GE-UTS: UNDERSTANDING THE SELF/ PAG-UNAWA SA SARILI

MODULE 1-A: The Self from The Perspective of Philosophy

OUTPUT

Performance Task #1: Understanding the Self Through the Lens of Philosophy.

Philosophical Views about the Self Proponent/ Do you agree Give the impact/ effect/
or disagree? influence of this
No. Philosopher philosophical view during
Filipino Translation
Covid -19 Pandemic

1 “Know thyself.” “Kilalanin ang I agree with This philosophical view

sarili.” the saying made people to search
“know deep within their inner
thyself” self and knowing their
because self- limitations, strength, and
knowledge is capabilities. People are
important using their self-
Socrates for this will knowledge in order to
be your survive during this
foundation pandemic.
specially
when
making
choices in
life.

2 “An unexamined life is not “Walang saysay In my Socrates’ philosophical

worth living.” and buhay na opinion, life view encouraged people
hindi sinusuri.” is still worth to not only examine their
living selves physically,
whether whether they are Covid
examined or positive or not, but to
not. But also examine their inner
examining self, whether they are
Socrates
one’s self chasing valuable goals
makes it and dreams, or are they
more just pursuing worthless
meaningful things like “chasing the
that leads to wind”. For dying from
a life that is Covid-19 is better that
more worth living a worthless life.
living.

3 “Each person has an immortal “Ang sarili ay St. Each person During this pandemic,
 soul.” isang hindi indeed has most people, especially
namamatay na an immortal Christians, cling to this
kaluluwa.” soul. philosophical view.
According to Recognizing God as the
the Bible, center of everything. The
each person more we draw ourselves
has a body close to God, the more
and a soul. we understand the
Augustine
Our physical situation we are in and
body may have faith in God that He
die, but our will not forsake us even
soul will during this time of
forever live pandemic.
either in
heaven or in
hell.

4 “The body is the source of “Makakatulong It is true the This philosophical view
endless trouble.” ang malalim na peace starts is the most underrated
pag-unawa ng within us. If especially during this
sarili sa only Covid-19 pandemic.
paghubog ng everyone Most people blame
mapayapa at knows their others for the trouble we
makataong selves deeply are currently
lipunan.” and are experiencing, without
sensitive knowing that we all
enough to share the blame. If only
know that we know ourselves
Plato
their selves deeply and have a
can affect balanced soul, there will
other selves be harmony. When there
through the is harmony, there is
way they live justice. And when there
their lives, is justice, there is peace.
our society
will no
longer
experience
any trouble.

5 “The self is a thinking thing.” “Nakakapag- Rene I agree that The self manipulates
isip ako. Ang Descartes the self is one’s thoughts, affecting
sarili ay may called a the way they respond to
isip na hiwalay “thinking this global crisis. The
sa katawan.” thing” for government already laid
our self has down all their protocols
its own to assure everyone’s
ability to safety. Now it is up to us
analyze and to think and analyze each
to think for law and protocols and it
 what is right is up to us if we will obey
and what is or not.
wrong.

6 “The self exists because of “Maaaring It is true This Covid-19 pandemic is

memory.” magkaroon ng that the self something that all of us
personal na exists in cannot forget. This current
identidad kung response to situation will soon come to
taglay ang our memory. pass but will remain in our
kamalayan. Every single memories. This memory
Nananatili ang moment that will then affect our way of
sarili dahil sa we living which will soon
alaala.” experience become our character.
in the past,
may it be a
good
John Locke experience
or a trauma,
will become
a memory
embedded in
our lives.
These
memories
affect our
character
and will then
affect our
self.

7 “There is no self, only a “Walang ‘sarili’. Hume’s The way we act and live
bundle of different Mayroon lang philosophical our lives at this point of
perceptions.” kalipunan ng view may time may only be our
nagbabagong also be true. mind’s response to the
pagtingin sa There is no idea of being in a global
sarili na David Hume “self” and all crisis. And when this
dumadaan sa that we feel, pandemic is over, our
ating isip.” think, and actions will change again
imagine are because our mind
just created switched into a more
in the mind. relaxed state.

8 “The self transcends “Ang sarili ay Immanuel I agree with The Covid-19 pandemic
experiences.” ang kamalayang Kant Immanuel enhanced the ability of
nag-uugnay na Kant’s our selves to understand
tumutulong philosophica the situation we are
upang l view. The currently experiencing.
maunawaan natin self has the This led the leaders of
ang ating mga ability to our country to formulate
karanasan.” transcend, ideas on how to make
 analyze or their people survive
understand during this pandemic.
every Since our self can
situation understand the situation
that we are we are facing, we are also
facing. able to adapt to these
new ways for us to
survive.

