My Idea of the Self

515 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Philosophical view of the self according to plato

My idea of the self is a combination of some ideas from Plato, Immanuel Kant, and from my own interpretations. Plato believed that the self was constructed of three parts: reason, physical appetite, and spirit/passion. According to Plato, reason is the part of us that wishes to seek truth and knowledge; Physical appetite is our basic desires such as sex, hunger and thirst; Spirit is the part of us that allows us to have a temper or to experience emotions such as love and empathy. He also believed that the soul was immortal. Immanuel Kant believed that the self is “the transcendental activity that synthesizes the contents of the consciousness into an intelligible whole.” While I don’t completely take either of their perspectives, I do agree with some aspects of each. I do not believe the soul is immortal.
I believe our souls, our minds and bodies are all interconnected, so when one goes, they all go. If you drink alcohol, or take any substance that impairs you, it not only impairs you physically, but it impairs your mind as well. Taking that into consideration, your body and mind must be directly connected. Our bodies are not immortal and so, neither are our souls.
I believe that the self is constructed of two parts. The first part, I believe, stems from our experiences. This part analyzes and interprets our experiences. It is the force that drives the second part, and what molds it. The second part is a combination of mental and emotional. This part of the self is made up of your thoughts (such as your morals, opinions and attitudes towards things), your emotions, and even your actions. While actions may technically be physical, they are a mental result.
When each of us has any type of experience, the first part of the self will interpret and analyze it. This in turn, tweaks the second part of the self and adapts to accommodate the incorporation of this new experience. I believe the self can be ever-changing, and the more experiences one has, the more complex and unique their self will become. I feel this way because when we have a new experience, it adds to our knowledge. It may not be academic knowledge, but it is still important in creating who we are. An experience we have in the past may alter what we do, how we feel, and many other things about us in the future.

Show More
Related

  • An Analysis Of Jane Harrison's Rainbows End

    1190 Words  | 3 Pages

    As people fill their life with experiences the way they are perceived is altered and as a result they will

    Read More

  • Argument On The Immortal Soul

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    As a Christian raised in a Southern Baptist church, I have always been taught and believed without questioning, that the soul is the part of me that makes me who I am. It is my personality, my thoughts and emotions, and my identity. Without my soul, I would be lifeless, like a light bulb without electricity. At death, according to my beliefs, the soul survives, separates from the body, and proceeds to its destination--heaven or hell. I have questioned this pre-held belief after reading James Rachels argument against the immortal soul.

    Read More

  • David Hume's Idea Of Personal Identity

    1235 Words  | 3 Pages

    If the idea of the self is somehow able to exists in a potentially altered version of Hume’s epistemology that accounts for what is known, now, about the subconscious synthetization of ideas, It could function in the deflection of such claims as the soul and god but could hold an idea of identity that could not be conflated with the two because it still must rely on experience. If Hume’s epistemology included the subconscious and it and be argued that from the subconscious ideas can form behaviorally from our impressions, our illusion of self could stand as an idea within Hume’s vision of the mind. This would circumvent many problems that are created when there is no justification for the self. Ideas such as guilt, punishment, and whether or not your life can have meaning are not necessarily uprooted by Hume’s analysis of how the mind

    Read More

  • Self and Identity

    842 Words  | 2 Pages

    The better which a person develops an understanding of themselves and of the other people around them, the better able they will be able to develop intimate relationships. A person who has a negative model of self and has a negative model of others , otherwise known as Fearful, is going to shy away from attachment and be socially avoidant which obviously is going to affect the crisis of intimacy versus isolation. The example describes a person who is hesitant to make long term commitments and resists urges to display intimacy, but is capable of forming a dependency on him by the other in the relationship. A Preoccupied person has a negative self model and a positive model of others. They often tend to be overly dependent and ambivalent. The example suggests a person who might be shy and conservative but is capable of not displaying their awkward feelings to the other person. A Secure individual has a positive model of self and others. They are comfortable with intimacy and autonomy and often do not have a difficult time in forming intimate relationships. The example describes this person as someone who is very capable of healthy relationships and good communication skills. It seems like a secure person has all the good qualities that any relationship requires. And finally, a Dismissing person has a positive model of self but a negative model of others. They are characterized by denying attachment and their counter dependency. All of the differences among the different models result from past experiences in the individual’s life. How they were raised in terms of different parenting styles and methods of child raising affect an individuals internal working models of self and others.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Descartes And Hume

    1247 Words  | 3 Pages

    That one’s self are built off of experiences that come from events that have taken place over a period of time.

    Read More

  • The Sense of Self in Adolescence: Teenager Movies

    1337 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are many types of self that people can fit into. There is who I am (actual self), who I might become (po...

