CHAPTER 2: THE PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF


Chapter 2 on the philosophical perspective on the self provides a range of perspectives on the self, including contemporary existentialist and social theories and ancient notions of the soul. 


Philosophers have argued about whether the self is a collection of shifting experiences or a single, unchanging entity.  

Plato and Socrates:

    In ancient philosophy, the soul and the self were frequently associated. Plato highlighted the idea of the soul, which is everlasting and separate from the body, in response to Socrates's famous dictum, "Know thyself."


Aristotle:


    Contrary to Plato, Aristotle viewed the self in more practical terms, focusing on the individual's body and mind, and saw personal identity as something rooted in both rationality and physicality.


René Descartes


    René Descartes viewed the self as a thinking subject, distinct from the physical body. Descartes' well-known remark that "I think, therefore I am" (Cogito, ergo sum) signaled a change in philosophical thinking by implying that thought and consciousness are the primary factors that define the self. 

Existentialism

    Existential philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Martin Heidegger examined the self in the context of existence.

Jean-Paul Sartre and Martin Heidegger 


    They argued that the self is not a predetermined entity, but rather something that evolves from activities and decisions. Sartre famously said, "Existence precedes essence," emphasizing that people make their own meaning and identity through their actions.

David Hume


    He argued that the self is merely a bundle of perceptions without a core essence. According to this view, the self is a collection of experiences, sensations, and thoughts that do not form a unified, permanent entity.

George Herbert Mead and Charles Taylor 

    Emphasized that the self is socially constructed, and influenced by interactions with others. The self is not isolated but is shaped by relationships, societal expectations, and cultural norms.



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