The document is a compilation of personal reflections and philosophical discussions about self-understanding, incorporating historical and contemporary philosophical perspectives. It covers concepts from notable philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Augustine, Descartes, Locke, and Hume regarding the nature of the self and includes insights into sociology and social interactions. The contributions from various students in the context of their educational journey at the Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology are also acknowledged.

1. UNDERSTANDING
THE
SELF
SIR RANDY SALABSAB

2. Hello! I am Raquel Aguilon
Porras, 19 years of age. I live in
Purok 2, Veruela Agusan Del
Sur. I continue my studies at
Agusan Del Sur State College
of Agriculture and Technology,
Bunawan Ausan Del Sur
taking up Bachelor of
Secondary Education Major in
Science. I love black, pink and
violet colors. I love to dance
and sing and my hobbies are
watching kdrama and cdrama.
I love joyrides, food trips and
adventures. I may not be the
sweetest or clingy person but I
have a genuine heart.
ef

3. Hi, My name is Rodesa Quijada
Sabiahan, 23 years old, single but not
available char, I live in P1 San Vicente
Esperanza Agusan Del Sur . I'am third of 7
siblings. I am a first year college student at
Agusan Del Sur State College of Agriculture
and technology (ASSCAT). My hobbies are
watching fairy tales and cartoons. Also my
favorite is road trips. My favorite quote, "For
I know the plans I have for you, declares the
Lord's plans to prosper you and not to harm
you plans to give you hope and future".
I admit that I have a big family. My
family is not perfect like others. Sometimes
we did not expect some circumstances and
trials that came into our lives. Although we
are not a complete family, we did not lose
hope. Instead, we kept holding each other's
hand, always praying unto God to support
and never let go of us, giving us enough
strength to face it.
ef

4. My name is Angeline
Palatay. I am a working
student and my hobbies are
watching movies, playing
mobile legends and etc. I like
skyblue and for my sports, I
love playing badminton and
volleyball. Both of my
parents are farmers and I am
the 5th of 8th siblings.
ef

5. Hi, I am Kimberly Matavia. I live in
Bayugan, Agusan Del Sur. I am
studying at Agusan Del Sur State
College of Agriculture and
Technology and pursuing my
course there. My hobbies are
watching television, playing
badminton and also playing online
games. I am not that smart but I
am doing my best of my ability to
reach my goals in life in God's
guidance and his perfect time.
ef

6. The compilation of this lesson could not
have been possible without the collaboration and
cooperation of group 7. The contributions are
sincerely appreciated and gratefully acknowledged.
However, the group would like to express their deep
appreciation and indebtedness particularly to the
following:
Sir Randy Salabsab who is the adviser of
this subject.
Ma'am Lizly Asuelo and Florejean Guimba
Laguesma, our practice teachers.
Last but not the least, we wuld like to
thank everyone as part of this compilation.
ACKNOWLEDGEM
ENT

7. ASSCAT as the premier
agro-industrial Higher
Education Institution in Caraga
Region capable of producing
morally upright, competent
and globally competitive
human resource to effectively
implement sustainable
development.
ASSCAT VISION

8. ASSCAT as the premier agro-
industrial Higher Education
Institution in Caraga Region
capable of producing morally
upright, competent and globally
competitive human resource to
effectively implement sustainable
development.
ASSCAT MISSION

9. ASSCAT shall primarily provide
higher professional, technical and
special instructions for special
purposes and to promote research
and extension services, advanced
studies and progressive leadership in
agriculture, education, forestry,
fishery, engineering, arts and
sciences, and other related fields.
ASSCAT GOALS

10. Agusan Del Sur State College of Agriculture and
Technology's vision to be a premier agro-industrial Higher
Education Institution in Caraga Region is fostered by the
following principles:
• Sustaining quality education experience and community
engagement;
• Encouraging up optimum resource management;
• Developing an environment that is conducive for
intellectual and personal; and
• Generating relevant knowledge throug innovative
thinking.
To continually improve our Quality Management
System, we commit to comply with all applicable
requirements and provide service excellence in our four-fold
functions.
QUALITY POLICY

