Who-Am-I-A-Philosophical-Journey-to-Discovering-the-Self.pptx

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1. Who Am I? A Philosophical Journey to Discovering the Self "Who am I?" - Not knowing this is the greatest death to the Soul (one's own self)! -Dada Bhagwan

2. Learning Objectives 1 Discuss Different Representations Discuss the different representations and conceptualizations of the self from various disciplines and perspectives. 2 Compare and Contrast Compare and contrast how the self has been represented across different disciplines and perspectives. 3 Examine Influences Examine the different influences, factors and forces that shape the self. Students must be able to: Understand the importance of knowing one's self Recognize the different perspectives regarding the nature of man Assess the philosophical perspective of the self by critiquing the argument given Develop their own answer to the question, Who am I?

3. Self-Discovery Activity Make a timeline of your life by identifying 5 key events in your life that have greatly shaped who you are. Identify the event, the year and what were the changes (if any) in your looks and personality that occurred? Event 1 How did this event impact your life? Event 2 What changes occurred in your personality? Event 3 How did this shape who you are today? Event 4 What physical or emotional changes resulted? Event 5 How does this connect to your current identity? Reflection Questions: How did these events impact your life? What do you think should be added in the list for people to really understand you? Do you think you have a good idea of who you are? Do you feel misunderstood by people? Ask your parents/friends/family members about an event in your life that they will never forget. Compare their list to yours.

4. The Philosophical Quest Philosophy has always sought to answer life's difficult questions and has relentlessly pursued answers to these no matter how seemingly futile the quest may be. This unit will discuss selected philosopher's answer to the question, "Who am I"? That question may be one of the most difficult to answer and has garnered attention right from the start of man's self-reflection. But no matter how difficult it is, we cannot just ignore the question and leave it unanswered. What we do and our reaction to the world has a lot to do with how we see ourselves. In an age where the pursuit of one's happiness and celebrating one's identity seem to be at the forefront, that question still has no easy answer. Just what exactly are we? What do we even mean by the "SELF?" Are we souls, organic bodies or merely a figment of another's imagination? Are we just minds or a combination of body and mind? Will I survive bodily death because I am more than a body or when my body is dead, that's really the end? Or maybe, I am actually a robot controlled by some entity? Figure. 1. Who Am I? (2011) (https://walkietalkiebookclub.com/tag/i-am/wordpress) The philosophical quest is aimed at unraveling who man is and his nature by looking, not just on the everyday goals of man, but to determine-what ultimately is man, his goals and his essence.

5. Figure 2. The Self. (Cubas, N. 2013)One's self perception is defined by their self-concept, self-knowledge, self-esteem and social self. Beliefs and ideas about who you are Awareness of abilities, traits, and history Emotional evaluation of self-worth How others' views shape your identity

6. Pop-up Question 1: What if somebody ask your friend, who is __________ (you), how would you like your friend to answer question about you?

7. We will now take a look at how some great minds from ou history approach that question. The illustrations in Figure 3 show a visual summary of the discussion. SOCRATES PLATO AUGUSTINE The self is an immortal soul that exists over time DESCARTES The self is a thinking thing, distinct from the body JOHN LOCKE Personal Identity is made possible by self-consciousness. DAVID HUME There is no "self" only a bundle of constantly changing perceptions passing through the Theater of our minds. IMMANUEL KANT The self is a unifying subject, an organizing consciousness that makes intelligible experience possible. SIGMUND FREUD The self is multi-layered GILBERT RYLE The self is the way people behave. PAUL CHURCHLAND The self is the brain. Mental states will be superseded by brain states. MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY The self is embodied subjectivity.

