Self-Understanding & Self-Concept: How We Perceive Ourselves

Who Am I?

Louisa is coming into her own. She's starting to understand who she is and what she's like compared
with others. She knows, for example, that when people are rude to other people, she gets angry. She
understands that nature is more important to her than to many other people.

Louisa is starting to answer the question, 'Who am I?' For many people, answering this question isn't
very easy. For others, a solid understanding of who they are is a big part of their lives.

Self-concept is an understanding of who you are as a person. When Louisa recognizes that she loves
nature and hates rudeness, this is part of her self-concept. She knows who she is and what makes her
different from other people.

But that's not all there is to the question of 'Who am I?' Understanding what your motives are when you
act is called self-understanding. It is often linked to self-concept.

For example, Louisa's love of nature and being outdoors is closely linked to her self-concept. When she
is stuck indoors all day, she gets restless and annoyed. Sometimes, she says and does things to the
people around her that she's not proud of. Understanding that she's acting out because she's been stuck
indoors and she really wants to be outdoors is part of her self-understanding. Let's look closer at the
elements of self-concept and self-understanding.

Socrates Biography
Philosopher (c. 470 BCE–c. 399 BCE)

Socrates was a Greek philosopher and the main source of Western thought. Little is known of his life
except what was recorded by his students, including Plato.

Synopsis

Socrates was born circa 470 BC, in Athens, Greece. We know of his life through the writings of his
students, including Plato and Xenophon. His "Socratic method," laid the groundwork for Western
systems of logic and philosophy. When the political climate of Greece turned, Socrates was sentenced to
death by hemlock poisoning in 399 BC. He accepted this judgment rather than fleeing into exile.

Early Years

Born circa 470 BC in Athens, Greece, Socrates's life is chronicled through only a few sources—the
dialogues of Plato and Xenophon and the plays of Aristophanes. Because these writings had other
purposes than reporting his life, it is likely none present a completely accurate picture. However,
collectively, they provide a unique and vivid portrayal of Socrates's philosophy and personality.

Socrates was the son of Sophroniscus, an Athenian stone mason and sculptor, and Phaenarete, a
midwife. Because he wasn't from a noble family, he probably received a basic Greek education and
learned his father's craft at a young age. It is believed Socrates worked as mason for many years before
he devoted his life to philosophy. Contemporaries differ in their account of how Socrates supported
himself as a philosopher. Both Xenophon and Aristophanes state Socrates received payment for
teaching, while Plato writes Socrates explicitly denied accepting payment, citing his poverty as proof.

Socrates married Xanthippe, a younger woman, who bore him three sons—Lamprocles, Sophroniscus
and Menexenus. There is little known about her except for Xenophon's characterization of Xanthippe as
"undesirable." He writes she was not happy with Socrates's second profession and complained that he
wasn’t supporting family as a philosopher. By his own words, Socrates had little to do with his sons'
upbringing and expressed far more interest in the intellectual development of Athens' young boys.

Athenian law required all able bodied males serve as citizen soldiers, on call for duty from ages 18 until
60. According to Plato, Socrates served in the armored infantry—known as the hoplite—with shield,
long spear and face mask. He participated in three military campaigns during the Peloponnesian War, at
Delium, Amphipolis, and Potidaea, where he saved the life of Alcibiades, a popular Athenian general.
Socrates was known for his courage in battle and fearlessness, a trait that stayed with him throughout
his life. After his trial, he compared his refusal to retreat from his legal troubles to a soldier's refusal to
retreat from battle when threatened with death.

René Descartes Biography

Academic, Philosopher, Mathematician, Scientist (1596–1650)

Philosopher and mathematician René Descartes is regarded as the father of modern philosophy for
defining a starting point for existence, “I think; therefore I am.”

Synopsis

René Descartes was born on March 31, 1596, in La Haye en Touraine, France. He was extensively
educated, first at a Jesuit college at age 8, then earning a law degree at 22, but an influential teacher set
him on a course to apply mathematics and logic to understanding the natural world. This approach
incorporated the contemplation of the nature of existence and of knowledge itself, hence his most
famous observation, “I think; therefore I am.”

Early Life

Philosopher René Descartes was born on March 31, 1596, in La Haye en Touraine, a small town in
central France, which has since been renamed after him to honor its most famous son. He was the
youngest of three children, and his mother, Jeanne Brochard, died within his first year of life. His father,
Joachim, a council member in the provincial parliament, sent the children to live with their maternal
grandmother, where they remained even after he remarried a few years later. But he was very
concerned with good education and sent René, at age 8, to boarding school at the Jesuit college of Henri
IV in La Flèche, several miles to the north, for seven years.
Plato Biography
Writer, Philosopher (c. 428 BCE–c. 348 BCE)

Ancient Greek philosopher Plato founded the Academy and is the author of philosophical works of
unparalleled influence in Western thought.