11. PHILOSOPHY
CHAPTER 1

12. Socrates, Plato,
Augustine
• The dictum "Know Thyself" as we hear today is an ancient greeting of the highly
civilized Grecks. It was believed that the temple gods greet the people with this
salutation as they enter the holy sanctuary. The ancient Greek philosophers
manifested to the people their various interpretations of the greeting.
• To know thyself is first an imperative and then a requirement. It is imperative to
know the limit of the self so that one knows what one is capable of doing and
what one is not.
• The expression is almost interchangeably translated as "know thyself" or "self-
control".
• Here Socrates insisted that, "The unexamined life is not worth living." This is

13. Socrates, Plato,
Augustine
• Socrates rightly pronounced that "I know that I do not know."
This perhaps is what makes Socrates the wisest among
philosophers. For Socrates, only in the recognition of one's
ignorance can a person truly know oneself.
• Influenced by the wise pronouncements of Socrates, Plato
proposed his own philosophy of the self. He started on the
examination of the self as a unique experience. The experience
will eventually better understand the core of the self which he
called the Psyche.

14. Socrates, Plato,
Augustine
• For Plato, the psyche is composed of three elements. These are the appetitive,
spirited, and the mind.
• Augustine was unsettled and restlessly searched for the meaning of his life until
his conversion to Christianity. In his Confessions, he pronounced: You have made
us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds rest in You.
• The development of the self for St. Augustine is achieved through self-
presentation and self-realization. He was not afraid to accept himself and tell the
people about his sinfulness.
• To St. Augustine, man's end goal is happiness. Only in God can man attain true
and eternal happiness, made possible in his contemplation of the Truth and the
Divine Wisdom, i.e, God Himself.

15. REFLECTIO
N
• Much of what we know about Socrates is based on speculation. To
keep our presentation of his beliefs as broad as possible, he
thought that the soul is immortal. As a result, he claimed that
death is not the end of life. Death is merely the soul's severance
from the body.
• Plato believed that the soul exists within a body until that body
dies, which sounds a lot like reincarnation. It then relocates to
another body. Plato dubbed the body the "prison of the soul" for
this reason. Augustine also believed in the immortality of the soul.
He, on the other hand, thought that a human is made up of both
the soul and the body. The body isn't only a prison for a soul who
goes from one body to the next. Instead, one individual is made up
of one body and one soul. Yes, he agreed that the soul is immortal;
nevertheless, he did not believe that it moves from one body to

16. REFLECTIO
N
Augustine, the final dualistic thinker of the
day, also believed in the immortality of the soul. He, on
the other hand, believed that a human is made up of
both the soul and the body. The body isn't only a prison
for a soul who goes from one body to the next. Instead,
one individual is made up of one body and one soul.
Yes, he agreed that the soul is immortal; nevertheless,
he did not believe that it moves from one body to
another.

17. Descartes, Locke,
Hume and Kant
• Rene Descartes, the father of modern philosophy, deviated from theocentric
philosophies in the years before him. He was in fact able to readdress the question
concerning the self in a very different rational method. He started his quest of
discovering the self by his methodic doubt.
• Descartes claimed that we cannot really rely on our senses because our sense
perceptions can often deceive us. Therefore Descartes refused to believe in the
certainty of his sense perceptions and started to doubt everything.
• Then he said "Cogito, ergo Surt." This is translated as "I think therefore I am" or "I
doubt therefore I exist." Only after the certitude of the "doubting I" can all other

18. Descartes, Locke,
Hume and Kant
• Descartes' discovery of the cogito revolutionizes the way we view ourselves and the
world around us. It has also dramatically changed the way we evaluate ourselves. The
primary condition, therefore of the existence of the self, at least according to
Descartes, is human rationality.
• Locke opposed the idea that only reason is the source of knowledge of the self. His
proposition is that the self is comparable to an empty space where everyday
experiences contribute to the pile of knowledge that is put forth on that empty space.
Experience, therefore, is an important requirement in order to have sense data
which, through the process of reflection and analysis, eventually becomes sense
perception.

19. • Hume claimed that there cannot be a persisting idea of the self. While Hume agreed that all
ideas are derived from impressions, problematically, it follows that the idea of the self is also
derived from impressions. However, impressions are subjective, temporary, provisional,
prejudicial and even skewed - and therefore cannot be persisting.
• As long as we only derive our knowledge from sense impressions, there will never be the
"self." This means that for Hume, all we know about ourselves are just bundles of temporary
impressions. Hume harshly claimed that there IS no seif.
• Kant said that the new proposition maintained that the self is always transcendental. In fact
he calls his philosophy the Transcendental Unity of Apperception.
• Kant further argues that even if we eliminate everything, or in the case of Descartes, doubt
everything, there will still be space and time that will remain in us.
• Kant is only saying that our rationality unifies and makes sense the perceptions we have in
our experiences and make sensible ideas about ourselves and the world.

