Video summary

Understanding The Self: Lesson 1 Philosophical Perspective of the Self | Ms. Airah R. Bombase, LPT

Main summary

Key takeaways

Educational

Main ideas / lessons

  • Course focus (Lesson 1): Understanding the self from a philosophical perspective, using the views of 11 philosophers.
  • Lesson framing (4 agendas):
    1. Mental activity: prompts students to reflect on what they know about themselves.
    2. Meaning of philosophy: what philosophy is and what it provides.
    3. Philosophy and the self: major philosophers’ concepts of the self.
    4. Application and assessment: students create/justify their own definition of the self.

Mental activity (reflection prompts)

The instructor asks students questions to consider whether they truly know themselves, including:

  • How to characterize yourself (strengths/weaknesses, talents/skills).
  • What makes you stand out from others.
  • How your self has transformed over time (growth/familiarity with learning).
  • How you are connected to your body.
  • How you are related to others.
  • What happens to you after death (heaven/hell/purgatory, prayer for the dead).

After answering, students reflect whether the activity was easy or difficult and why (already know yourself vs. still learning).

Discussion: What is philosophy?

Philosophy is presented as:

  • Seeking answers to serious questions about oneself and the world.
  • Challenging existing knowledge and institutions to move closer to truth.

Example philosophical questions mentioned

  • Morality: What is morally right or wrong, and why?
    • Includes controversial topics such as same-sex marriage, abortion, and the death penalty and asks what the “basis” for claims is.
  • Good life: What counts as a good life?
    • Contrasts scenarios like:
      • Rich but without family/love/social fulfillment vs.
      • Poor but supported by family and loved ones.
  • Religion/metaphysics: Does God exist? If so, one or many?

Skills/benefits philosophy teaches

  • Critical thinking
  • Argument skills
  • Communication
  • Reasoning
  • Analysis
  • Problem solving

What those skills enable (practical outcomes)

  • Help you justify your opinions with reasons and evidence (not just empty statements).
  • Help you spot bad arguments and explain why someone else is wrong.
  • Help you think independently, not blindly trust information (example: school closure misinformation due to lack of source verification).

Key background: origin of “philosophy”

  • The term “philosophy” is attributed to Pythagoras (also associated with the Pythagorean theorem).
  • Etymology given:
    • Greek philo + sophia → love and wisdom (literally associated with “wisdom” / “love of wisdom”).
  • Philosophy begins from the need to search for truth and meaning/value/relevance.

Philosophy and the self: main concepts by philosopher (as presented)

Socrates

  • Quote: “An unexamined life is not worth living.”
  • Self is dualistic: body + soul.
    • Body: imperfect and impermanent.
    • Soul: perfect and permanent.
  • Two realms:
    • Physical realm: changeable/transient/imperfect (body).
    • Ideal realm: unchanging/eternal/immortal (soul).
  • Reason is emphasized as the soul’s tool.
  • Excess focus on bodily/material needs blocks wisdom.
  • A meaningful life comes from virtue and soul searching (separating body from soul).

Plato

  • Quote/teaching: “The soul is immortal.”
  • Self explained as self-knowledge and purification of the soul.
  • Self = mind and soul (mind+soul more central than body).
  • Three parts of the soul:
    1. Rational soul: reason/intellect; enables wise choices and understanding eternal truths.
    2. Spirited soul: emotions and passions (love, anger, ambition, empathy, aggressiveness).
    3. Appetitive soul: basic needs (food, air, housing, clothes).
  • The three parts can conflict; reason controls and restores harmony.
  • Happiness requires reason controlling spirit and appetite.

Aristotle

  • Body and soul are not separate—they are one.
  • The soul is the form/essence of the body; without body, soul cannot exist.
  • Soul and body mutually influence each other.
  • Three kinds of soul:
    1. Vegetative: growth and reproduction (plants/animals/humans).
    2. Sentient: sensation and mobility/emotions (animals/humans; not plants).
    3. Rational: intellect and reflection (humans only).
  • Humans can self-reflect, recognize mistakes, and face consequences.

St. Augustine

  • Integrates Plato with Christian beliefs.
  • Soul and body are united so a person is fully complete.
  • Humans are created in God’s image and likeness.
  • Knowledge of self comes through knowing God (self-knowledge follows knowledge of God).

René Descartes

  • Quote: “I think therefore I am.”
  • Thinking/self-consciousness is used as proof of the existence of self.
  • Self involves two distinct entities:
    • Mind (Cogito): the thing that thinks.
    • Body (Extensa): extension/material body.
  • Famous formulation: cogito ergo sum.

John Locke

  • Self is consciousness.
  • Born as tabula rasa (blank slate); knowledge and self-awareness develop through experience.
  • Consciousness provides coherence of personal identity across different situations.

David Hume

  • No self exists in the way people imagine.
  • Self is a bundle/collection of perceptions in constant flux.
  • Personal identity is described as an outcome of imagination—there is no stable “self.”

Immanuel Kant

  • Self is constructed (not merely found).
  • The self is involved in knowledge acquisition and shapes a predictable world.
  • Through rationality, the self organizes/synthesizes experience.

Gilbert Ryle

  • Self is essentially how people behave.
  • “We act therefore we are” (self expressed through actions, not a hidden inner essence).

Paul Churchland

  • Self is the brain.
  • Mind is not treated as a separate independent entity; mind is framed as an aspect/imagination tied to brain function.
  • If there is no brain, there is no self.

Maurice Merleau-Ponty

  • Self is embodied subjectivity.
  • Dividing mind/body into a strict problem is considered futile/invalid.
  • Knowledge of self/world is grounded in subjective experience; the self cannot be fully objectified in a completely objective way.

Application & assessment (instructions)

  • Task 1: Create your own definition of the self

    • For each philosopher (Socrates through Maurice Merleau-Ponty), state in your own words (briefly):
      • What the self is according to that philosopher, or
      • The philosopher’s belief/perspective on the self
    • Examples of expected length/format:
      • “a very brief sentence,” “phrases,” “words,” “one word or a few words”

  • Task 2: Identify alignment with your own concept

    • Choose which of the 11 philosophers is most aligned with your own concept of self.
    • Provide the reason, including:
      • Personal experiences growing up, or
      • Any situation/scenario you can share to justify your choice.

Submission format requirements

  • Submit on one whole yellow paper (handwritten).
  • Take a photo of the completed paper and submit it to Google Classroom (GCR).
  • Do not submit only:
    • Typed notes screenshot on a cellphone
    • Screenshot-only uploads
  • If typing digitally, it should be converted into a PDF (Word/WPS → PDF is acceptable).
  • The teacher wants a clear photo so they can check and grade.

Speakers / sources featured (end list)

  • Ms. Airah R. Bombase (instructor/narrator)
  • Philosophers discussed:
    1. Socrates
    2. Plato
    3. Aristotle
    4. St. Augustine
    5. René Descartes
    6. John Locke
    7. David Hume
    8. Immanuel Kant
    9. Gilbert Ryle
    10. Paul Churchland
    11. Maurice Merleau-Ponty
  • Mentioned source for example movie:
    • PK (film used as an analogy for tabula rasa)

Original video