Self

Philosophical Views on the Concept of “Self”

From the beginning of philosophy, there has never been agreement about how to define the term “self.” Philosophers have always disagreed on the definition of “self,” with others, such as University of Arizona Professor Jenann Ismael, describing the word as one’s inner conception of oneself (“The Self | Philosophy Talk”). Ancient thinkers such as Descartes held that the concept of “self” was dualistic. The idea of dualism means that existence is separated into the mind and the physical body. In this light, Descartes proposed that the delicate mind contains consciousness, which includes emotions, our perception, drive, and passion. Simply put, the ego is the source of the term “self.” On the other hand, I think Socrates would have defined the word differently.

Socrates’ Perspective on “Self”

Socrates in the dialogues of “Euthyphro” and “Crito,” shared a different perspective regarding the aspect of self-consciousness. From the dialogues, Socrates shows that people have different preferences which compel them to think and act uniquely but mostly in one’s gain. Based on this idea, Socrates would probably define “self” as the different attributes that make differentiate people from each other. In my opinion, self is the unique aspects to which one gets attached or feels a sense of ownership. These properties dictate the way people think about their beliefs and purpose in the world.

The Influence of Work on Self-Perception

According to research, the manner in which people learn to think and act in the workplace can be traced in their domestic as well as social characters (“How Your Job Shapes Your Identity”). Indeed, work is good for the wellbeing of people but the mentality nurtured at work can incite other aspects of self that had not manifested before. For example, in a job where speed and accuracy are important, employees who were initially scatterbrained may acquire a remedy for the condition. Therefore, a career can modify the way people think about themselves by inspiring new attributes which either reinforce or weakens the old ones.

The Impact of Negative Perception on Self-Esteem

Based on my definition, the most common mistake that people often make is having a negative perception of oneself. This sort of thinking signifies the incapacity to achieve cognitive completion, which in turn reduces a person’s self-esteem. The event may cause emotional distress and impulsive mental intrusion of ideas related to the situation. Therefore, if a person’s focus on negative aspects of an event, the brain tends to replay the thoughts and images repeatedly and for an extended period thereby clouding the person’s vision and affecting the way they interact with others. Negative perception also creates a sense of helplessness when faced with a difficult situation and can inhibit the person ability to cope with stress. Such circumstances often lead to poor outcomes that could create more despair.

The Power of Education in Shaping Self-Identity

Further, research shows that education can address the issue given its ability to create opportunities for better health (“Why Education Matters to Health”). Education builds skills and fosters traits such as perseverance, sense of personal control, flexibility, conscientiousness, and other properties that are critical to individual’s sense of “self.” Since “self” mainly entails the way people feel about themselves, the most effectual approach to reform lives is through positive thinking. Unlike the common misconception, positive thinking does not imply ignoring the life’s less pleasant events; it means facing an unpleasant situation in a productive way. Personally, fostering a positive attitude has played a critical role in making my life the best it could be.

Works Cited

“How Your Job Shapes Your Identity.” The Book of Life, 2015, http://www.thebookoflife.org/how-your-job-shapes-your-identity/.

“The Self | Philosophy Talk.” Philosophytalk.Org, 2013, https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/self.

“Why Education Matters To Health: Exploring The Causes.” Societyhealth.Vcu.Edu, 2015, http://societyhealth.vcu.edu/work/the-projects/why-education-matters-to-health-exploring-the-causes.html.