20. REFLECTIO
N
• Descartes made the decision to doubt the existence of everything, even his own
existence. Descartes came to the conclusion that doubting his own existence
was impossible since someone had to doubt his thoughts, which had to be
himself. He demonstrated that subjective things, such as one's own existence,
are real in this way.
• Locke's response to Descartes (the rationalist) is that if you truly believe that
everything can be discerned solely through reason, you believe in a
contradiction, because if you truly trust your reason alone, you'd be able to put
your finger in a candle (if you don't know what that feels like from your senses).
According to Locke, we may learn a great deal from our senses. If not for that,
we owe everything to our senses.
• Hume also argues that religious belief has historically caused turmoil, wars, and
suffering by teaching exclusive messages.
• Kant felt that space is not something that exists outside the mind, but rather
something that exists within it. There is a contrast, according to Kant, between

21. Freud, Ryle, Churchland
and Mercau-Ponty
• Freud, refusing to take the self or subject as technical terms, regarded the self as the "I" that
ordinarily constitutes both the mental and physical actions.
• Freud sees the "I" as a product of multiple interacting processes, systems and schemes.
• Freud's solution to this predicament is to divide the "I" into conscious and the unconscious.
The unconscious keeps what it knows by what Freud calls "censorship" so that the conscious
will be left on its own.
• Freud's Structural Model will also represent the self in three different agencies, these are id,
ego and superego.
• Ryle said that he will never be found because it is just a "ghost in the machine." It means he
finds the philosophy of Descartes totally absurd. The mind is never separate from the body.

22. Freud, Ryle, Churchland
and Mercau-Ponty
• Couple Paul and Patricia Churchland promoted the position they called
"eliminative materialism" which brings forth neuroscience into the fore
of understanding the self.
• Merlcau-Ponty philosophy, the Phenomenology of Perception draws
heavily from the contemporary research of Gestalt psychology and
neurology. He developed a kind of phenomenological rhythm that will
explain the perception of the self. The rhythm involves three
dimensions. First is the empiricist take on perception, followed by the
idealist-intellectual alternative, and lastly, the synthesis of both
positions.
• Yes, he agreed that the soul is immortal; nevertheless, he did not
believe that it moves from one body to another.

23. REFLECTIO
N
• In Freud, the self is multi-layered consisting of the conscious,
preconscious and unconscious - not absolute or permanent.
• In Ryle, Focused his attention on human behavior, thus self, is a pattern
of behavior, the tendency or disposition for a person to behave in a
certain way in certain circumstances.
• In Churchland, to fully understand the nature of the mind,we have to fully
understand the nature of the brain. The body is the seat of perception
which essentially implies the structural interconnection between
subjective consciousness and its object.
• In Merlcau-Ponty, everything that we are aware of and can possibly know
is contained within our own consciousness. It is our consciousness that is
primary and the space/time world that is secondary, existing
fundamentally as the object to our consciousness.

24. OUR
UNDERSTANDING
What we read and understand the philosophers saying and
what we find in their writings should be applied in our pursuit of a happy
life. They all have very different views on belief, truth, justification, and
knowledge. I will quickly define them for context and they speak about all
the philosophers individually, their most important concepts related to this
study of knowledge. It is a dimension of our lived body, which is not an
object of the world, distinct from the knowing self, but it is the subjects’
own points of view on the world. The Body is itself the original knowing
subject which all other forms of knowledge derive. It belongs in the lives of
everyone. It helps us solve our problems, and it helps us make better
decisions by developing our critical thinking (very important in the age of
disinformation).

25. ADDITIONAL
READINGS
In general, philosophical education improves your
abilities to evaluate and solve difficulties. It will aid you in the
analysis of concepts, definitions, arguments, and issues. It
improves your ability to organize thoughts and issues, deal
with value questions, and extract the most important
information from large amounts of data. These philosophers
revealed facts about one's own self-perception and life
decisions, both conscious and unconscious. Philosophy as a
whole tries to challenge our preconceptions about our lives
and delve into the nuances of why we think the way we do and
how we choose to act. It broadens one's understanding and
enjoyment of things. It has the ability to provide self-
awareness, foresight, and sense of direction.