8. Socrates (469-399 BC) Know Thyself. Born amidst the bustling streets of ancient Athens, a man named Socrates, married with several children, emerged not from the halls of academia, but from the vibrant public markets. Here, he earned the moniker "the market philosopher" for his profound penchant for engaging young minds in deep philosophical discourse, transforming everyday squares into arenas of profound thought. (Law, S. 2007) With an audacious intellectual leap, he steered philosophy's gaze away from the distant cosmos and inward, towards the profound mystery of our own existence. The timeless question of "who man is" became his central obsession, echoing through his famous declaration: "An unexamined life is not worth living" (Plato's Apology, 38a 5-6). This wasn't merely a statement; it was an urgent, clarion call to introspection, a fervent plea to delve into the depths of one's own being, for in that rigorous self-examination, true self-knowledge blossoms.

9. Socrates (469-399 BC) Socrates championed a radical notion: that the soul, pure and unblemished, precedes the physical body. He believed that our very existence began in a sublime "realm of ideas," where the soul, a pure, unadulterated mind, intuitively grasped profound knowledge. This innate wisdom, a treasure trove of understanding, was stored within. Yet, upon entering the material world, the realm of the senses, a tragic amnesia descended, obscuring much of this intrinsic knowledge. This forgetting, this profound ignorance, became the root cause of human suffering and confusion. But Socrates offered a path to recovery, a formidable intellectual journey he called the dialectic method – a painstaking, intellectual midwifery, designed to gently, yet persistently, coax forgotten truths back from the depths of the human mind. Trivia: A true enigma, Socrates left behind no written works. All that we know of this towering figure comes through the diligent accounts of his contemporaries, most notably the historian Xenophon and his brilliant, devoted student, Plato. This reliance on secondary sources is precisely why the lines between Socrates' original ideas and Plato's interpretations can often blur, adding another layer to the enduring mystery of the ancient philosopher.

10. The “Unexamined Life” Example: A student who blindly follows peer pressure without thinking about their own values. Socrates would advise the student to reflect on their choices — “Why am I doing this? Does this align with who I want to be?” Modern Situation: Someone working in a job they dislike without asking, “Is this what I truly want in life?” The Pre-Existing Soul Example: Imagine you’re learning math for the first time. Socrates believed you’re not learning something “new,” but rather remembering knowledge your soul already knew. Modern Situation: A musician who has never studied music but can play by ear — Socrates might say their innate knowledge is resurfacing. The Dialectic Method (Question-and-Answer Dialogue) Example in Ancient Athens: Socrates might ask a young man: Socrates: “What is courage?” Young man: “It’s fighting in battle.” Socrates: “But can someone be courageous without fighting? What about standing up for the truth?” This questioning helps the young man discover a deeper meaning of courage. Modern Classroom Example: A teacher asks students, “What does it mean to be successful?” and guides them with questions until they realize success can mean growth, happiness, or helping others, not just wealth.

11. Pop-up Question 2: What pattern have you created in your life? It may be your daily pattern, pattern in decision making or the pattern of what types of people you choose to be part of your life. Analyze it carefully because we might be 'automatically' living and not examining our lives.

12. Plato (427-347 BCE) "If we are ever to have pure knowledge of anything, we must get rid of the body and contemplate things by themselves with the soul by itself." - Phaedo 66a Figure 5: Plato Source: Kreis, S (2000) He was born into an aristocratic Athenian family which is involved in the rule of Thirty Tyrants. He also later in life founded the Academy, now considered as the prototype of the modern university. (Law, S., 2007) An important part of his philosophy is the dichotomy of the Ideal world or the world of Forms and the Material world. The world of Forms is the permanent, unchanging reality as opposed to the world of Materials which keeps on changing. This dichotomy is reflected in his idea of the nature of man. He believed that human beings are composed of two things, a body and a soul. It is the soul which is the true self - the permanent, unchanging Self. The changing body, however, or what we see in the material world on the other hand, is not the real self but only a replica of our true Self.

