Understanding the self (deadline : thursday)yellow pad 1. What is self?2. what is the philosophical foundation of understanding the self?3. what is the historical development of understanding the self?
Answer (1)
1. What is Self?The self refers to the individual person as the object of their own reflection and awareness. It is the combination of one’s thoughts, feelings, experiences, and identity that makes a person unique. The self is not only about physical appearance but also includes personality, values, beliefs, and relationships with others. In short, the self is the answer to the question “Who am I?”---2. What is the Philosophical Foundation of Understanding the Self?Philosophy provides the earliest foundations for studying the self. Different philosophers explained the nature of the self in different ways:Socrates – “Know thyself”; he believed the self is the soul and that true knowledge is self-knowledge.Plato – the self has two parts: the body (temporary) and the soul (immortal, essential).Aristotle – the self is not separate from the body; instead, the body and soul work together.Descartes – “I think, therefore I am”; he believed the mind (thinking self) is the essence of a person.David Hume – argued there is no permanent self, only a bundle of perceptions and experiences.These philosophical foundations highlight that the self is both a subject of inner reflection and a product of reasoning about existence.---3. What is the Historical Development of Understanding the Self?The idea of the self developed through different historical periods:Ancient Philosophy (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle) – focused on the soul, virtue, and knowledge.Medieval Period (St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas) – connected the self to God, spirituality, and morality.Modern Philosophy (Descartes, Hume, Kant) – emphasized reason, consciousness, and individual experience.Contemporary Views (psychology and sociology) – see the self as shaped by culture, society, language, and relationships.