26. SOCIOLOGY
CHAPTER 1

27. INTRODUCTION
• Sociology is the systematic and scientific study of society and social
interaction. In order to carry out their studies, sociologists identify cultural
patterns and social forces and determine how they affect individuals and
groups. They also develop ways to apply their findings to the real world.
• The History of Sociology Sociology was developed as an academic and
scientific way to study and theorize about the changes to society brought on
by the Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Some
of the earliest sociologists thought that societies and individuals' roles in
society could be studied using the same scientific methodologies that were
used in the natural sciences, while others believed that it was impossible to
predict human behavior scientifically, and still others debated the value of
such predictions. Those perspectives continue to be represented within

28. INTRODUCTION
Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology Sociologists
develop theories to explain social events, interactions, and
patterns. A theory is a proposed explanation of those
social interactions. Theories have different scales. Macro-
level effice theories, such as structural functionalism and
conflict theory, attempt to explain how societies operate
as a whole. Micro-level theories, such as symbolic
interactionism, focus on interactions between individuals.

29. OUR
UNDERSTANDIN
G
In our understanding of sociology, it is how
we manage ourselves from societal relationships. It
increases the understanding and power of social
action. Sociology studies the role of social
institutions (home, school, church and more) in the
development of the individuals. Sociology provides
critical insight and perspective to the solution of
social problems. It is the study of society, social
institutions, and social relationships and they are the
definition of society, social institutions and social
relationships in sociology. Sociology is the study of
human social relationships and institutions. Unifying
the study of these diverse subjects is sociology's
purpose of understanding how human action and

30. REFLECTIO
N
Auguste Comte, who is considered to be the founder of
sociology, defined sociology as the study of society. His hope was
that threw the studies of sociologists that the world would become a
better place to live. By definition "the sociological perspective
stresses the social contexts in which people live. It examines how
these contexts influence people's lives. At the center of the
sociological perspective is the question of how groups influence
people, especially how people are influenced by their society-a
group of people who share a culture and a territory Herbert Spencer
believed in and came up with the theory of "the survival of the
fittest", he believed that "unless some do-gooders get in the way
and help the less fit survive that the better or fittest members of
society would survive creating a more advanced society. Social
integration or the degree that we are tied to our social group has an
effect on the likelihood of someone committing suicide. The French
sociologist Emile Durkheim said, "Human behavior cannot be
understood only in terms of the individual; we must always examine

31. REFLECTIO
N
For sociologists, the social self is the only kind of self
there can be. For the philosopher George Herbert Mead,
interactionism is the idea that an individual's personality,
preferences, and ideas are constructed and shaped by and
through communication with both others and his or her self. Every
human has own ideas, and every human decides what to do,
without considering external people or situations. Or so, we
believe we do.

32. ADDITIONAL
READINGS
Sociological Theories > Theories and writings of Karl
Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, Auguste Comte, Michel
Foucalt are extremely integral to the study of Sociology.
Suggested reading:
• Karl Marx's Capital .
• Max Weber's Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capital .
• E. Durkheim's The Division of Labour in Society
Sociology of Development >Development theories and
perspectives, more often than not, have become a topic of study
in itself. Some areas of Sociology of Development are:
• Development Perspectives: Liberal, Marxist, etc
• Globalisation
• State and Market, Development and Society

33. ADDITIONAL
READINGS
Sociology of Gender
• A large portion of the study of sociology focuses on understanding
gender roles and gender theories. Key topics in this subject are
• Understanding Sex, Gender, Sexual Division of Labour, Gender
Inequalities.
• Feminist Theories and Gender-Sensitive Critiques of Sociological
Thought
• Gender, Law and Human Rights
Society, Culture, Social Change, Social Stratification
This subject is an essential topic in almost all sociological courses,
i.e. the study of our society, culture, social constructs, etc. Here are the
central topics of this subject:
• Society Categories: Tribal, Urban, Pre-industrial, Industrial and Post-
Industrial, Marxist, etc

