From The Perspective of Philosophy
From The Perspective of Philosophy
From The Perspective of Philosophy
From the Perspective of Philosophy - Socrates held the belief that he himself was
unaware of the truth and did not possess any
- In man’s pursuit of knowledge and truth, tangible knowledge. The philosopher
thinkers for centuries have searched for thought that conventional knowledge was
explanations and reasons for everything that not necessarily the truth. He also held the
exists around him. In Athens of Ancient conviction that truth and knowledge had to
Greece, approximately 600 BCE, marked be discovered.
the birth of Philosophy as it influenced
Western thought and still has until today. THE SOCRATIC METHOD
Questions centered on the universe and what
possible role man may play in it. This method involves the search for the
correct/proper definition of a thing.
SOCRATES’S VIEW OF
HUMAN NATURE
- Often considered as the father of the - Socrates’ influence was reflected in his
Western philosophy, Socrates is as famous famous statement which he fully lived by,
as unknown, but he remains an enigmatic
character because he left us no writings. His “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
philosophy is primarily based on the idea - His Socratic method allowed him to
that dialogue can uncover knowledge and question people’s belief and ideas, exposing
that individuals only commit virtuous acts if their misconceptions and get them to touch
they are aware of what is good and what is their souls. The touching of the soul, may
evil. mean helping the person get in touch with
true self.
Understanding The Self
Lesson 1: From the Perspective of Philosophy
September 15-16, 2021
- His real name 'Aristocles' means "the best A supposition that the physical world is a
glory" derived from (aristos) meaning "best" mere shadow of the true reality within the
and (kleos) meaning "glory." He was Realm of Forms.
nicknamed 'Plato' because of his physical - For Plato, each individual encompasses a
built, which means "Wide/Broad.“ perfect set of Forms within their immortal
- Plato founded the first European soul that constitutes true knowledge. Thus,
university, "The Akademia" or "The the more the person knows, the better he is.
Academy." - Subsequently, these ‘forms’ that Plato are
PLATO'S VIEW ON HUMAN NATURE pertaining to are unchanging, abstract
concepts that transcend time and space and
- The famous philosopher believed that all collectively exist in the spiritual world or
humans are composed of two parts; the Realm of Forms.
1. The body How can people get out of the cave and
submerge into the Realm of Forms?
2. The soul
Plato’s Symposium
- Plato describes the soul as having three
parts: “Love is the way by which a person can
move from a state of imperfect knowledge
1. The Reason: to use their cognitive
and ignorance to a state of perfection and
functions.
true knowledge.”
Understanding The Self
Lesson 1: From the Perspective of Philosophy
September 15-16, 2021
Therefore, the greater the love, the - Love for other people is not lasting and
more intellectual component it will excessive love for them is the sin of jealousy
contain.
- Love for the self leads to the sin of pride
RENE DESCARTES
DESCARTES’ SYSTEM
- Descartes came up with a system using - John Locke was hugely influential English
principles that were true and related to each philosopher of the 17th century whose ideas
other in a clear and meaningful way. As he to particularly in the realm of political
turned into mathematics and through math, philosophy still hugely relevant today born
he discovered that the human mind has two in 1632.
powers:
- Key Enlightenment Figure
1. Intuition.
- Born in 1632, Locke is important figure of
2. Deduction. the early European enlightenment.
(Blank slate)
Civil War
(1642-1651)
Bill of Rights (1689)
Commonwealth
(1649-1660)
Restoration (1660)
Understanding The Self
Lesson 1: From the Perspective of Philosophy
September 15-16, 2021
(Unlike Hobbes)
- “ The end of Law is not abolish or restrain, - Hume also considers that the scientific
but to preserve and enlarge freedom.” method as reliable enough.
- Against tolerating atheism as this would - Immanuel Kant was hugely influential
lead to chaos English philosopher of the 17th century
whose ideas to particularly in the realm of
political philosophy still hugely relevant
today born in 1632.
DAVID HUME (1711-1776)
KANT’S VIEW OF THE MIND
- Rationalism
- Empiricism
-Instincts
SIGMUND FREUD (1856-1939) EGO
- Reality
SUPEREGO
- Morality
- Conscience
- Freud’s psychoanalysis sees man as a - A year later, he became a tutor yet still
product of his past lodged from within his remained at Christ Church until World War
subconscious. II
RYLE’S VIEW ON HUMAN NATURE The first word is neuro that deals with the
AND KNOWLEDGE study of nervous system and philosophy is
the love of wisdom in search for the truth.
- Ryle agrees with Kant who stated that
It is the philosophy of neuroscience is the
freewill involves a moral responsibility
study of the philosophy of mind, the
which further assumes that man’s actions
philosophy of science , neuroscience and
must be moral for it to be free.
psychology.
- According to Gilbert Ryle there are two
Modern scientific inquiry looks into the
types of knowledge:
application of neurology to the old-age
1. Knowing - that problem of philosophy which is the mind
body problem
2. Knowing – how
CHURCHLAND’S VIEW OF HUMAN
- The former refers to knowing
facts/information and the latter to using facts NATURE
in the performance of some skill or technical
abilities . - Contentions that are forwarded by
neurophilosophy resulted from cases where
- A person may acquire a great bulk of individual's deviant thoughts, feelings and
knowledge but without the ability to use it to actions stemmed from anomalies/aberrations
solve some practical problems to make his in the brain's anatomy and physiology. It
life easier, this bulk of knowledge is deemed seems that what and who the person is i.e
to be worthless how he makes decisions, controls impulses
and how he sees himself is largely
PATRICIA AND PAUL
determined by his neurons, hormones and
CHURCHLAND
overall genetic make-up.
Understanding The Self
Lesson 1: From the Perspective of Philosophy
September 15-16, 2021
-What do all these data mean in terms of the - He completed his philosophy education.
person's task of understanding himself?
MERLEAU-PONTY’S VIEW OF
These data provide information on how
normal brain functioning facilitates accepted HUMAN NATURE AND THE SELF
social behavior and how a compromised CONCEPT OF THE BODY-SUBJECT
brain gives rise to aberrant behavior AND CONTENDED
patterns.
- In this concept of Merleau - Ponty, it is
- Human nature is complicated. Man is stated that the perception of humans occurs
endowed with more than just physical or existentially. Which means that the
neurological characteristics. Despite consciousness, the world, and human body
research findings, neurophilosophy states are all interconnected entity as they mutually
that the self is real, that it is a tool that helps perceive the world.
the person tune-in to the realities of the brain
and the extant reality. It can malfunction but PHENOMENOLOGY OF
can also allow human beings to do amazing PERCEPTION
things. It was also mentioned, that man is a
work of art, constantly evolving and at the - Nature of man’s perceptual contact with
same being molded by experiences of the the world. Phenomenology provides a direct
world. description of the human experience while
perception forms the background of the
MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY experience which serves to guide man’s
conscious actions.