    Read More

  • Death In Plato's Life And The Definition Of Death

    1130 Words  | 3 Pages

    The soul lives on after the death of its physical body. There is much more to living beings than just having a physical body. This is made evident through Plato’s idea of reincarnation. This idea is made when Socrates introduces the Argument from Opposites. Plato claims, “Everything that comes to be so of anything comes to be in this way and no other – opposites from opposites…” (Phaedo 70e). For instance, for an object to become bigger, it must have been first been smaller, and has become bigger out of this smallness. If everything is born of its opposite; then surely the soul is alive after death. This then leads the argument that dead things come from living things, and vice versa, that living things must come from dead things. Socrates also points out that if this were not the case, soon the world would be dead. The soul is immortal, it never dies. Instead, it just transfers out of the body when the body dies and then rejoins the body at

    Read More

  • Can The Soul Can Leave The Body Essay

    2036 Words  | 5 Pages

    Do we have a soul inside ourselves? Does this “soul” make us who we are? Can the “soul” change? There are arguments between philosophers debating each side. Some believe that there is a soul, while others do not. Some believe that the soul can change, while others do not. There is no scientific evidence siding with either side. However, there are many studies that have been conducted in order to attempt to prove one side right. These attempts have not been successful. There have also been cases where individuals claim that they had a soul and lost it. Again, nothing has been proved; there are studies, and testimonials arguing one side or the other. Still we find ourselves asking the same questions over and over again. This essay will discuss

    Read More

  • Secrets and Lies

    1403 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout our lives we are shaped and molded by our friends and family.  They have a lasting affect that can shape our mind and our self.  Self is determined by the combination of selves that surround a person on a daily basis.  From the childhood friends that we try so hard to hang on to as we journey farther and farther into the real world, to the hated boss and teachers that haunt our mind as we lie awake in our beds at nighttime, we are a product of all those selves.  It is the self that determines the course of actions that are taken.  Our Actions offer a window into our selves.  The actions or reactions toward tragedies, celebrations, disappointments and the occasional lucky break all reflections of our self.  Every one of us has a different self, because no one knows the exact same people as someone else.  I believe our self contains our values and beliefs.  All of our priorities, goals and aspirations we have for ourselves stem directly from the self.  Our reactions are also a window into our self. In my opinion, self is a giant jigsaw-puzzle.  It is filled with different pieces of others selves that we have interacted with throughout our life, that combine to make one big picture, our self.  I have taken pieces of many people who I have encountered throughout my life.  My three older brothers influenced major pieces of my self.  The pieces of their selves have "fit" into my jigsaw-puzzle self, and complete my total picture.  Without force, or a conscious effort by my brothers, the certain pieces of their selves have naturally configured to form my self.

    Read More

  • The Immorality of the Soul

    729 Words  | 2 Pages

    Is the human soul mortal or immortal? With death does one fall into nothingness or does one survive death, passing into another way of existing? This is a question that has agitated thought for ages. There is something within all human beings that lives on forever. Even when death is upon us, the soul of a human being never dies. Thus, we arrive at the statement that the human soul is immortal. The purpose of this paper is to explain how the human soul is immortal through analyzing various philosophies.

    Read More

  • Exploring the Concept of 'Self' in Modern Philosophy

    1140 Words  | 3 Pages

    A self is some sort of inner being or principle, essential to, but not identical with, the person as whole. It is that in a person that thinks and feels. The self is usually conceived in philosophy as that which one refer to with the word “I”. It is that part or aspects of a person that accounts for personal identity through time. In spite of all the ways one can change with time, the self is invariably same through time. A self is what is supposed to account for the fact that an individual is same person today as he/she was at the age of five, given that all his characteristics have changed over time. For instance, compared to his childhood, this individual is stronger, taller, and smarter; he has different aspirations and dreams, different thoughts and fears, his interests and activities are remarkably different. Yet, he is still the same ...

    Read More

  • Profile of the Self

    629 Words  | 2 Pages

    “You are requested to close the eyes.” This urging that Sigmund Freud experienced in a dream helped to unlock repressed feelings, and gave him insight into his personality. Fortunately, there are now tests available to help us to understand ourselves. Our behavior can be determined and understood by analyzing different aspects of ourselves. The four main aspects are: Decision Making, Self-Concept, Interpersonal Relationships, and Affect. Decision Making is very important.

    Read More

  • Personal Growth And Identity: The Influence Of Identity

    818 Words  | 2 Pages

    We are more than our identities. To know your inner self is to know your purpose, your values, your goals, and your motivations. Aligning with your inner thyself. Knowing your inner self comes from self-awareness, having a clarity of your inner self opens the consciousness and set up a solid focus in self-actualization. Referring to the need of personal growth and development that exists throughout their life cycle. Life is about pushing self in accomplishing goals although a challenge because of risky obstacles that always lands on our track of completion. An individual’s identity is molded by many diverse aspects. Family, culture, friends, personal interests and adjoining environments are all influences that tend to help shape a person’s

    Read More

  • immortality

    1803 Words  | 4 Pages

    A person is formed by body and soul and immortality is for the complete person, not a partial one.

    Read More

  • Construction of the Self

    1195 Words  | 3 Pages

    How does one create the “self”? How do we form as individuals? Whether a person is male or female, white or black, rich or poor, tall or short, pretty or ugly, fat or skinny, the most important factor is the development of the “self”. The self refers to the unique set of traits, behaviors, and attitudes that distinguishes one person from another (Newman 283). To distinguish between oneself from others, one must be able to recognize their unique traits and characteristics. One must be able to differentiate between one’s own physical appearance and another’s. There are many components such as gender, race, ethnicity, and social class, which shape and influence our values, beliefs, and impression of life. Understanding the difference between sex and gender allows one to grow into their own masculinity and femininity. Recognizing the history of one’s past in regard to their ethnic backgrounds and struggle will shape the development on one’s self. Having the luxury of money and power will affect the self and the way that one appreciates the value of the dollar or lack thereof. One of the most important factors may be one’s physical features which will eventually influence one’s self-confidence and affect the self as a whole. Once an individual has acknowledged the traits of their “self”, they’re in control of either maintaining their self, or changing their self to satisfy their standards.

    Read More

More about My Idea of the Self

Open Document