34. ANTHROPOLOGY
CHAPTER 2

35. INTRODUCTION
• Anthropology is the study of mankind (anthropos). Anthropology comes from the word anthropos
meaning man and logos meaning knowledge. Anthropology looks at humans as something
complex in terms of physical, emotional , social, and cultural complexity. Anthropology also refers
to the science of humans and their culture.
• Since anthropology is one of the social sciences, of course it is necessity, and undoubtedly very
important considering humans as social creatures cannot possibly loose interacting with each other.
Studying anthropology will create tolerance and peaceful life. Being unable to understand each
other has resulted in prejudice, quarrel,brawl, and even war. Differences are often considered a
threat, but when managed properly, they that could be a beauty,like a variaty of colorful flowers in a
garden.
• Things that occur in life on a small scale; in the household, between ethnic and religious groups,
even among a religious group to element of a nation, and between countries. Can anthropology
solve life problems mentioned? Certainly, anthropology has a significant contribution. It is the study
of all kinds of things that have to do with human beings. At yhe very least, someone who has
studied or learned anthropology will further acknoledge and understand that very people, ethnic

36. OUR
UNDERSTANDIN
G
Anthropology is the study of what makes us
human. Anthropologists take a broad approach to
understanding the many different aspects of the human
experience, which we call holism. They consider the past,
through archaeology, to see how human groups lived
hundreds or thousands of years ago and what was
important to them. They consider what makes up our
biological bodies and genetics, as well as our bones, diet,
and health. Anthropologists also compare humans with
other animals (most often, other primates like monkeys
and chimpanzees) to see what we have in common with
them and what makes us unique. Even though nearly all
humans need the same things to survive, like food, water,
and companionship, the ways people meet these needs
can be very different. For example, everyone needs to eat,
but people eat different foods and get food in different

37. REFLECTIO
N
• In the world of Anthropology, everyday new discoveries are found,
additional information is gathered, and worthwhile experiments are
being performed. And with each study it is providing people with more
answers about themselves and people around the globe.
• By looking at my anthropology I hope to grow intellectually, in part
because I will be forced to question some of the basic assumptions that
most people take for granted throughout their entire lives. I will more
seriously consider my identity, and the factors that shaped who I am.
When I began to look at the cultural norms, social expectations,
political history of my society, language, religious background, human
relationships, and interactions with technology and ideas have helped
make me, I will learn a lot about myself.
• I have always wanted to learn more about my family’s past. I have a
family tree, but no real answers. I’m not sure what my genetic
background is really made of. I would describe my own culture as
enculturation (the process by which a society’s culture is passed on
from generation to the next and individuals become members of their

38. ADDITIONAL
READINGS
Anthropology has been located at the
intersection of natural science and humanities. The
biological evolution of Homo sapiens and the evolution of
the capacity for culture that distinguishes humans from
all other species are indistinguishable from one another.
While the evolution of the human species is a biological
development like the processes that gave rise to the
other species, the historical appearance of the capacity
for culture initiates a qualitative departure from other
forms of adaptation, based on an extraordinarily variable
creativity not directly linked to survival and ecological
adaptation. The historical patterns and processes
associated with culture as a medium for growth and
change, and the diversification and convergence of

39. PSYCHOLOGY
CHAPTER 2

40. INTRODUCTION
• Psychology is an academic and applied discipline involving the scientific
study of mental processes and behavior. Psychology also refers to the
application of such knowledge to various spheres of human activity,
including relating to individuals' daily lives and the treatment of mental
illness.
• Psychology differs from the other social sciences — anthropology,
economics, political science, and sociology — in that psychology seeks to
explain the mental processes and behavior of individuals. Whereas
biology and neuroscience study the biological or neural processes and
how they relate to the mental effects they subjectively produce,
psychology is primarily concerned with the interaction of mental
processes and behavior on a systemic level. The subfield of

41. OUR
UNDERSTANDIN
G
• Psychology is relatively a young science and yet within a
brief span it has made tremendous progress. Psychology
touches almost every facet of our lives. There is hardly
any single aspect of human life where psychology has
not made its contribution.
• In all the important spheres of life, such as industry,
technology, arts, education, law, management, politics,
social life, medicine etc., psychology has made its unique
contribution by examining the basic psychological
processes underlying all these spheres; viewed from this
angle, it can be said that the scope of psychology is as
vast as our life itself. Psychology has been defined as the
science of human and animal behavior. In other words,
psychologists are interested in finding out the causes
underlying various types of behavior. The term behavior

