7/29/2019 Prelims

Philosophical Theories of the Self

Marielle Therese A. Hallare

BSA – AC13
 Summary of Sigmund Freud’s Theory of the Self

Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality contends that human conduct is

the consequence of the communications among three segment portions of the brain: the id,

ego, and superego. This theory, is known as Freud's structural theory of personality, places

great emphasis on the job of unconscious mental conflict in forming conduct and character.

As indicated by Freud, our personality creates from the connections among what he

proposed as the three key structures of the human personality: the id, ego, and superego.

Conflicts among these three structures, and our endeavors to discover balance among what

every one of them "desires," decides how we carry on and approach the world. What balance we

strike in some random circumstance decides how we will settle the conflict between two

behavioral tendencies: our natural forceful and joy looking for drives versus our mingled inside

command over those drives.

The id, the most primitive of the three structures, is worried about moment delight of

essential physical needs and inclinations. It works completely unknowingly. Next is the ego, the

rational pragmatic part of our personality. It is less primitive than the id and is somewhat

conscious and partly unconscious. It's what Freud viewed as "oneself," and its main responsibility

is to adjust the requests of the id and superego in the useful setting of the real world. And lastly

the superego is worried about social principles and ethics—like what numerous individuals call

their "conscience" or their "moral compass."

 Reflection on Sigmund Freud’s Theory of the Self

Among all the philosophers and their theories about SELF, I chose Sigmund Freud’s theory

because for me I find his theory the most essential especially when applying it to our everyday

living. Sigmund Freud’s theory can helps us to know if what we our doing in our lives is right or

wrong. And also it is essential for us to know and to apply it because it helps us to be conscious

with ourselves and it is a big help when we make a decision.

According to Sigmund Freud we decide on things based on the three elements of

personality known as the ID, Ego and Superego. These three work together to create complex

human behaviors. Each components has its own contribution to personality and behavior but all

of the three elements interact in ways that will be helpful on each individual. Both Id and Ego of

life are co-parts. One feed two, two proceeds to grow, and then three is developed which is called

the superego stage of personality, and Superego can be defined as our beliefs, morals, and

attitudes.

Id are the things that we wants and desire, Id acts according to the pleasure principle, it

means that the desire or wants should be met immediately, for example when you feel hungry

the first thing you will think is you need to eat. Another example is when you are thirsty that is

the time where you will be motivated to drink. But sometime we cannot always get our wants on

time that is why we need to wait for the right moment where we will fulfill our needs. When we

were not able to satisfy ourselves with what we wants and desire it is the time where the Id relies

on the primary process, includes making a psychological picture through wandering off,
fantasizing, daydreaming, or some different procedure. Id really exist and will be always there in

our everyday living because as Sigmund Freud said every individual has its own wants and desire.

Next is the Ego, it is the component of personality that is responsible for dealing with the

reality. According to Sigmund Freud the ego develops from the id and ensures that the impulses

of the id can be expressed in a manner acceptable in the real world. The Ego operates based on

the reality principle which helps to satisfy the Id’s desires in a realistic way. Ego will know the

cost and benefits of the action before deciding, it will help you to think the things that you should

and should not do just to satisfy your needs. For Example you are hungry while you are walking

in the park and suddenly you pass by a person eating then the Id might compel you to grab the

food of the person but the Ego guides you to just walk and wait until you see a stall where you

can buy your own food.

Lastly the Superego, it provides guidelines to judgments. Superego acts to civilize our

behavior. It also helps us to suppress the unacceptable and struggles to make the Ego act in a

realistic way just to satisfy all the needs and desires that falls under the Id. The superego is

present in the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious. It helps the person to think on what are

the right things to do. According to Sigmund Freud the key to a healthy personality is a balance

between the id, the ego, and the superego. Sigmund Freud theory helps us to decide properly

and to be always conscious about ourselves, and also knowing about Sigmund Freud theory is a

big help to us because we always make decision in our lives.