What Is Self?

The obvious problem with "self" is determining what it is to be a person, or to make a person "know themselves." I am taking this in the aspects as what proves that a "soul" exists within a human being. There are many factors that must be considered in order to even come close to figure out one's "self" within a person. They must define their authentic, essential, and thinking self before truly "knowing" who they are.

The essential self is the set of characters that define a particular person. According to many Greek philosophers, this is considered the soul. But how can one prove that he or she has a soul? Descartes merges this essential self into a thinking self, the belief that a person has a "soul" or exists when they are aware of themselves. Another theory is by Kierkegaard who states that a self can only exist if there are passions to drive them, and a set of emotions that govern their everyday lives.

The argument against Descartes is through modern day science. Modern day science says this theory only truly proves that one is alive, but offers no proof that a "self" or "soul" truly exists. Doctors have proven that a comatose patient can be aware of their surroundings and interact with others, but have no concept of who they are, who the people in the room are, and what exactly is going on around them. Basically they are just a body with reactions to physical stimuli.

Kierkegaard states that a culmination of passions defines a "self." However, many other philosophers believe that emotions lie in the outside as an irrational and inferior part of one's self, but do not define a self. This could be also used in the aspect to negate Descartes, and comatose patient can show anger, sadness, and confusion, yet the absence of the "soul" still exists. In another aspect, a person can have passions, but it doesn't define who they are.

In conclusion, I believe to define a "Self" is much more primitive than today's doctor's or even Kierkegaard's theory of a culmination of passions, and the theory of one must have personal characteristics. All because one may not contribute, show empathy, or even a devotion to God per say, doesn't mean a person is "soulless." I have to agree with Descartes by saying that if a person is aware at all, that makes a person an individual.