42. OUR
UNDERSTANDIN
G
• For the psychologists, however, the term behavior
includes not only how we act or what we do, but also
how we think and how we feel. In short, it includes
mental processes, such as thinking, feeling, willing,
imagining etc. as well as the physical processes.
• Since every organism including man lives in an
environment with ever changing energies, objects and
other organisms, psychologist believe that behavior is
a means of adjusting to the environment. All our
behavior, therefore, is directed towards achieving an
adjustment between the forces within us and those in
our environment. Adjustment to inner and outer
demands of the body is a continuous process and
hence, psychologists aim at the study of organism’s
attempt to adjust itself to the varying conditions both

43. REFLECTIO
N
Over the course of this class, we have pieced
together many things about our own lives that before
went unnoticed. We're now able to see things in a bit of
a different light. Now that we've been introduced to the
realm of psychology, we understand some of the
reasons for behavior around us. We have learned that
there is a reason for most everything and a lot of our
behaviors and mental processes can be explained
through psychology. Studies have been conducted for
many years to try and pinpoint the source of our
behavior and it is not something that most people think
about every day. Having a better understanding of why
we operate the way we do will help me to better

44. REFLECTIO
N
We try some theory about abnormal behavior rather than
just shrugging it off. While we have not really had any experience with
anyone with any very serious psychological conditions, we see now
that there is much more than meets the eye when it comes to their
behavior. There is typically some sort of explanation that can be found
in psychology and we think if everyone had a basic understanding of
psychology they would understand abnormal behavior a little better.
After this introduction to psychology, we can now also better
understand our behavior and understand the things that are affecting
our lives. There are certain aspects of our life that limit us from
making the choices we may prefer to make. We have obligations and
responsibilities that we must maintain in order to provide a decent life
for our family. There is much at stake for us and we cannot always just
do whatever it is that we would like to do. As a child, we were raised in
a house where honesty was the key. It has been instilled in our life
and to this day we know the right thing to do is to be honest. Our
parents were very good at instilling a sense of honor. We're not sure

45. THE SELF IN
WESTERN AND
ORIENTAL/EASTERN
THOUGHT
CHAPTER 3

46. INTRODUCTION
Western philosophy acknowledges the existence of a humanself (with some exception).
Eastern philosophy firmly denies the existence of a human self (with some exception).
Contemporary neuroscientific and neuropsychological research attempts to locate and
identify the human self in the brain.
The difference between WESTERN and EASTERN THOUGHTS:
• Western Philosophy deals with individualism, while eastern philosophy is related to
collectivism. Both philosophies centeron virtues. Eastern philosophy takes more of a
spiritual approach while eastern philosophy is more hands-on.
The WESTERN perspective of the self
• In the west, there is dualistic conception of the self where there is a clear distinction
between creator and created, and man and the self is viewed as an artifact of creation.

47. INTRODUCTION
The distinctions between WESTERN and EASTERN conception of the self
• Eastern and Western of the self are diametrically opposite. Immanuel Kant
viewed the self as a thing-in-itself or a noun. Eastern philosophy
unequivocally argues that the self is illusory fiction and that it does not
exist in reality.
The difference between WESTERN and EASTERN THOUGHTS in philosophy
• Each has its own scope and methodology
• Eastern philosophy is intuitive and mystical in its approach, and studies the
self, its emotions, feelings, mystical experience of things. Western
philosophy uses the scientific method to study the human and brain.

48. OUR
UNDERSTANDIN
G
According to Eastern philosophy, the self as an essence does
not exist and this is due to our ignorance of the true nature of the
world. According to Western philosophy, the self does exist, but the
views on the topic are pluralistic. But for us, we choose western as we
reflect or understand it based on ourselves and it is western self ot
western traditions give the view of the self in which a certain person
needs to be independent and can manage herself through his
dedication and will and not depending on others. It taught what's
best for ourselves, the measure of a successful life when the self is
able to fulfill the life-goals set by the self. It concludes the
individualistic self that is always conceived as the autonomous
bounded entity. For one to be autonomous, one must be able to
show independence. Also, being self-sufficient implies confidence in
one's capacity to provide what the self needs from one's own
resources and authority. Therefore it is important for the self to
establish one's power and accumulate the needed knowledge and
resources so that one will be able to provide one's needs. Western
traditions give important knowledge and information about the self