13. Plato was born into a rich and powerful Athenian family, and later in life, he started the Academy — like an early version of today’s universities. One of his main beliefs was that there are two worlds: The Ideal World (World of Forms) – This is permanent and never changes. Think of it like the perfect blueprint of things. For example, the idea of a “perfect circle” always exists, even if we can’t draw it perfectly. The Material World – This is the physical world we see around us. It is always changing and never truly perfect, like the circles we draw that are never exactly flawless. Plato said this also applies to people. We have two parts : The soul – This is our true, unchanging self, like our real identity. The body – This is our physical self, which changes as we grow, age, or get sick. Example: Imagine looking at yourself in a mirror. The reflection (your body) can change — your hair grows, your face ages — but the soul inside you (your true self) remains the same.

14. Pop-up Question 3: How would you describe the relation of your Self to your body?

15. St. Augustine (354-430) "But my sin was this, that I looked for pleasure, beauty, and truth not in Him but in myself and His other creatures, and the search led me instead to pain, confusion, and error." - Confessions, AD 397-400 Figure 6: St Augustine of Hippo Source: Wikipedia This self-confessed sinner from North Africa, who later became the Bishop of Canterbury was greatly inspired by Plato. In his younger years, he abandoned his early Christian faith because he found it difficult to reconcile a loving, all-knowing and all-powerful God with the evils in the world (Law, S., 2007). Taking his cue from the two worlds of Plato, he now differentiated what is the real world and the temporary world. According to him, (AD 426) our world (world of materials) is not our final home but just a temporary home where we are just passing through. Our real world is found in the world where there is permanence and infinity- that's the world where God is. When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is a man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou hast visited him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet. - Ps 8:3-6 Figure 7. Contemplation -Gomez, P. (Nazario, M., 2011)

16. This man, Saint Augustine, was from North Africa. He admitted he made many mistakes when he was young. Later, he became a Bishop and was very inspired by Plato’s philosophy. When he was young, Augustine left his Christian faith because he couldn’t understand how a loving, powerful God could allow evil and suffering in the world. But as he grew older, he understood things differently. Inspired by Plato’s idea of two worlds , Augustine believed that: The material world (the world we live in now) is temporary — like a stopover or a hotel where we stay for a while. The real world is with God , a world that is eternal and unchanging , where there is no pain, only peace and permanence. Example: Think of life like a field trip . Earth is like the bus ride — it’s just temporary and full of bumps and stops along the way. But the real destination , the place where we truly belong, is the home with God , where everything is perfect and lasting.

17. Rene Descartes (1596-1650) I think, therefore; I am. - Discourse on the Method, 1637 Figure 8: Rene Descartes Source: DeLos Rios M, (2002) Trivia: Rene Descartes was hired to tutor Queen Christina of Sweden but soon after, he died of pneumonia because his health couldn't take the 5am start of lesson required by the queen. Considered as the Father of Modern Philosophy, this Frenchman was also a brilliant mathematician (note: Cartesian Geometry). I think, therefore, I am or also known as Cogito (Cogito ergo sum), emphasizes the consciousness of his mind which leads to an evidence of his existence- despite the fact that he is doubting the existence of everything physical, including his own body. This has led him to the conclusion that his essence lay in being a purely thinking being, because even if he can doubt whether he has real body or it's just a trick of his senses, one thing he cannot doubt is that he is thinking. This, in a way, echoes the dualism of Plato (Discourse, 1637). The mind and the body are separate and very distinct from one another but he also believes (this time now, he veers away from Plato) that the mind is conjoined with the body in such an intimate way that they causally act upon each other. Mind Cannot be described in a precise, structured manner Not contained like the body Allowed to pursue its own thoughts Body Can be described in a precise, structured manner Like a mathematical formula Physical and measurable

18. This French thinker, René Descartes, is called the Father of Modern Philosophy and was also a brilliant mathematician (that’s why we have Cartesian Geometry). His famous statement, “I think, therefore I am” (Cogito ergo sum) , means that the very fact that he is thinking proves that he exists . He doubted everything — even the existence of the physical world and his own body — because our senses can sometimes trick us . But one thing he couldn’t doubt was that he was thinking . So, he concluded that his true essence is being a thinking mind . Like Plato , Descartes believed the mind and body are separate . But he also added that the mind and body work together , influencing each other. Example: Think of playing a video game with a VR headset : Your mind is like the player controlling the game — it makes decisions and thinks. Your body is like the game character — it reacts and follows the mind’s commands.Even though they are separate, they still affect each other . When the character in the game falls, you might feel scared, and when you decide to jump, your character moves.