9 “The self is multi-layered.” “Maraming antas It is true that Sometimes it is easy for us
at lebel ang the self is to judge or criticize a
sarili.” multi layered. person based on his/her
There is more actions. But because of
than what Sigmund Freud’s
meets our philosophical view, we
hypercritical cannot just easily judge
eyes. In other them based on what we
Sigmund
words, we see but we must have a
Freud
are more than deeper understanding to
what others know the reason behind
think we are one’s self. During this
as a person. global pandemic, some
people experienced
traumas that somehow
affected their thoughts and
their way of living.

10 “The self is the way people “Nakikita ang I agree that During this Covid-19
behave”. sarili kung the way you pandemic, it is very
papaano behave important to abide in the
kumikilos ang reflects who rules and protocols of the
tao.” and what you government. Whenever we
are as a wear face masks and face
person. It shields, and perform social
does not distancing, it reflects our
Gilbert Ryle
matter how obedience and care for
well you other people.
know.
Instead, it is
about how
well you
apply what
you know.

11 “The self is the brain.” “Ang sarili ay Paul The self This philosophical view
ang utak. Mas Churchland really is the made me realize that there
matimbang ang brain since is something more
kalagayan ng all the complicated than this
utak kaysa sa thoughts, Covid-19 pandemic, and
kalagayan ng feelings, that is our selves. our self
 isip.” impulses and is the brain and there is
behaviors of nothing more complicated
a person that than a human brain. It is
makes up the also the most dominant
self are part of the body since it
generated by has the ability to control us
the brain. in every way.
Therefore,
the self is the
brain.

12 “The self is embodied “Ang sarili ay It is true that All of us are still in a state
subjectivity.” ang panloob na the self is a of becoming. This global
karanasan set of pandemic that we are
(subjective) na experiences currently experiencing is
binigyan ng hugis that people connected to our selves in
at laman.” Maurice possess a way that this situation
Merleau- inside of will mold us to become a
Ponty them that better version of ourselves.
makes them
unique and
different
from each
other.

Performance Task #2: “Who You Are Self?”

To be Known To be Examined
 An Immortal Soul Unreal

Just a bundle of different

perceptions

Source of Endless
Trouble
Multi-layered
 Harmony starts with SELF ID
the balance of the soul Ego
Behavior Superego
Transcends
Experiences You are the way
you act

