Binalonan, Pangasinan

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

2nd Semester, A.Y. 2021-2022
MODULAR LEARNING

I. COURSE TITLE Understanding the Self (GE1)

A. No. of Units: 3
B. Schedule:

II. COURSE OVERVIEW

A. Course Description
This subject deals with the nature of identity, as well as the factors and forces that affect the development and
maintenance of personal identity. It emphasizes the integration of personal daily experiences of the students with their
learning experiences inside the classroom to encourage them to improve themselves for a better quality of life.
Understanding the Self is taught for the students to deepen and widen their understanding of themselves and of others and
to further apprehend their uniqueness as a person.
B. Course Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, the students should be able to:
 Discuss the different representations and conceptualizations of the self from various disciplinal
perspectives.
 Compare and contrast how the self has been represented across different disciplines and perspectives.
 Examine the different in fluencies, factors, and forces that shape the self.
 Demonstrate critical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of one’s self and identity by
developing a theory of the self.
 Explore the different aspects of self and identity.
 Demonstrate critical, reflective thought in integrating the various aspects of self and identity.
 Identify the different forces and institutions that impact the development of various aspects of self and
identity
 Understand the theoretical underpinnings for how to manage and care for different aspects of the self.
 Acquire and sharpen new skills and learnings for better managing of one’s self and behaviors.
 Apply these new skills to one’s self and function for better quality of life.

C. Module Topics
These are the topics to be covered for the whole course:
 The Self from Various Perspectives (PRELIM)
Module 1. Philosophical Perspectives on the Self
Module 2. The Self from the Sociological Perspective
Module 3. The Self from the Anthropological Perspective
Module 4. The Self from the Psychological Perspective
Module 5. The Self in Western and Eastern Thoughts 7
 Unpacking the Self (MIDTERM)
Module 6. Physical Aspect of Self
Module 7. Sexual Aspect of Self
Module 8. Material Aspect of Self
Module 9. Spiritual Aspect of Self
Module 10. Political Aspect of Self
Module 11. Digital Aspect of Self
 Managing and Caring for the Self (FINALS)
Module 12. Becoming a Better Student
Module 13. Setting Goals for Success
Module 14. Taking Charge of One’s Health

III. STUDY GUIDE/LEARNING INSTRUCTIONS

 Welcome, and wish everyone is feeling good!
 You are reminded to prepare yourselves by observing the following:
 Manage your time well.
  Focus your attention.
 Give your best.
 Submit requirements on time.
 Be patient.
 Work independently and answer confidently.
 Motivate yourself.
 Practice academic honesty
 Contact me.
 Be oriented on your category for the mode of delivery. We have classified only three namely:
Category A – Online Distance Learning (for students with gadgets and with wifi connectivity)
Category B – Mobile Learning (for students with gadgets but with weak wifi connectivity)
Category C – Modular Remote Learning (for students with no smart phones and no wifi connectivity)
IV. REFERENCES
 Ariola, Marciano, Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person, 2016, Unlimited Books Library Services
and Publishing Inc., Intramuros, Manila
 Ariola, Marciano, Sociology and Anthropology with Family Planning, 2016, Purely Books Trading and
Publishing Corp., Intramuros, Manila
 Brawner & Arcega, Understanding the Self, 2018, C&E Publishing, Inc. Quezon City.
 Corpuz, R., Estoque, Ronan S., Tabotabo, Claudio V., Understanding The Self, 2019, C&E Publishing, Inc.,
Quezon City
 Galotti, Kathleen, 2011, Cognitive Development Infancy through Adolescence, Library of Congress Cataloging
in Publication Data, Canada.
 Levine and Munsch, Child Development, 2011, Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data, Canada
 McNamara, Valverde et al. Science, Technology & Society,2018, C &E Publishing, Inc.
 Pasco, Suarez and Rodriguez, Ethics, 2018, C&E Publishing, Inc. Quezon City.
 Peer & Reid Special Educational Needs, 2012, Sage Publication. Ltd, London
 Peñaflor and Peñaflor, Values Education Legal and Ethical Perspective (1 st edition), 2016, Unlimited Books
Library Services and Publishing Inc., Intramuros, Manila.
 Binalonan, Pangasinan

PRELIM PERIOD
The Self from Various Perspective
There must be a time in our life when we asked the question, “Who Am I”? This question may have also been
raised by your teacher during a philosophy class. The question requires a lot of contemplation to arrive at a particular
perception about the self. People arrive at two possible sources of answer --Philosophy and science. Philosophically, one
may point at religion in defining a human being as composed of body and soul created by a Supreme being. Scientifically,
one may attempt to breakdown the body into parts composed of heart, brain, arms, legs, and face.
Science has found some answers to our physiological functioning explain how parts of the body works like a
machine. It has been successful in unlocking many secrets about human anatomy. It has enlightened us on many mysteries
about human evolution. But science has its limits, for instance in its attempt to reproduce human beings through the process
called “cloning”. It cannot install or breathe “spirit” or “soul” on a clone which will make one truly human.
Going back to the question “Who Am I?”, can the human brain lead us to an acceptable answer to our inquiry about
the self or is faith enough to put question to rest?