49. REFLECTIO
N
In some ways, discussing Western and Eastern
philosophy is not difficult if we examine them in terms of the
history of human thought. However, if we require something
more in terms of discussing these two traditions of human
thought, it will be difficult. In this case, the action we take is in
response to a tough situation. There are various levels of
understanding in the universe. In our opinion, the deepest level
of understanding must be concerned with the essence of the
item. This is a difficult concept to express. The first factor is
logic, and the second is emotion. This is an example of human
behavior that is influenced by these two factors in our lives.
Three guys appear in a girl's life, each telling her that she must
marry them. The thing that the girl did one day before telling
one of these three men that she accepted his proposal to marry
him. The girl believes that marriage entails some sort of

50. REFLECTIO
N
She believes that people's lives will be either happy
or unhappy depending on one key condition: whether or
not they know how to organize their lives. People who know
how to plan things in their lives will be happy. Three guys
appear in a girl's life, each telling her that she must marry
them. The thing that the girl did one day before telling one
of these three men that she accepted his proposal to marry
him. The girl believes that marriage entails some sort of
planning. She believes that people's lives will be either
happy or unhappy depending on one key condition:
whether or not they know how to organize their lives.
People who know how to plan things in their lives will be
happy. This regulation should also be applied to marriage.
The girl has calculated all three males based on this notion,

51. REFLECTIO
N
The girl's decision may be what people refer to
as a rational decision. Suppose the factor that drives
the girl to choose one of these three men to marry isn't
reason, but her gut instinct that says, "I love this man
more than the others." People may refer to the girl's
decision as something that is influenced by feelings or
emotions in general. People consider reasoned action
to be one thing, and emotion-driven action to be
another, and these two types of behaviors are distinct.
We have the innate ability to distinguish between
actions that are motivated by logic and those that are
motivated by emotion.

52. ADDITIONAL
READINGS
The goal of Western philosophy is to discover and
prove what the "truth" is. Eastern philosophy, on the other
hand, accepts what the "truth" is and is more concerned with
finding a balance in one's life.
The following are the main principles of Eastern
philosophy:
> Unity of the Cosmos > Life is a journey toward eternal
realities that are beyond our current realities. > Dependent
on the inner world > Self-Liberation > Behavioural Ethics is a
term that refers to the ethical principles that govern.

53. ADDITIONAL
READINGS
In general, the Western definition of self' is based on the
individual being, and encompasses personality traits, intelligence,
strengths to find and develop, weaknesses to identify and overcome,
and objectives to achieve, among other things. The Eastern concept
of'self,' on the other hand, is more esoteric. There is a 'individual self
in the East that is equivalent to the Western definition, but there is
also a 'Self' (note the upper case spelling). The Self is not dependent
upon mind/thought/concepts; it is that which witnesses all events in
the environment, all sensations in the body and all thoughts and
emotions that are experienced. It is silent, still, alert and profoundly
peaceful.
The Eastern Self is untouched by anything and cannot be
improved upon. It is unbounded wholeness, having no discernible
traits that can be measured or quantified in any way. It is free of

54. THE PHYSICAL SELF
CHAPTER 4

55. INTRODUCTION
• The concept of physical self has gained considerable attention in the fields of
Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, including religious and biological or health
studies. These disciplines agree on the premise that the physical self is an
important component in the study of the person's self and identity. As William
James said, "the self is the sum total of all that man can call his, which includes his
body, family and reputation, also his clothes and his house.
• Sigmund Freud who states that the physical body is the core of human experience.
• From the 1970s to 1980s, Humanities and Sociology developed a new and broader
interest in the body. Sociologists, historians, philosophers, and anthropologists.
including scholars from sport studies and medical studies spoke about this interest
in the body which was then called "body culture".

56. INTRODUCTION
• The Impact of Culture on Body Image and Self-esteem: The Importance of Beauty
• Standards of beauty and appearance are the product of a diverse mix of cultural and historical
influences. Norms of beauty and appearance are tied to ideals of appearance and hard work.
• It refers to the person's perception of the level of attractiveness of his/her body or it can be somebody's
own impression of how his or her body looks. It may also be our sense of how other people view our
bodies. In that sense, body image can be seen as both internal (personal) and external (social).
• Beauty is of two types: the inner beauty which refers to the inner qualities of the person and the
external beauty which refers to the physical characteristics of the person.
• Culture is commonly defined as the shared patterns of thoughts, beliefs, behaviors, and habits in both
material and symbolic realms.
• Pop culture or popular culture from a common understanding is a culture widely accepted and
patronized by the public as in pop music which is very appealing to the youth.