A Thinking
Thing Compilation of
The Brain
Memory
The body is like a machine
The brain is responsible for a An Embodied
that is controlled by the will
person’s thoughts, feelings, Subjectivity
and aided by the mind
and behavior
Bpalao
Performance Task #3: Self: The Philosopher’s Perspective
(Philosophical views of various philosophers about the self. Discuss briefly.
A. Socrates – According to Socrates, knowing ourselves and examining our lives leads to a life that is worth
living. Socrates wants us to search deep inside our own nature and fully understand who, for what, and why
are we living in this world. For example, each of us have personal goals in life. Now it is important for each of
us to examine why did we choose that particular goal so that we will not be wasting our time chasing
worthless things. Self-knowledge is also important especially when making life decisions. Knowing yourself is
also knowing your strengths, needs, wants, and limitations that are essential when choosing your own path.
B. Plato – Plato stated that “the body is the source of endless trouble”. This means our body is responsible for
all the trouble we have inside of us and all the trouble we are causing to other people. According to Plato, our
soul is divided into three components: the rational soul, the spirited soul, and the appetitive soul. The rational
soul includes reasons and intellect of a person, the spirited soul consists of emotions, and the appetitive soul is
responsible for desires of the flesh like eating, drinking, and sleeping. Plato stated that these components
hinder the self to think peacefully because we tend to get distracted with the desires of our flesh like hunger,
fear, lust, anger, and other desires that causes trouble in our mind and also causes trouble to other people.
C. St. Augustine – According to St. Augustine, each person has an immortal soul. Augustine wants us to
understand the duality of the body and the soul. This means that our physical body may die and decompose
but our soul is separated from the body and will remain alive. According to Christianity, the soul will either go
back to God or be thrown to hell. According to St. Augustine, this is because of the sinfulness of man that is
inherited from Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God. St. Augustine also points God as the source of all reality
and truth and the more we get close to God, the more we will understand the world and the true meaning of
life.
D. Rene Descartes – If St. Augustine emphasized the duality of the body and soul, Descartes emphasized the
duality of the body and mind. This means that the mind is separated from the body. According to Descartes,
the mind is something that exist but cannot be seen, felt, or heard. Descartes’ famous phrase, “I think,
therefore I am” (Cogito Ergo Sum) means that the self is something that thinks and the way you think
describes who you are as a person because what you think is what you will become. Therefore, our self is a
thinking thing. Some may doubt his/her existence, but Descartes wants us to understand that as you doubt,
you are thinking, and the fact that you are thinking, that means you truly exist.
E. John Locke – According to John Locke’s philosophical view about the self, the self exists because of the
memory. This means that our identity is tied, not to our physical bodies, but to our consciousness. According
to Locke, the person’s consciousness refers to his/her memory. We develop our own identity through our
personal experiences. Locke also stated that ideas are not inborn. Meaning, when were still babies, our mind
is at the blank state called the “tabula rasa.” But as we grow and gain consciousness, we then gather
experiences that will build our personal identity.
F. David Hume – David Hume’s view about self contradicts other philosophers’ view about it. According to
Hume, there is no self and it is just a bundle of different perceptions. This means that the self does not really
exist, but it is just an impression since we cannot observe ourselves and what we are in a unified way. Hume
also stated that the “self” is just a combination of all the memories and experiences of a particular person.
This means that our self is not permanent, and it is ever changing based on the circumstances we are facing.
Who we are before is different from who we are today. For example, a mango seed that is planted on the
ground will not stay as a seed forever, instead, the seed will soon grow into a plant and later become a tree.
Our self develops as time goes by and because of the experiences and new knowledge that we gain every day.
That is why David Hume described the self as just a bundle of different perceptions.
G. Sigmund Freud – Sigmund Freud described the self as a multi-layered. According to Freud, our identity is
divided into three parts: The Id, the Ego, and the Superego. The Id, which is the unconscious part of the mind,
includes the pleasure principle of a person and it demands an immediate satisfaction without thinking about
the consequences. The Superego, on the other hand, includes the moral principle of a person and often thinks
about what is right and what is wrong. The Ego then serves as the mediator of the Id and the Superego and it
includes the reality principle of a person. The Ego and the Superego is located at the subconscious part of the
mind, and according to Freud, they are developed based on the person’s past experiences and memories.
H. Immanuel Kant – According to Immanuel Kant’s philosophical view about self, it is something that can
transcend experiences. Our self has the ability to analyze and understand every situation that we are currently
facing. Kant also stated that our response to the situation reflects how we understand our experience. This
means that when we are in a situation, the self tries to analyze the experience and the way the self analyzes it
is reflected to the self’s response to the situation. Kant’s view of self is somewhat relevant to David Hume’s
philosophical view stating that the self is just a combination of different perceptions and it changes based on
the new experiences and new knowledge we gain every day.
I. Gilbert Ryle – According to Gilbert Ryle, our self is the way we behave. He also emphasized the thought that
the self is something that we cannot actually, see, feel, identify, and locate. Instead, the self is just simply a
concept or a term for a compilation of all the behaviors that a person possesses. He also made the term
“university” for example. In Ryle’ example, he stated that you cannot find the “university” itself, but you can
find all the things that form the university like the campus, the students, the faculty and staff. Gilbert Ryle also
added that the way a person behaves reflects who and what he/she is a person. Ryle also wants us to
understand that it does not matter how well we know, instead, it is about how well we apply what we know.
J. Paul Churchland – Paul Churchland stated that the self is the brain. This means that person’s behavior,
feelings, and the way he/she analyzes things is controlled by the impulses of the human brain. Churchland also
stated that fully analyzing the human nature is impossible for it is extremely complicated. According to
Churchland, a person is not only limited by physical and neurological characteristics. He also emphasized that
based on research, the self is real, and it helps the person to balance and tune-in with both the brain and the
extent reality. Aside from that, the human brain is not a robot. Meaning, it can sometimes have lapses and can
even malfunction that causes abnormality, but these abnormalities can make us, human beings, to perform
amazing things.
K. Maurice Merleau-Ponty – Maurice Merleau-Ponty believed that the self is an embodied subjectivity. This
means that our self exists because of our physical body. Merleau-Ponty’s philosophical view about self
somehow contradicts Rene Descartes’ view about self, which is the duality of the body and mind. According to
Descartes, our mind is separated from our body, but according to Merleau-Ponty, the mind is always
connected to the body and body is connected to the mind. This means that whatever your mind perceives, it
will be enacted by your body. When our is mind is happy, our physical body will act what our mind perceives
by smiling, laughing, dancing around, or even act crazy. Merleau-Ponty wants us to understand that our mind,
our body, and the world is interconnected with each other.