by SEG

Created on: June 08, 2008   Last Updated: January 02, 2012

For thousands of years philosophers and scientists have developed vigorous pictures of our humanity and the world around us: the science and theories of the world, mind and behavior that are the foundations of physics and psychology.

Psychology [1] can be said to have begun as far back as Aristotle’s On the Soul, but never before the 20th century appearance of the cognitive sciences has philosophy and science so well equipped us to understand the

foundation of psychology- our self.  Effectively moving through life observing, understanding and making decisions to create change requires self-awareness, but what does creating self-awareness require?

Self-awareness is not the primitive self-recognition we share with our quadruped neighbors, or a superficial image we might present to the world as a synopsis of our self; a self-concept that is actually a user-friendly inventory.  

Philosophically, self-awareness is a dynamic, proactive understanding of human experience and potential.  A preemptive awareness of our self in an environment where perceptions, concepts and emotions produce the will to act intentionally- with purpose and meaning…

Self- awareness precedes action…

.. knowing who, what and where we are informs us of potential and appropriate action. What, why and where am I: who am I the individual who acts in this world, what is my purpose, meaning and potential?

Echoing forward from the deep halls of philosophy is the voice of Socrates, the Greek philosopher whose rhetorical evaluations of individual efficacy promoted social accord through personal growth and action:

 “… the good do their neighbors good, and the evil do them evil”.  (Harvard Classics 1937, 13)

For Socrates personal evolution is achieved through self-knowledge and wisdom: 

“… the life which is unexamined is not worth living …” (Harvard Classics 1937, 26)

This is to say a life which is not proactive and evolving is not a dynamic life worth living and such ideas about our self would continue to evolve.

In the fifteenth century Rene Descartés’ famous principle, cogito appeared:

“I do think, therefore I do exist” (Descartés 2010)[2]

The origin of our evolving self is rational thoughts priming our actions.  Philosophically our natural state is to produce accurate thinking to enable appropriate action; with the result being we survive

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