19. John Locke (1632-1704) "What worries you, masters you." - An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, 1689 Trivia: He is known as the "Father of Classical Liberalism" because of his contribution to the formation of human rights. He is the first of the great British empiricist philosophers and is widely credited for laying the foundation of human rights and his commitment to the idea that the sovereign should be the people and not the monarch. The influence of Descartes in his work is seen in his dualism. However, unlike the first few philosophers discussed, he thinks (1975) that our identity is not locked in the mind, soul or body only. He included the concept of a person's memory in the definition of the self. He subscribes to the memory theory that holds we are the same person as we were in the past for as long as we can remember something from that past. The memory renders us self-conscious we are that one and the same person. Personal identity is explained in terms of psychological connection between life stages in the memory theory. For since consciousness always accompanies thinking, and 'tis that, that makes everyone to be, what he calls self; and thereby distinguishes himself from all other thinking things, in this one consists personal identity, i.e. the sameness of a rational Being; and as far as this consciousness can be extended backwards, to any past Action or thought, so far reaches the identity of that person. - Locke 1975, p332 Pop-up Question: Do you agree with Locke? If such is the case, what will happen to your existence when we forget what we have been doing three days ago?

20. This philosopher, John Locke, is known as the first great British empiricist. He helped lay the foundation for human rights and believed that power should belong to the people, not just the king. Like Descartes, Locke also believed in the idea of mind and body being separate . But he added something new: our identity is also shaped by our memory . This is called the Memory Theory . According to Locke, we are the same person we were in the past as long as we can remember something from that time . Our memories connect all the stages of our life and help us know that we are still the same person. Example: Think of a photo album or a gallery on your phone . Every picture you look at — like your first birthday, your Grade 1 graduation, or your last family vacation — reminds you that you are the same person experiencing all those moments. Even if you’ve changed physically or emotionally, your memories link your past self to your present self .

21. David Hume (1711-1776) "Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them." - Hume, Treatise of Human Nature, 1738 Figure 10: Hume, David (Brayley, E., 2014) Born in Scotland, he was a lawyer but is known more for the history book that he wrote - History of England. Just like Locke, he is an empiricist and regarded the senses as our key source of knowledge. He (1738) does believe in the existence of the mind and what's inside the mind is divided into two: impressions and ideas. Impressions Things we perceive through our senses as we experience them Ideas Things that we create in our minds even though we are no longer experiencing them His idea of the self follows this philosophical pattern. In his Treatise on Human Nature, Hume (1738), argues that when he looks into his mind, he finds a stream of impressions and ideas, but no impression corresponding to a self that endures through time. The self keeps on changing, like how one looks, one feels, one thinks- they constantly change. He concludes that the self is nothing over and above the stream of perceptions we enjoy. An "enduring self" is just a fiction produced by our imagination. (Law, 2007) Pop-up Question:

22. Pop-up Question 3: Do you agree with Hume that if we look at what is happening in our minds, we will not be able to find a permanent self? In light of Hume's answer, how shall we respond when somebody tells us, please don't change.

