Philosophy of Self - Essay Example

Running Head: Philosophy of Self Philosophy of Self of Philosophy of Self Introduction The concept of the self or individual or distinctive personality is considered to be the attributes and characteristics of the individual, which distinguishes him or her self from others. Several attempts have been identified by philosophers, psychologists and researchers to identify these unique and distinctive qualities (Schrift, 2006). This concept revolves around the human consciousness and it is the main factor, which determines the thoughts, behaviors and perceptions of human beings. The aim of this paper is analyze the concept of self in the lights of broad and diverse academic resources. Concept of Self and Morality The concept and philosophy of self revolves around the individual consciousness and awareness, which he or she has for him or her self. It revolves around characteristics such as mental abilities, perceptions, outlooks, personality, etc. It develops gradually at birth and becomes complex and intangible as the child enters early adulthood. Its concept and philosophy has been discussed extensively by several academics, philosophers and researchers (Hergenhahn, Olson and Cramer, 2003). From Freud perspective, the concept of self revolves around the id, ego and the super ego. From this perspective, the id is known to control pleasure. The ego has the consciousness and it is responsible for maintaining equilibrium between the id and the superego. The superego is known to control the id in order to ensure that morality is maintained. This demonstrates that the concept of self is important in order to understand the psychological and mental processes associated with the human mind (Schrift, 2006). It also assists in differentiating between right and wrong. At the same time, it helps in differentiating between right and wrong. Spirituality From the spiritual aspect, self is studied extensively in eastern philosophy and it is considered to be the illusionary aspect of the existence of human beings. In this aspect, the self is considered to be the part of the human being that fights for its survival in the human world (Harter, 1998). It should be noted that it is unconscious and does not understand itself. In this regard, Freud theory of ego, super ego and id assists in achieving spirituality, which calls for the controlling of the ego in order to ensure that true spirituality is achieved. Nature of moral consciousness From Rousseau’s concept of the self, the ultimate nature of the human being was good but living in the civilization corrupted his inherent goodness. Rousseau’s concept of the self asserts that it is impossible to determine the nature of the self. However, by means of hypothesis, iterative methods and examining history, it becomes clear that man is fights for his survival and therefore, he needs to be physically powerful, competent and skilful. From this perspective, the self-love is the survival of the human being and hence, this is against morality. This indicates that the nature of self is “is indifferent to good and evil in a narrower sense of the term. It is thus to be contrasted with egoism or pride (amour-propre), which artificial society turns self-love into sense-appetite, and the desire for order, which promotes the good and evil of the soul” ( Hergenhahn, Olson and Cramer, 2003). From this perspective, it is difficult to comprehend the nature of self. This indicates that the self is governed by external factors, which may corrupt it moral consciousness and values. Complexity and Self The main aim of the concept of self is to ensure that human beings preserve and keep their integrity. Integrity is considered to be honesty, truthfulness and faithfulness. One’s self has to ensure that it maintains its integrity. “The self is, by nature, paradoxical, and the opposition and contradiction of paradox create a complex psychological system within the self” (Lewis, 2000). This indicates that the nature of self is complex. Different philosophers in different times have made several attempts to understand this concept. The basic nature of the self is that it has set of certain traits, which are opposite to one another and the dominant trait, controls the weaker one. Thus, it is in constant conflict that occurs between the weaker and superior traits. Nietzsche has openly criticized the concept of self and believes that it has multiple faces and drives, which compete with another in order to gain control(Damon and Daniel, 2008). From Nietzsche perspective, the drivers of the self have the tendency to dominate in order to gain control. The nature of self is selfish in nature, which seeks to create chaos. From this perspective, the nature of self is selfish and its sole purpose is to dominate the other forces in order to gain power. This indicates that strength, aggression, independence, etc. are the dominant traits of the self, which seek to control the weaker ones (Lewis, 2000, Hergenhahn, Olson and Cramer, 2003) . Analysis The philosophy of self revolves around the attributes and characteristics of an individual, which makes them different from others. Throughout centuries, the concept of self has been discusses extensively in philosophy in order to understand the true nature of the self. Self is considered to be unique and distinctive in attributes and qualities and it mainly revolves around consciousness and awareness. The concept has aided psychologists in order to understand the true nature of the human mind. Morality and self concept are two important aspects, which are interrelated with one another. Freudian perspectives assert that the self is controlled by the superego and the id is in constant conflict with the superego. This indicates that the concept of self is important in order to understand the psychological and mental processes associated with the human mind. It also assists in differentiating between right and wrong. At the same time, it helps in differentiating between right and wrong. Furthermore, self also assists in understanding the spiritual side of the self. From this perspective, the self is an independent entity and it seeks to survive in the world. This similar to that of Rousseau’s concept of the self, which asserts that the self is influenced by society. The downside of the concept of self is that it is fluctuating and cannot be understood. Conclusion The aim of this paper was to analyze the concept of self in the lights of broad and diverse academic resources. Throughout history, several attempts have been made in order to understand the concept. It is useful in understanding moral consciousness and true nature of human beings. However, the downside of this approach that it appears to be selfish in nature and seeks control. Conclusion Schrift, Alan D. (2006). Twentieth-century French Philosophy: Key Themes and Thinkers. Blackwell Publishing. p. 174 Damon, William, and Daniel Hart. Self-Understanding in Childhood and Adolescence. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008. Harter, Susan. "The Development of Self-Representations." In Handbook of Child Psychology, Vol. 3: Social, Emotional, and Personality Development, 5th edition, edited by William Damon and Nancy Eisenberg. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1998. Lewis, Michael. "Social Knowledge and Social Development." Merrill-Palmer Quarterly 36 (2000):93-116. Hergenhahn, B.R., Olson, M.H., and Cramer, K. (2003). An Introduction to Theories of Self.(Canadian ed.). Toronto: Prentice Hall Read More