Synopsis

Born circa 428 B.C.E., ancient Greek philosopher Plato was a student of Socrates and a teacher of
Aristotle. His writings explored justice, beauty and equality, and also contained discussions in aesthetics,
political philosophy, theology, cosmology, epistemology and the philosophy of language. Plato founded
the Academy in Athens, one of the first institutions of higher learning in the Western world. He died in
Athens circa 348 B.C.E.

Background

Due to a lack of primary sources from the time period, much of Plato's life has been constructed by
scholars through his writings and the writings of contemporaries and classical historians. Traditional
history estimates Plato's birth was around 428 B.C.E., but more modern scholars, tracing later events in
his life, believe he was born between 424 and 423 B.C.E. Both of his parents came from the Greek
aristocracy. Plato's father, Ariston, descended from the kings of Athens and Messenia. His mother,
Perictione, is said to be related to the 6th century B.C.E. Greek statesman Solon.

Some scholars believe that Plato was named for his grandfather, Aristocles, following the tradition of
the naming the eldest son after the grandfather. But there is no conclusive evidence of this, or that Plato
was the eldest son in his family. Other historians claim that "Plato" was a nickname, referring to his
broad physical build. This too is possible, although there is record that the name Plato was given to boys
before Aristocles was born.

As with many young boys of his social class, Plato was probably taught by some of Athens' finest
educators. The curriculum would have featured the doctrines of Cratylus and Pythagoras as well as
Parmenides. These probably helped develop the foundation for Plato's study of metaphysics (the study
of nature) and epistemology (the study of knowledge).

Plato's father died when he was young, and his mother remarried her uncle, Pyrilampes, a Greek
politician and ambassador to Persia. Plato is believed to have had two full brothers, one sister and a half
brother, though it is not certain where he falls in the birth order. Often, members of Plato's family
appeared in his dialogues. Historians believe this is an indication of Plato's pride in his family lineage.

Sigmund Freud Biography

Psychiatrist, Scholar (1856–1939)

Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist best known for developing the theories and techniques of
psychoanalysis.
Who Was Sigmund Freud?

Sigmund Freud (May 6, 1856 to September 23, 1939) was an Austrian neurologist who developed
psychoanalysis, a method through which an analyst unpacks unconscious conflicts based on the free
associations, dreams and fantasies of the patient. His theories on child sexuality, libido and the ego,
among other topics, were some of the most influential academic concepts of the 20th century.

Freud’s Theories

Freud's psychoanalytic theory, inspired by his colleague Josef Breuer, posited that neuroses had their
origins in deeply traumatic experiences that had occurred in the patient's past. He believed that the
original occurrences had been forgotten and hidden from consciousness. His treatment was to empower
his patients to recall the experience and bring it to consciousness, and in doing so, confront it both
intellectually and emotionally. He believed one could then discharge it and rid oneself of the neurotic
symptoms. Some of Freud’s most discussed theories included:

Id, ego and superego: These are the three essential parts of the human personality. The id is the
primitive, impulsive and irrational unconscious that operates solely on the outcome of pleasure or pain
and is responsible for instincts to sex and aggression. The ego is the “I” people perceive that evaluates
the outside physical and social world and makes plans accordingly. And the superego is the moral voice
and conscience that guides the ego; violating it results in feelings of guilt and anxiety. Freud believed the
superego was mostly formed within the first five years of life based on the moral standards of a person’s
parents; it continued to be influenced into adolescence by other role models.

Psychic energy: Freud postulated that the id was the basic source of psychic energy, or the force that
drives all mental processes. In particular he believed that libido, or sexual urges, was a psychic energy
that drives all of human actions; the libido was countered by thanatos, the death instinct that drives
destructive behavior.

Oedipus complex: Between the ages of three and five, Freud suggested that as a normal part of the
development process all kids are sexually attracted to the parent of the opposite sex and in competition
with the parent of the same sex. The theory is named after the Greek legend of Oedipus, who killed his
father so he could marry his mother.

Dream analysis: In his book The Interpretation of Dreams, Freud believed that people dreamed for a
reason: to cope with problems the mind is struggling with subconsciously and can’t deal with
consciously. Dreams were fueled by a person’s wishes. Freud believed that by analyzing our dreams and
memories, we can understand them, which can subconsciously influence our current behavior and
feelings.

