I; therefore, he became '1" by name.
- It regards an individual as a member of a larger Therefore, even man is asked, he first
whole, not as a separate being. says, 'This is l' and then pronounces the
- The ethical teachings of Confucius are based on name which he may have"
human relationships as reflected in his concept of - From this story of creation, the Self which
Five Cardinal Relationships or Five Bonds: is Purusha created a wife out of himself.
- The King and His Subject The wife bore Man and then transformed
- Father and Son herself into a cow, which prompted
- Husband and Wife Purusha to transform into a bull. Then the
- Between Brothers wife transformed into a mare, while
- Between Friends Purusha into a stallion.
- According to Confucius, individual identity is - These continuous transformations imply
defined by membership in the reference group to the belief that all creation is made up of
which one belongs. the same self as everything originated
- This identity is called The Relational Self. from Purusha. This also implies that the
- While The Subdued Self is the condition to creator is the same as the creation
respond to perceptions, not of its own needs and - The ATMAN, which is referred to as the self, spirit,
aspirations but of social requirements and or soul, is the same self described in the creation.
obligations. - In Hinduism, the ATMAN is one with the
- To subdue oneself means to practice REN. BRAHMAN which means the absolute,
- Ren: means human-heartedness; the transcendental power.
hallmark of Confucian ethics. - By being identified with the BRAHMAN, the
- Ren is a Confucian virtue characterized by ATMAN indicates a true self which underlies one's
altruistic behavior that must be nurtured in every existence.
person.