MODULE 1: Philosophical Perspectives on the Self

Course Title: Understanding the Self

Course Code: GE 1

Name: __________________________________________________________
Course and Year: _________________________________________________
Contact Number/E -mail Address: _____________________________________
Date and Time Allotment: ___________________________________________

Introduction
This module entitled the Philosophical Perspectives on the Self is all about the different insights, ideologies,
subjective interpretations, observations and theoretical perspective of various Philosophers regarding the self.

Pre-activity
Orientation
Answer the following questions below:
1. What is your impression on this subject?
2. Do you think you know yourself well enough? Yes or No. State your reason.
3. Do you think it is beneficial for a person to dig in further information, traits, and characteristics within himself or
herself?

I. Objectives
At the end of the end of this module, students should be able to:
1. Compare and contrast the philosophical perspectives on the self.
2. Examine yourself against the different philosophical views of the self.
3. Distinguish how the philosophical perspectives on the self are applied
4.Create your own theory of the self.

II. Lectures
Philosophy is a liberal art that presents various philosophers offering multiple perspectives and ideas on just
about any topic including the self. Philosophically, discussion of the self is a basic search for meaning and purpose in life.
Determination, rationalization, and identification of the self set direction from which an individual travels to fulfill his or her
purpose in life. The inability to define oneself leads to a lot of contradictions within the self later on; hence, it is one of the
many imperatives in life to know oneself and to go on with the business of leading a life charted by oneself.

Socrates: Know Thyself

Socrates is principally concerned with man. The famous line of Socrates, “Know Yourself”, tells each man to bring
his inner self to light.
The core of Socratic ethics is the concept of virtue and knowledge. Virtue is the deepest and most basic propensity
of man – a conformity to a standard of right; a condemnable quality or trait. Since virtue is innate in the mind and self-
knowledge is the source of all wisdom, an individual may gain possession of oneself and be one’s own master through
knowledge.
Plato: The Ideal Self, The Perfect Self
According to Plato, man was omniscient or all-knowing before he came to be born into this world. With his
separation from the paradise of truth and knowledge and his long exile on earth he forgot most of the knowledge he had.
However, by constant remembering through contemplation and doing good, he can regain his former perfections.
Happiness, which is the fruit of virtue, is attained by the constant imitation of the divine exemplar of virtue,
embodied in man’s former perfect self.
Immanuel Kant: Respect for Self
Man is the only creature who governs and directs himself and his actions, who sets up ends for himself and his
purpose, and who freely orders mean for the attainment of his aims. Every man is thus an end himself and should never be
treated merely as a means – He believe that Justice should always prevail as per the order of the creator and the natural
order of things.
Respect others as you would respect yourself. A person should not be used as a tool, instrument, or device to
accomplish another’s private ends. Thus, all men are persons gifted with the same basic rights and should treat each other
as equals.
René Descartes: “I think, therefore I am”
He stated that the self is a thinking entity distinct from the body. His famous principle was “Cogito, ergo sum”, which
means, “I think therefore I am” Although the mind and the body are independent from each other and serve their own
function, man must use his own mind and thinking abilities to investigate, analyze, experiment, and develop himself.
John Locke: Personal Identity
John Locke holds that personal identity (the self) is a matter of psychological continuity. For him, personal identity is
founded on consciousness (memory), and not the substance of either the soul or the body.
He is famous for his “Tabula Rasa Theory” or the “Blank Slate or Clean Slate Theory”. This concept states that an
individual human being is born “blank: (with no built-in mental content), and that their identity is defined entirely by events
after birth through personal experiences. Thus, creating a unique personality.
David Hume: The Self is the Bundle Theory of Mind
Hume is skeptical about the existence of the self, specifically, on whether there is a simple, unified self that exists
over time. For him man has no “clear and intelligible” idea of the self. He posts that no single impression of the self exists;
rather, the self is just the thing to which all perceptions of a man is ascribed. Moreover, even if there were such an
impression of the self, it would have to remain constant over time to constitute identity.
However, man’s impressions vary and always change. Even attempts to have impression of the self must fail for all
these attempts are really just occasions for one to notice perceptions. Put simply, a person can never observe oneself
without some other perception thus, Hume asserts that what we call the “self” is really just a “bundle or collection of different
perceptions which succeed each other with an inconceivable rapidity”
St. Augustine: Love and Justice as the Foundation of the Individual Self
St. Augustine believes that a virtuous life is a dynamism of love. It is a constant following of and turning towards
love while a wicked life is a constant turning away from love. Loving God means loving one’s fellowmen; and loving one’s
fellowmen denotes never doing any harm to another or, as the golden principle of justice states, do unto others, as you
would have them do unto you.
III. ACTIVITY
ACT1.1
In your own words explain the following statements.
1. “Know thyself”
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2. “I think, therefore I am”
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ACT1.2
Suppose, Galileo, the century-old man, has his brain transplanted into that of a fit and able-bodied twenty-five-year-
old man named Albert. Albert now has all of Galileo’s memories and mental abilities.
Is Galileo now the young man? Or is Galileo’s personal identity situated in the young man’s body? Can physical continuity
be regarded as continuity of the whole body or continuity of the brain? Explain your answer.
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IV. ASSESSMENT
Since philosophical perspective of the self is subjective and lies within our own understanding and life experiences. Make
your own theory of the self.
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Prepared by:
REZZIE P. MENSALVAS, CHRA
Instructor

Submitted to:

RAYMOND N. CLARO, PhD.

Asst. Dean, College of Teacher Education