Summary of "Understanding The Self: Lesson 1 Philosophical Perspective of the Self | Ms. Airah R. Bombase, LPT"

Main ideas / lessons

• Course focus (Lesson 1): Understanding the self from a philosophical perspective, using the views of 11 philosophers.
• Lesson framing (4 agendas):
  1. Mental activity: prompts students to reflect on what they know about themselves.
  2. Meaning of philosophy: what philosophy is and what it provides.
  3. Philosophy and the self: major philosophers’ concepts of the self.
  4. Application and assessment: students create/justify their own definition of the self.

Mental activity (reflection prompts)

The instructor asks students questions to consider whether they truly know themselves, including:

• How to characterize yourself (strengths/weaknesses, talents/skills).
• What makes you stand out from others.
• How your self has transformed over time (growth/familiarity with learning).
• How you are connected to your body.
• How you are related to others.
• What happens to you after death (heaven/hell/purgatory, prayer for the dead).

After answering, students reflect whether the activity was easy or difficult and why (already know yourself vs. still learning).

Discussion: What is philosophy?

Philosophy is presented as:

• Seeking answers to serious questions about oneself and the world.
• Challenging existing knowledge and institutions to move closer to truth.

Example philosophical questions mentioned

• Morality: What is morally right or wrong, and why?
  • Includes controversial topics such as same-sex marriage, abortion, and the death penalty and asks what the “basis” for claims is.
• Good life: What counts as a good life?
  • Contrasts scenarios like:
    • Rich but without family/love/social fulfillment vs.
    • Poor but supported by family and loved ones.
• Religion/metaphysics: Does God exist? If so, one or many?

Skills/benefits philosophy teaches

• Critical thinking
• Argument skills
• Communication
• Reasoning
• Analysis
• Problem solving

What those skills enable (practical outcomes)

• Help you justify your opinions with reasons and evidence (not just empty statements).
• Help you spot bad arguments and explain why someone else is wrong.
• Help you think independently, not blindly trust information (example: school closure misinformation due to lack of source verification).

Key background: origin of “philosophy”

• The term “philosophy” is attributed to Pythagoras (also associated with the Pythagorean theorem).
• Etymology given:
  • Greek philo + sophia → love and wisdom (literally associated with “wisdom” / “love of wisdom”).
• Philosophy begins from the need to search for truth and meaning/value/relevance.

Philosophy and the self: main concepts by philosopher (as presented)

Socrates

• Quote: “An unexamined life is not worth living.”
• Self is dualistic: body + soul.
  • Body: imperfect and impermanent.
  • Soul: perfect and permanent.
• Two realms:
  • Physical realm: changeable/transient/imperfect (body).
  • Ideal realm: unchanging/eternal/immortal (soul).
• Reason is emphasized as the soul’s tool.
• Excess focus on bodily/material needs blocks wisdom.
• A meaningful life comes from virtue and soul searching (separating body from soul).

Plato

• Quote/teaching: “The soul is immortal.”
• Self explained as self-knowledge and purification of the soul.
• Self = mind and soul (mind+soul more central than body).
• Three parts of the soul:
  1. Rational soul: reason/intellect; enables wise choices and understanding eternal truths.
  2. Spirited soul: emotions and passions (love, anger, ambition, empathy, aggressiveness).
  3. Appetitive soul: basic needs (food, air, housing, clothes).
• The three parts can conflict; reason controls and restores harmony.
• Happiness requires reason controlling spirit and appetite.

Aristotle

• Body and soul are not separate—they are one.
• The soul is the form/essence of the body; without body, soul cannot exist.
• Soul and body mutually influence each other.
• Three kinds of soul:
  1. Vegetative: growth and reproduction (plants/animals/humans).
  2. Sentient: sensation and mobility/emotions (animals/humans; not plants).
  3. Rational: intellect and reflection (humans only).
• Humans can self-reflect, recognize mistakes, and face consequences.

St. Augustine

• Integrates Plato with Christian beliefs.
• Soul and body are united so a person is fully complete.
• Humans are created in God’s image and likeness.
• Knowledge of self comes through knowing God (self-knowledge follows knowledge of God).

René Descartes

• Quote: “I think therefore I am.”
• Thinking/self-consciousness is used as proof of the existence of self.
• Self involves two distinct entities:
  • Mind (Cogito): the thing that thinks.
  • Body (Extensa): extension/material body.
• Famous formulation: cogito ergo sum.

John Locke

• Self is consciousness.
• Born as tabula rasa (blank slate); knowledge and self-awareness develop through experience.
• Consciousness provides coherence of personal identity across different situations.

David Hume

• No self exists in the way people imagine.
• Self is a bundle/collection of perceptions in constant flux.
• Personal identity is described as an outcome of imagination—there is no stable “self.”

Immanuel Kant

• Self is constructed (not merely found).
• The self is involved in knowledge acquisition and shapes a predictable world.
• Through rationality, the self organizes/synthesizes experience.

Gilbert Ryle

• Self is essentially how people behave.
• “We act therefore we are” (self expressed through actions, not a hidden inner essence).

Paul Churchland

• Self is the brain.
• Mind is not treated as a separate independent entity; mind is framed as an aspect/imagination tied to brain function.
• If there is no brain, there is no self.

Maurice Merleau-Ponty

• Self is embodied subjectivity.
• Dividing mind/body into a strict problem is considered futile/invalid.
• Knowledge of self/world is grounded in subjective experience; the self cannot be fully objectified in a completely objective way.

Application & assessment (instructions)

• Task 1: Create your own definition of the self

  • For each philosopher (Socrates through Maurice Merleau-Ponty), state in your own words (briefly):
    • What the self is according to that philosopher, or
    • The philosopher’s belief/perspective on the self
  • Examples of expected length/format:
    • “a very brief sentence,” “phrases,” “words,” “one word or a few words”

• Task 2: Identify alignment with your own concept

  • Choose which of the 11 philosophers is most aligned with your own concept of self.
  • Provide the reason, including:
    • Personal experiences growing up, or
    • Any situation/scenario you can share to justify your choice.

Submission format requirements

• Submit on one whole yellow paper (handwritten).
• Take a photo of the completed paper and submit it to Google Classroom (GCR).
• Do not submit only:
  • Typed notes screenshot on a cellphone
  • Screenshot-only uploads
• If typing digitally, it should be converted into a PDF (Word/WPS → PDF is acceptable).
• The teacher wants a clear photo so they can check and grade.

Speakers / sources featured (end list)

• Ms. Airah R. Bombase (instructor/narrator)
• Philosophers discussed:
  1. Socrates
  2. Plato
  3. Aristotle
  4. St. Augustine
  5. René Descartes
  6. John Locke
  7. David Hume
  8. Immanuel Kant
  9. Gilbert Ryle
  10. Paul Churchland
  11. Maurice Merleau-Ponty
• Mentioned source for example movie:
  • PK (film used as an analogy for tabula rasa)

Category

Educational

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