23. This philosopher, David Hume, was born in Scotland. He trained as a lawyer but became more famous for writing his book, History of England. Like John Locke, Hume was an empiricist, meaning he believed that knowledge comes mainly from our senses. Hume explained that our mind has two parts: Impressions – What we experience directly through our senses , like the taste of pizza, the sound of rain, or the feeling of happiness. Ideas – What we remember or imagine after the experience, like thinking about the pizza you ate yesterday or imagining your next vacation. In his book Treatise on Human Nature (1738) , Hume said that when he looks into his mind, he only sees a flow of impressions and ideas , but no unchanging self . For him, the self is always changing — our looks, feelings, and thoughts are never the same. He believed that what we call an “enduring self” is just something our imagination creates , not something permanent. Example: Think of yourself like a playlist on Spotify . The playlist’s name (your “self”) stays the same, but the songs keep changing — some are added, some are removed, some are skipped. The playlist is never exactly the same, just like you are always changing as you grow, feel, and think differently.

24. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) "All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason." - The Critique of Pure Reason, 1781 Figure 11. Kant (Alethia, 2012) A citizen of Konigsberg, East Prussia. He is also considered as one of the giants in philosophy though he barely stands five feet tall. He was spurred into philosophical activism when he encountered Hume's skepticism and took it upon himself to refute it. He (1781) argued that it is possible to discover universal truth about the world using our reason. He also argued that it is possible to find the essence of the Self. For his idea of the self, Kant (1781) believes that man is a free agent, capable of making a decision for himself . His philosophy centers and revolves around the inherent dignity of a human being. As a free agent, man is gifted with reason and free will. The necessity of his being free is tested in his decision to be moral. An individual has the free will to be moral or not. A moral person is one who is driven by duty and acts towards the fulfillment of that duty. Thus, for us to know what is our duty, we have to rationally deliberate on it and not expect that a higher authority will hand it automatically to us, and certainly we cannot let the arbitrariness of emotion guide us. Only a free agent will be able to make a rational deliberation, hence he alone is the moral agent of himself. Figure 12. Man is a thinking being. (Nazario, M., 2011)

25. This philosopher, Immanuel Kant, was from Königsberg, East Prussia. Even though he was less than five feet tall, he became one of the giants of philosophy. Kant started deeply thinking about philosophy after reading David Hume , who doubted that we could know absolute truths. In 1781 , Kant argued that we can discover universal truths about the world through reason and that we can also understand the essence of the self . For Kant, every person is a free agent — someone who has the ability to make choices . He believed that humans have inherent dignity because we are gifted with reason and free will . Our freedom is tested by how we choose to act: A moral person is someone who acts out of duty , doing what is right because it is the right thing to do , not just because of emotions or because someone told them to. To know what our duty is, we need to think carefully and rationally , instead of waiting for someone to decide for us or letting our feelings control us. Example: Imagine you find a wallet full of money on the street. Your emotions might tell you to keep it. But your reason and sense of duty would guide you to return it to its owner because it is the right thing to do . Kant would say that by choosing to return the wallet, you are acting as a moral agent , freely making a rational and ethical decision.

26. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) "The ego is not master in its own house." - Letter to his fiancée, Martha Bernays, 2 June 1884 Figure 13. Freud. (The Charnel House, 2015) Trivia: It is claimed that one of the proofs for the unconscious is what we call 'slip of the tongue'. This happens when instead of saying Shaun, we blurted out Paolo. This means that subconsciously, we are thinking of Paolo. Born in Frieberg, Moravia, this Jewish neurologist later on moved to Vienna. This proved good for Vienna because Freud became famous and was considered as the father of psychoanalysis, and he was more associated in Vienna than in anywhere else. His works center on the mind and its development. He devised a structure that defines man according to his biological structure and the influence of his socio-cultural environment. One of his famous ideas was the tripartite division of man's mind- the id, ego and the superego. (Chaffee, 2013) Id Represents man's biological nature, the impulses and the bodily desires Superego Represents the ethical component of the personality and provides the moral standards Ego The self, manifests the winner between Id and Superego