John Locke Biography

Philosopher (1632–1704)

English philosopher John Locke's works lie at the foundation of modern philosophical empiricism and
political liberalism.
Synopsis

John Locke, born on August 29, 1632, in Wrington, Somerset, England, went to Westminster school and
then Christ Church, University of Oxford. At Oxford he studied medicine, which would play a central role
in his life. He became a highly influential philosopher, writing about such topics as political philosophy,
epistemology, and education. Locke's writings helped found modern Western philosophy.

Early Life

Influential philosopher and physician John Locke, whose writings had a significant impact on Western
philosophy, was born on August 29, 1632, in Wrington, a village in the English county of Somerset. His
father was a country lawyer and military man who had served as a captain during the English civil war.

Both his parents were Puritans and as such, Locke was raised that way. Because of his father's
connections and allegiance to the English government, Locke received an outstanding education.

In 1647 he enrolled at Westminster School in London, where Locke earned the distinct honor of being
named a King's Scholar, a privilege that went to only select number of boys and paved the way for Locke
to attend Christ Church, Oxford in 1652.

At Christ Church, perhaps Oxford's most prestigious school, Locke immersed himself in logic and
metaphysics, as well as the classical languages. After graduating in 1656, he returned to Christ Church
two years later for a Master of Arts, which led in just a few short years to Locke taking on tutorial work
at the college.

In 1668 Locke was elected a fellow of the Royal Society. He graduated with a bachelor's of medicine in
1674.

Early in his medical studies, Locke met Lord Ashley, who was to become Earl of Shaftsbury. The two
grew close and Shaftsbury eventually persuaded Locke to move to London and become his personal
physician. As Shaftsbury's stature grew, so did Locke's responsibilities. He assisted in his business and
political matters, and after Shaftsbury was made chancellor, Locke became his secretary of
presentations.

Writings

Shaftsbury's influence on Locke's professional career and his political thoughts cannot be understated.
As one of the founders of the Whig party, which pushed for constitutional monarchism and stood in
opposition to the dominant Tories, Shaftsbury imparted an outlook on rule and government that never
left Locke.

Biography of Paul Churchland

Paul Churchland (born October 21, 1942) is a philosopher noted for his studies in neurophilosophy and
the philosophy of mind. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of California, San Diego, where he
held the Valtz Chair of Philosophy and a joint appointment with the Cognitive Science Faculty and the
Institute for Neural Computation. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh in 1969 under
the direction of Wilfrid Sellars. Churchland is the husband of philosopher Patricia Churchland. He is also
the father of two children, Mark and Anne Churchland, both of whom are neuroscientists.
Churchland began his professional career as an instructor at the University of Pittsburgh in 1969; he also
lectured at the University of Toronto from 1967-69. In 1969, Churchland took a position at the
University of Manitoba, where he would teach for fifteen years: as an assistant professor (1969-74) and
associate professor (1974-79), and then as a full professor from 1979-1984. Professor Churchland joined
the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton in 1982, staying as a member until 1983. He joined the
faculty at the University of California, San Diego in 1983, serving as Department Chair from 1986-1990.

Churchland has supervised a number of PhD students, including Matthew J. Brown (now at UT Dallas),
P.D. Magnus (now at the University at Albany), Philip Brey (now at the University of Twente).

Patricia Churchland
Patricia Smith Churchland (born July 16, 1943) is a Canadian-American analytical philosopher noted for
her contributions to neurophilosophy and the philosophy of mind. She is UC President's Professor of
Philosophy Emerita at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where she has taught since 1984.
She has also held an adjunct professorship at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies since 1989. She is a
member of the Board of Trustees Moscow Center for Consciousness Studies of Philosophy Department,
Moscow State University. In 2015, she was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts &
Sciences. Educated at the University of British Columbia, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University
of Oxford, she taught philosophy at the University of Manitoba from 1969 to 1984 and is married to the
philosopher Paul Churchland. The New Yorker magazine observed regarding the philosophical couple
that, "Their work is so similar that they are sometimes discussed, in journals and books, as one person.

Biography
Early life and education

Churchland was born Patricia Smith in Oliver, British Columbia,[citation needed] and raised on a farm in
the South Okanagan valley. Both of her parents lacked a high-school education; her father and mother
left school after grades 6 and 8 respectively. Her mother was a nurse and her father worked in
newspaper publishing in addition to running the family farm. In spite of their limited education,
Churchland has described her parents as interested in the sciences, and the worldview they instilled in
her as a secular one. She has also described her parents as eager for her to attend college, and though
many farmers in their community thought this "hilarious and a grotesque waste of money", they saw to
it that she did so. She took her undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia, graduating
with honors in 1965. She received a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship to study at the University of
Pittsburgh, where she took an M.A. in 1966. Thereafter she studied at Oxford University as a British
Council and Canada Council Fellow, obtaining a B. Phil in 1969.