This assignment helps in the understanding of different historical and philosophical approaches to the self.It also helps us to understand the core essence human beings are said to share.

understanding of different historical and philosophical approaches to the self.

Do I Have a Core Essence?

The purpose of this discussion assignment is to reflect upon your understanding of different historical and philosophical approaches to the self. After completing your readings, write a 2–3-page paper explaining the avocado/essentialist idea of the self. Remember to explain specific theories with supporting citations from the textbook and online lectures. Review and comment on the posts of other students and the instructor by the end of the week.

As you develop your response, you might find some of the following questions to be relevant:

• Firstly, What is the core essence human beings are  to share?
• Secondly, What are some of the differences/similarities between the avocado and artichoke views of the self?
• Finally, What is the relationship between human and divine nature?

Last week, we studied Socratic philosophy and spent some time reflecting upon how to read a philosophical text as well as some questions of wisdom and knowledge, including self-knowledge. This week, we’ll be probing even more deeply into the question of the self by examining theories of consciousness and identity. What is the self? Do we even have a self? What is the relationship between the self and the body? What happens to the self after we die? Is there an essential self? Do we have a soul? How do race, gender, and other characteristics impact our sense of self? Does culture have an impact on how we understand ourselves? We will  introduce  some ideas and questions that are to be metaphysical ones.

The inquiry into the nature of reality and being (including questions of causation) is called metaphysics.

Your Learning Objectives for the Week:

• Firstly, Compare and contrast different philosophies of self, including race and gender theory.
• Secondly, Understand and explain different approaches to epistemological and metaphysical questions of human knowledge and the nature of truth and reality, including spiritual reality.