57. INTRODUCTION
• Self-definition refers to the way a person sees himself. It can be intrinsically tied into self-esteem
and confidence, two critical components of a healthy disposition throughout maturation and into
adulthood.
• The media creates ideals, in the form of celebrities and models, for men and women t admire.
• Most women are dissatisfied with their appearance which, Annie Lennox says, is the "stuff that
fuels tge fashion and beauty industries".
2.1. The Influence of Media on the Adolescent's Understanding of Beauty
• Genesis M. Javellana (2014), mentions that the media plays a large role in how teenagers view
themselves by shaping images of what teenagers are supposed to be or do.
• Further studies showed that teenagers imagine themselves being the actor/actress in a movie
they have watched.
• Croll further explains that puberty for boys characteristics typically admired by society- height,
speed, broadness, and strength.

58. INTRODUCTION
Self-esteem and Significance
• Self-esteem, sometimes referred to as self-worth of self-respect, is an important factor of success.
2.2. The Concept of Self-esteem
• Self-esteem levels at the extreme high and low ends of the spectrum can be harmful, it's best to strike a
balance somewhere in the middle.
• In Psychology, the term self-esteem is used to describe a person's overall sense of self-worth or personal
value.
2.2. Developing Self-esteem
• To overcome such adverse effects on the issues of self-esteem, here are our best insights on how to strike a
balance between accurate self-knowledge and respect for who you are. You need to develop a positive body
image which involves:
a. understanding that healthy, attractive bodies come in many shapes and sizes;
b. physical appearance says very little about our character or value as a person;

59. OUR
UNDERSTANDIN
G
In this, we've learned a lot from this lesson because it talks
about ourselves on how we are going to be the best version of
ourselves. Today, the norm or standard of beauty includes wavy
blond hair, light skin and eyes, and a tall and slim form. Physical
appearance is dealt with great importance as in the case presented at
the beginning of this topic. But, we don't need others' opinions if we
want to choose what makes us happy. We are all body-builders as we
build and style our bodies on a daily basis. We decide how to dress
and style our bodies, we decide how much hair we want on our
bodies, and we shave, wax, etc. We manipulate our bodies' weight
through diet and exercise and we even modify our bodies to extreme
levels and introduce mechanical agents into our bodies merging flesh
and technology. The body is enthralled with cultural regimes, telling
us how we should look - especially how we should dress and what our
bodies' weight (fat levels) should be". To have self-confidence or self-
esteem, you should take responsibility for ourselves, begin to
experiment with life, develop an action plan and implement it, stick

60. REFLECTIO
N
It would be impossible to live a contented life if we
are not happy with our physical selves. We need to be
reminded that our looks are a testament that we are a by
product of our parents' love for each other. This is something
that every time we look in the mirror, we need to remind
ourselves that we are full of our parents' care and acceptance.
Nonetheless, as we embrace our looks, we need to help
others affirm their distinct beauty inclusive of its flaws, its
scars, and all of its imperfections. We need to be a part of a
culture of resistance in a society that dictates beauty in
physical perfection. As Amy blooms puts it and something for
us to ponder on. "You are imperfect, permanently and
inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful." There is nothing
more important than to learn to accept and embrace who we

61. ADDITIONAL
READINGS
• There is always pressure in our society to look good, and to
seek a visually better version of ourselves.
• We often get so caught up with the ways we can make sure
that we look beautiful and nice, that sometimes, we frown
at our natural looks, our dark complexion perhaps, or even
our short stature.
• The social pressure of looking great gave rise to many
beauty products and enhancement procedures, being
patronized by a large portion of our population, no matter
how expensive they might be, just to fit in, to be accepted,
and to be beautiful
• In the global society where fairer skin and a size zero for
women is considered attractive if not stunning , we can only
expect ourselves to follow and abide by the mantra, “Beauty

62. ADDITIONAL
READINGS
• Our physical selves have become so dependent on
the judgment of our appearance, and not with the
celebration of it. In this chapter, we will look at the
work of nature and nurture, and how it greatly
influences the features of our physical selves.
• Particularly how we look, and how standards of
beauty, both in local and global contexts have affected
our self-acceptance.
• We will also look into the different cultural standards
of beauty and how it has affected our self-concept, our
self- esteem, and body image, and realize that beauty,
in all shapes and sizes, is meant to be celebrated.

63. THANK YOU :)