27. This philosopher and neurologist, Sigmund Freud, was born in Freiberg, Moravia, but later moved to Vienna, where he became very famous. He is now known as the Father of Psychoanalysis. Most of his work focused on the human mind and how it develops. Freud explained that a person’s mind has three parts : Id – The instinctive and impulsive part of us that wants instant pleasure or satisfaction. Example: wanting to eat the last slice of cake right now, even if it’s not yours. Ego – The rational part that tries to balance our desires and reality. Example: thinking, “I want the cake, but maybe I should ask if I can have it.” Superego – The moral part of us that knows right from wrong, shaped by rules, values, and society. Example: saying, “No, I shouldn’t take the cake because it’s for someone else.” Example: Imagine you’re in a classroom and there’s an unattended phone on the desk. Your Id says: “Take it! You can sell it or use it!” Your Ego says: “Wait, that’s risky. Someone might see you. Maybe you should just leave it.” Your Superego says: “It’s not yours. The right thing to do is to give it to the teacher or the lost-and-found.” Freud’s theory shows how these three parts of the mind work together to shape our thoughts, decisions, and behavior.

28. Gilbert Ryle (1900-1976) "Minds are things, but different sorts of things from bodies." - The Concept of the Mind, 1949 Figure 14. Ryle (Williams, Bernard) He studied and taught in Oxford University. This Englishman's philosophy centers on language. He claims that the problems of philosophy were brought about only because of the confusion due to misinterpretation, misunderstanding, etc. of words (1949). The goal of philosophy should be to clear this confusion through linguistic analysis. In the earlier discussion, one of the main debates regarding man was whether there is dualism of mind-body, or is he only mind, body, memory? According to Ryle, the problem was the categories that we put those concepts in. In his book, Concepts of Mind, he (1949) criticized Descartes' treatment of the mind. For Descartes, the mind is a non-physical entity found within the body, which then produces human behavior. This to him is the error because a talk about the mind is simply a talk about behavior. The mind is not distinct from the body, but rather refers to certain aspects of our bodies. In fact Ryle (1949, p130) claims of exorcising the dogma of the Ghost in the Machine, referring to the Cartesian category. Ryle gives this example (p132). Suppose that your parents went to your university and ask you to tour them around. You show them the library, the rooms, the gym. However, they look disappointed and so you ask them what is wrong. They answer that they ask you to tour them around the university, instead you show them the library, rooms, etc. They do not realize that the term university refers to the whole thing and not one specific building. This is how Descartes made the category mistake.

29. This English philosopher, Gilbert Ryle, studied and taught at Oxford University. His philosophy focused on language. In 1949, he argued that many philosophical problems happen because of confusion or misunderstanding of words. To him, the job of philosophy is to clear up this confusion through careful analysis of language. One major debate in philosophy is about the mind and body — whether they are two separate things (dualism) or just one. Ryle said the problem is that we are putting these ideas into the wrong “categories.” Example: Imagine someone sees a university for the first time. They tour the classrooms, library, and offices, and then ask, “But where is the university ?” They don’t realize that the university isn’t a separate building — it’s the collection of all those things together . In the same way, Ryle said that when we talk about the mind and body as if they are separate objects, we are misunderstanding how the concepts fit together.

30. Modern Perspectives on the Self Paul Churchland (b. 1942) "We do have an organ for understanding and recognizing moral facts. It is called the brain." - A Neurocomputational Perspective, 1989 Figure 15: Churchlands Source: Torscianko, J (2016) Known for his Eliminative Materialism, this American professor from the University of California, in partnership with his wife, believes that the self is the brain . With the advent of science and learning more about the nuances of the brain, it becomes clear to Churchland that the term "mind", our moods, emotions, actions, consciousness are deeply affected by the state of our brain. Pop-up Question: Do you think experience also shapes a person? If you say yes, how can this be reconciled with Churchland's eliminative materialism? Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1908-1961) "We know not through our intellect but through our experience." Figure 16: Maurice Merleau Ponty Source: Pinterest This French philosopher is known more for his existentialist philosophy. This naturally reflects on his idea of the self. For him (1962), a person is defined by virtue of movement and expression . To be a self is to be more than one's body. It includes all the things that I will do with my body, how I will act on it and how I will make it act in consonance with other human beings. The self is a product of our conscious human experience. The definition of self is all about one's perception of one's experience and the interpretation of those experiences.

