CHAPTER 1  sees the “I” as a product of multiple

interacting processes, systems and

THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES schemes
A. PHILOSOPHY  Topographical Model
- The individual person may both know
1. SOCRATES and do not know the certain things at
the same time
 “Know Thyself”
 Structural Model
 Knowing thyself is true wisdom
- self in three different agencies
2. PLATO - ID
o aka primitive or instinctive component
 The essence of knowledge is self- - EGO ( I )
knowledge o part of the id which has been
modified by the direct influence of the
3. ST AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO
external world
 defined self or sense of self is his relation - SUPEREGO ( Above I )
to God both in his recognition of God’s o synthesizes the morals, values and
love and his response to it - achieved systems in society in order to function
through self-realization as the control outpost of the instinctive
desires of the id
4. RENE DESCARTES
9. GILBERT RYLE
 “I think therefore I am”(Cogito ergo sum)
 dualist  Positive View in his “Concept of the
 thinks that ethereal mind hold the seat Mind”
of consciousness  stern critique of Descartes’ dualism
 cannot rely on senses coz our sense of  “I” is just a “ghost in the machine”
perception often deceive us  believes that self comes from behavior
 doubt everything  bundle of behaviors caused by the
physical workings of the body
5. JOHN LOCKE
10. PAUL & PATRICIA CHURCHLAND
 self is comparable to an empty space
(tabula rasa)  eliminative materialism
 experience is needed to have sense  believe that nothing but matter exists
data  it is the physical brain not the imaginary
mind that gives the sense of self
6. DAVID HUME
11. MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY
 Bundle Theory
 the idea of self is an illusion  believed that the physical body to be
 self I just a bundle of perceptions an important part of what makes up the
 all ideas are derived from impressions subjective self
 there is NO self  treats perception as a casual process
 perceptions are caused by the intricate
7. IMMANUEL KANT experiences of the self, and process
 Transcendental Unity of Apperception intellectually while distinguishing truthful
 self is always transcendental perceptions from illusory
 self is taken as a phenomenon of the
 self is not in the body, it is even outside
the qualities of the body whole-a Gestalt understanding of
perception synthesis
8. SIGMUND FREUD

 regarded the self as the “I” that

ordinarily constitute both mental and
physical actions
 SOCIOLOGY
1. SOCIOLOGICAL VIEWS OF THE SELF
1.1 The Self as Product of Modern Society
Among Others
 with modernization, the self becomes a
“delocalized self”
 Clifford Geertz believes that struggle for
one’s individuality is only possible in
modern society where:
- religio-theological are gradually
replaced by rational and scientific
calculations
- intimate personal affiliations are
replaced by exceedingly impersonal
associations
 modernization “delocalizes” the self
This poses certain problems as:
o The newfound freedom threatens the
very authenticity of the self (e.g. love)
o Alienation (Marx) - human beings
haunted by the very images they
have created
o Objectification of the body (e.g.
medical practice)
o Dehumanization of self
Solution: For the individual discover the “true”
and “authentic” part of himself/herself to
realize his/her potentials, there is no need to
abolish repressive social constraints.
1.2 Self as Necessary Fiction
 Self for Nietzche, is the sum of
individual’s action, thoughts and
feelings
 Self is nothing more than a metaphor, a
representation of something abstract;
symbolic
 unity of experiences give rise to a
concept of the self
1.3 Post Modern View of the Self
Self is:
 a narrative, a text written and rewritten
 a story
 dynamic
 a product of modern discourse that is
historically and socially imprisoned by
what is acceptable by norms
 “digitalized” in cyberspace, a virtual
version of who we are
The following are the manifestations:
o Information Technology dislocates the
self, thus, self is “digitalized” in
cyberspace
o Global migration produces multicultural
identities
o Post-modern selves are “pluralized”
selves
Social Construction of the Self
 Self is not discovered; it is made
through socialization process
 “Ikaw ang gumagawa ng kung ano ka”
1.4 Rewriting the Self as an Artistic Creation
 Nietzche states that the unity of the self
is not pre-given but accomplished
through conscious effort - transform self
through beautiful work of art. We can
recreate ourselves.
 Rorty: contingencies of selfhood -
conceal the “ugly” by reinterpreting the
overall aesthetic contours of the self.
1.5 Self Creation and Collective Identity
 Memories play significant role in
creating the self and identity.
1.6 Self Creation and the Struggle for Cultural
Recognition
 challenge of self-identity amidst
recognition of racial and ethnic
identities
Beyond Self Creation
 quest or search for self-identity
 to pursue self-creation within pre-given,
not willfully chosen social circumstances
2. Mead’s Theory of Self
 George Herbert Mead
 maintains that the conception a person
holds of himself/herself in his/her mind
emerges from social interaction with
others
 2 components: the “I” and the “ME”
 The “ME” represents the expectations
and attitudes of others organized into a
social self; organized set of attitude of
others which an individual assumes
 The “I” is the response to “ME”, or the
persons individuality; is response of an
individual to the attitude of others
2.1 Mead’s 3 Stages of Development of Self

Stage 1: The Preparatory Stage (0-2)

- children mimic those around them

- no idea of what they do, just mimicking

Stage 2: The Play Stage (2-6)

- children play “pretend” and do not

adhere to the rules of organized games

Stage 3: The Game Stage (7-onwards)

- children begin to understand and

adhere to the rules of games
- begins taking perspective into account

2.2 The Looking-Glass Self: Our Sense of Self is

Influenced by Other’s View of Us

 how we see ourselves comes from

perception of how others see us
(Charles Horton Cooley)
 sometimes the influence of other’
appraisals to us may be so strong that
we end up internalizing them
 when we are repeatedly labeled, then
self-labeling may occur
 in these types of situation, those who
self-label may come to experience
internal prejudice, which occurs when
individuals turn prejudice directed
toward them by others onto themselves.

2.3 Social Comparison Theory: Our Sense of Self

is Influenced by Comparisons with Others

 Self-concept and self-esteem are also

heavily influenced by the process of
social comparison (Buunk & Gibbons,
2007; Van Lange, 2008)
 Social comparison occurs when we
learn about our abilities and skills, about
the appropriateness and validity of our
opinions, and about our relative social
status by comparing our own attitudes,
beliefs, and behavior with those of
others.