Taoism
- It emphasizes living in harmony with TAO (way or
path), which is a religion and a philosophy at the
same time.
- Tao is nothing but the expression of the unity of
the universe and of the path which human beings
must take to preserve that unity.
QUIZ 9. According to Descartes, what is the one thing that
cannot be doubted?
A. Existence of the external world
PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE SELF
B. Certainty of sensory experiences
C. Doubt itself
1. Who is credited for the aphorism "gnothi seauton" D. Human existence
(Know Thyself)? 10. What philosophical idea does Maurice
A. Plato Merleau-Ponty contribute regarding
B. Socrates consciousness and the body?
C. St. Augustine A. Dualism
D. Descartes B. Idealism
2. According to Socrates, what is the key to resolving C. Eliminative Materialism
basic issues and difficulties in life? D. Embodied Subjectivity
A. Possession of knowledge 11. Which philosophical perspective argues that the
B. Physical strength self is nothing else but the brain?
C. Wealth A. Descartes
D. Social status B. Merleau-Ponty
3. What technique did Socrates employ in his C. Paul and Patricia Churchland
philosophical inquiries? D. Plato
A. Experiments 12. What term is used to describe the Churchlands'
B. Lectures claim that common sense understanding of the
C. Writing mind is deeply wrong?
D. Asking questions A. Folk Psychology
4. According to Socrates, what is the release of the B. Eliminative Materialism
soul from the body? C. Dualism
A. Birth D. Idealism
B. Sleep 13. What is St. Augustine's view on the existence of
C. Death the past and future?
D. Meditation A. They are only known through intuition.
5. Who is credited with the concept of Idealism, B. They are illusions created by the mind.
claiming that the physical world is fundamentally C. They depend on memory and
unreal? expectations.
A. St. Augustine D. They are irrelevant to the concept of
B. Socrates self.
C. Plato 14. Who argued that the self is essentially correlated
D. Descartes with the body, and consciousness must be
6. According to Plato, what constitutes the enduring embodied?
self that continues to exist even after death? A. Descartes
A. Mind B. Merleau-Ponty
B. Body C. Socrates
C. Soul D. St. Augustine
D. Emotions 15. What is Maurice Merleau-Ponty's main interest in
7. Which philosopher argued that consciousness philosophy?
determines the identity of a person? A. Existence of the external world
A. Socrates B. Constitution of meaning in human
B. Plato experience
C. St. Augustine C. Nature of the soul
D. Descartes D. Dualism in philosophy
8. Who famously stated "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think,
therefore I am)?
A. Socrates
B. Plato
C. St. Augustine
D. Descartes
THE SELF FROM THE SOCIOLOGICAL AND B. Geographical context
ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE C. Shared customs and traditions
D. Personal identity
1. According to George Mead, how is the self 9. What does "cultural identity" refer to in
developed? anthropology?
A. Biologically A. Individual's perception about personal
B. Through social interaction traits
C. Through introspection B. Feeling of belongingness to a certain
D. Through physical appearance cultural group
2. What are the two parts of the self according to C. National identity
George Mead? D. Material and non-material cultures
A. Ego and Superego 10. How does national identity require individuals to
B. Self-awareness and Self-esteem categorize themselves?
C. I and Me A. Through cultural practices
D. Subjective and Objective B. Through language proficiency
3. What is the process of taking on the role of C. Through self-categorization
another person by putting oneself in their D. Through genetic similarities
position? 11. What does the Looking Glass Self theory by
A. Role-playing Charles Horton Cooley suggest about the
B. Imitation development of the self?
C. Social interaction A. It is biologically determined
D. Self-reflection B. It is shaped by outside forces
4. In Charles Horton Cooley's concept of the Looking C. It is a result of introspection
Glass Self, what is the second step of social D. It is an innate characteristic
interaction? 12. Which term characterizes the discrepancy
A. Imagining how others judge between the identity a person claims to possess
B. Imagining how one appears to others and the identity attributed to them by others?
C. Developing oneself through judgment A. Identity Struggles
D. Incorporating feedback into the sense B. Looking Glass Self
of self C. Postmodernism
5. What are the four basic postmodernist ideas about D. Cultural Identity Theory
the self?
A. Egoism, Idealism, Materialism, Dualism THE SELF FROM THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
B. Multiphrenia, Protean, De-centered, PERSPECTIVE
Self-in-relation
C. Imitation, Play, Game, Looking Glass 1. According to William James, what are the two
D. Subjective, Objective, Generalized categories of the self?
Others, Self-awareness A. Real Self and Ideal Self
6. According to Michael Foucault, how is the self B. Subjective Self and Objective Self
seen in postmodernism? C. I and Me
A. Fixed and unchangeable D. Ego and Superego
B. Socially and historically conditioned 2. In Carl Rogers' theory, what is the term for the self
C. Determined by personal achievements that an individual identifies with closely?
D. Rooted in traditional roles A. Objective Self
7. What does Lyon (1997) describe as the B. Ideal Self
predicament of the self in postmodern societies? C. Real Self
A. Rise of new media technologies D. Spiritual Self
B. Dominance of consumerism 3. According to Carl Rogers, what happens when the
C. Complicated by electronic-mediated real self and ideal self are congruent?
virtual interactions A. Self-worth decreases
D. All of the above B. Self-actualization is more likely
8. In anthropological terms, what does "culture" refer C. Existential self develops
to? D. Categorical self emerges
A. Genetic traits
4. What is the totality of a complex, organized, and THE SELF IN WESTERN AND EASTERN THOUGHTS
dynamic system of learned beliefs, attitudes, and
opinions about one's personal existence? 1. Which orientation is characterized by
A. Ideal Self independence and self-reliance of the individual?
B. Self-Concept A. Individualism
C. Real Self B. Collectivism
D. Categorical Self C. Altruism
5. What term does Carl Jung use to refer to the D. Egoism
center of consciousness in the human psyche? 2. In collectivism, what is more important than the
A. Personal Unconscious individual's welfare?
B. Collective Unconscious A. Personal achievements
C. The Ego B. Loyalty to the in-group
D. The Id C. Independence
6. In Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory, which D. Social status
part of the psyche operates on the pleasure 3. Which cultural category emphasizes the
principle? uniqueness of every individual and is predicated
A. The Ego on egoism or self-orientedness?
B. The Superego A. Collectivistic cultures
C. The Id B. Individualistic cultures
D. The Ideal Self C. Altruistic cultures
7. According to Albert Bandura's agentic theory of D. Egotistic cultures
the self, what does it mean to be an agent? 4. In Eastern conception, what is the self in
A. To be controlled by urges Buddhism considered to be?
B. To be molded by environmental forces A. Enduring and unchanging
C. To intentionally influence one's own B. An illusion
functionality C. A fixed and unified identity
D. To be passive and influenced by D. A separate entity
culture 5. According to Confucius, what defines individual
8. What are the four core properties of human identity in Confucianism?
agency in Bandura's theory? A. Personal achievements
A. Instinctuality, Awareness, B. Membership in a reference group
Self-discipline, Adaptability C. Independence
B. Intentionality, Forethought, D. Egoism
Self-reactiveness, Self-regulation 6. Which Eastern philosophy emphasizes living in
C. Ego, Superego, Id, Unconscious harmony with TAO (way or path)?
D. Idealization, Reflection, Emotional A. Buddhism
intelligence, Self-actualization B. Confucianism
9. Which psychological perspective focuses on C. Taoism
looking at the entirety of the self, considering it as D. Hinduism
an indivisible entity? 7. What is REN in Confucianism, according to
A. Differentiated Models Confucius?
B. Gestalt Psychology A. Altruism
C. Humanistic Psychology B. Independence
D. Agentic Models C. Egoism
10. What principle guides Gestalt Psychology in D. Subduing oneself
understanding the self? 8. In Hinduism, what is the ATMAN?
A. Pleasure principle A. The absolute, transcendental power
B. Reality principle B. The self, spirit, or soul
C. The whole is greater than the sum of C. The ego
its parts D. The collective unconscious
D. The self is culturally influenced 9. What does TAO represent in Taoism?
A. The life force in the universe
B. The personal achievements of an
individual
 C. The egoistic tendencies 8. B
D. The ideal self 9. B
10. According to the "Story of Creation" in Hinduism, 10. C
what does Purusha transform into?
A. A cow THE SELF IN WESTERN AND EASTERN THOUGHTS
B. A stallion 1. A
C. A bull 2. B
D. All of the above 3. B
4. B
5. B
Answer Key 6. C
7. A
(change text color to reveal the answer)
8. B
PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE SELF
9. A
1. B
10. D
2. A
3. D
4. C
Gusto ko manirahan dati sa Thailand kase akala ko “No
5. C
Man is In Thailand”. Yun pala “No Man is An Island”. -yung
6. C
isang editor (di aq yan)
7. C
8. D
9. C
10. D
11. C
12. B
13. C
14. B
15. B

THE SELF FROM THE SOCIOLOGICAL AND

ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
1. B
2. C
3. A
4. B
5. B
6. B
7. C
8. C
9. B
10. C
11. B
12. A

THE SELF FROM THE PSYCHOLOGICAL

PERSPECTIVE
1. C
2. C
3. B
4. B
5. C
6. C
7. C