31. This American philosopher, Paul Churchland, a professor at the University of California, is known for his idea called Eliminative Materialism. Together with his wife, he believes that the self is the brain. As science advanced and we learned more about the brain, Churchland argued that what we call the “mind” — including our thoughts, moods, emotions, actions, and even consciousness — is actually the result of the brain’s physical processes . Example: Think of your brain like the CPU of a computer . Everything the computer does — playing music, browsing the internet, running games — depends on how the CPU processes data. Similarly, everything about us — happiness, sadness, memories, and even decisions — comes from how our brain works . So for Churchland, understanding the brain is the key to fully understanding the self .

32. This French philosopher, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, is best known for his existentialist philosophy. His idea of the self focuses on how we move, act, and interact with the world around us. For him (1962), being a self is more than just having a body . It’s about what we do with our body , how we use it to act , and how we connect with other people . He believed that the self is shaped by our conscious experiences — how we see , feel , and interpret the world around us. Example: Think of playing in a basketball game . Your body dribbles, runs, and shoots. But your self is more than that — it’s how you decide when to pass, how you communicate with your teammates, and how you understand the flow of the game.Your experiences and choices in that game help define who you are. In short, Merleau-Ponty believed that the self is built from how we experience and interact with the world , not just from our physical body.

33. Summary and Philosophical Journal The philosophical quest of one's definition of self, certainly carries with it a constant debate of mind-body dualism versus those espousing singularity. From the time of the classic philosophers up to this day, not one answer to the question of WHO AM I, can be universally centralized. Classical Views Socrates & Plato: Man is essentially a soul Augustine: Man is an image in the likeness of God Modern Views Descartes: Man is mind - a thinking being Locke: Self is consciousness and memory Contemporary Views Freud: Self is a complex of conscious and unconscious Churchland: Self is the brain Merleau-Ponty: Self is embodied experience OBE: Philosophical Journal This is a week-long, self-reflection project. Be as creative and expressive as you can. On a piece of notebook (or scrap book), write the answer to questions given to you every day. When you write your answer, use only one word and express it in calligraphy form. Day 1 What will best describe your over-all emotion for the day? Day 2 What characteristic do you think you need to improve today? Day 3 What is your greatest achievement today? Day 4 What is your biggest regret for the day? Day 5-7 Why did you wake up today? What's your greatest contribution? What do you hope to achieve? We have to be reminded however, that as much as they have elucidated the mystery of the self, we should also be challenged to philosophically engage in the discovery of who we are. Once one invests time on this, one will realize a completeness and assured confidence of one's self.

34. Identification: Here are 10 identification test items based on the content of Who Am I? A Philosophical Journey to Discovering the Self : He is known as the "market philosopher" who believed that "an unexamined life is not worth living." Answer: Socrates He believed in the world of Forms and that the soul is the true and unchanging self, while the body is temporary. Answer: Plato This philosopher said that the material world is only temporary and that our real home is with God in eternity. Answer: St. Augustine Known as the Father of Modern Philosophy , he claimed that the very act of thinking proves one's existence with his famous statement, "I think, therefore I am." Answer: René Descartes He introduced the Memory Theory , which states that personal identity is tied to memory and self-consciousness. Answer: John Locke This Scottish empiricist argued that there is no permanent self , only a bundle of constantly changing perceptions. Answer: David Hume He believed that humans are free agents capable of making moral decisions through reason and free will. Answer: Immanuel Kant Known as the Father of Psychoanalysis , he proposed the tripartite structure of the mind: id, ego, and superego. Answer: Sigmund Freud This modern philosopher claimed that the self is the brain , emphasizing that mental states are products of brain processes. Answer: Paul Churchland A French existentialist who argued that the self is shaped by conscious human experience, movement, and interaction with others. Answer: Maurice Merleau-Ponty