What is self…

Yonge Dundas Square in Toronto, Ontario. What better way to cool off during a hot day in the city. Seeing this kid running full speed through the fountains suddenly brought back some very vivid memories of doing the same thing. I was really tempted to join in. Original photography using a Canon EOS T1i body with a Sigma 17-70mm f2.8 DC Macro OS lens and Silver EFEX Pro as a Lightroom plugin for the B&W conversion. Brian Carson The Learning Curve Photography http://www.pinterest.com/learningcurvepd

Yonge Dundas Square in Toronto, Ontario. What better way to cool off during a hot day in the city. Seeing this kid running full speed through the fountains suddenly brought back some very vivid memories of doing the same thing. I was really tempted to join in. Original photography using a Canon EOS T1i body with a Sigma 17-70mm f2.8 DC Macro OS lens and Silver EFEX Pro as a Lightroom plugin for the B&W conversion. Brian Carson The Learning Curve Photography http://www.pinterest.com/learningcurvepd

Reading entertaining philosophical views on what is ‘self’? I’m a ‘self’ namely, myself. A ‘self‘ is a person? Living, thinking human being – myself, yourself?

Many philosophers say there’s a difference between myself that’s just me and my ‘self‘. This ‘self’ is some sort of an inner being. Not identical with the person as a whole or our external manifestations. There is ‘one self‘ as our mind-body-heart-spirit. Mind is a part of me with sensations, perceptions, beliefs & desires. Initiates actions & reactions.

‘Self’ is conceived in philosophy as what we refer to as ‘I’. I am the same self. Will be the same self tomorrow, next week or next year. 

Basically one’s self is our innermost core, our true identity, our authenticity. 

Descartes – “there’s an aspect of me, the thinking part. What I refer to with I. I think, therefore I exist. Who I am & what I am remains the same, through changes in my physical being or the environment. Molecules that constitute me may change, but not my mind-spirit”.

Hume argued Descartes was wrong. Found no inner un-changing self. Rather, a bundle of thoughts, sensations or imaginations in a constant state of flux.

Kant thought Hume had a point. But, we had to believe in some principle that held this flux together. Kant’s ‘transcendental self’. Unity that we find in the natural synthesis of wisdom, intuition, experience or creativity.

Finally, nothing much can be known of our mysterious ‘self.’ And, that’s beautiful. Always something new to discover, something unique to explore!