What Is Self Or If There Even Is A Self - 861 Words

In trying to define what is self or if there even is a self, Hume asserts personal identity is a mere illusion and instead the self is a classification of the process of our mutable parts. On the other hand, in Descartes’ dissertation he defines self as a â€Å"rational soul† (pg33) or an essence unique to humans, held constant in the container of the human body. Hume’s and Descartes’ definition of self therefore is an all or nothing assumption; either the self is nonexistent dependent on the presence of an infinite constant, or the self does exist but is immutable and â€Å"entirely independent of the body.† (pg33) None of these theses satisfy what the self is. By definition, self is the composition of our physical and mental parts that in turn creates a unique process that can be identified as our self or soul. Therefore it cannot be delineated as an inner immaterial substance like a soul nor can it be claimed simply to be an illusion, self is the cohesion between these two theories. When Descartes argues that the â€Å"rational soul† (pg33) is not governed by nature’s constraints and is separable, he implies the possible extraction of the soul. In this way if extracted from the body and placed in another container the person would retain an exact conception of self that was held in their previous shell. As Descartes argues, the only thing responsible for the conception of self is the soul. However the definition of self is more complex than just the soul. Take into account theShow MoreRelatedHow Self Control Is Truly Free Will1143 Words   |  5 Pagesevery aspect of our lives and actions through our choices and self control, however there are times when this sense of free will is challenged. In Patricia Churchland’s article she covers how self control is truly free will, it can shape our actions, as well as habits. Yet, there are reasons why ones own self control could be diminished, for example, the case of the man who had strangled his own wife in his sleep. 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