The Metaphysics of Personal Identity
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J. Kristeva
The Philosophical Conundrum of the Mind-Body Relationship
The Greek word philosophy (philosophia) is a compound word. Philosophy’s etymological roots are based on the two Ancient Greek words: philo — loving, and sophia — wisdom. Thus, literally translated, philosophy is a love of wisdom. My Greek great-grandmother Persefona: Περσεφόνη , was my primary inspiration to study philosophy. We all learn lessons throughout our lifetime, some teachings can be passed down from one generation to the other. Growing up in Sofia has taught me a lot about the different types of love, wisdom and various forms of understanding through interpretation. Philosophy of science studies the nature of knowledge. Metaphysics is a form of esoteric psychology. Metaphysicians describe the mental essence of the soul as an independently existent entity, occupying the human body. According to metaphysics the decision making process is a manifestation of one’ s free will. Thoughts construct and shape behavior through actions which are also an expression of our free will. Making conscious decisions is a property of the mind. Monism and dualism are two theories exploring the origins of existence. Monism describes the theory of everything as a unification and expression of the Higher Self. Quantum biology and divine consciousness combine to form the unique blueprint of personal identity. Dualism contrasts monism as it proposes the duality principle of good and evil, for example in eastern philosophy this would be the equivalent of the concept of yin (moon) and yang (sun).
Consciousness and the Self
Monism is a philosophical theory which seeks to explain the relationship of the mind-body dilemma. Descartes believes that a human being is defined by having a “free mind”. The mind is a soul attached and related to the body. Philosophers see the body as an extension of the mind. “My identity consists entirely in the continuation of the same mental substance, the same soul, or res cogitans”. (Searle, 2004, p. 17). Interactionism is the view that the mind and body causally influence each other. Contrastingly monism sees these mental and physical events as parts of the same single operational unit of consciousness.
Free Will and Personal Identity
Free will intentionality is a mental process produced by the psyche. Once a decision is consciously made, the mind seeks to fulfil its’ carefully chosen goals by planning actions to manifest the Word as a multidemesional living creative energy force. Metaphysicians believe that mental substance is the essence of the mind, which is capable of producing thoughts. Physical matter exists three-dimensionally in spacetime as an “extension” of the self. The human body is infinitely divisible and destructible but the soul remains immortal. According to philosophers the processes occurring in the physical world can be explained by science. In addition, matters of spiritual existence concerning faith were studied by theologians. Metaphysicians combine both aspects of spirituality and science to form a complete belief system in the One Source.
The Relationship between the Physical Body and the Human Soul
According to Descartes properties of the mind, such as “thinking” were seen as one’s ability to exercising his or hers own free will. Metaphysicians believe the human body to be mortal, in contrast to the soul. According to them the soul is eternal and is indestructible. Ryle and Descartes argued that the human mind is separate from the physical body and can live forever.
As Above so Below As Within so Without
To gain self-knowledge is the key which opens the gates of haven. “Wisdom begins with wonder,” said Socrates. Socrates (c. 469 BC — 399 BC) was a classical Greek philosopher and is one of the founders of Western philosophy. He is mostly known for his inquiries of existence and identity. “Know Thyself” was written on the forecourt of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. The legend tells that the seven sages of ancient Greece, philosophers, statesmen and law makers gathered in Delphi to inscribe “know thyself” at the entry to its sacred oracle. To know thyself according to Socrates is the begging of true wisdom.
Personality Aspects of the Self
Early childhood developmental history and temperament form the blueprints of personality organization. Structured metaphysical data is stored in the psyche. These recollections of partialized memory segments and experiences are stored internally in quantum computational neural circuits which operate as independent networks to interpret incoming perceptional inputs.
Individual traits are formed in the mind as a result of personalized experiences. The so called “inner habits” and attitudes shape our beliefs. I take the monism stance to express the mind- body dilemma. The human body, the soul and the spirit become one in the flesh. The three metaphysical crystalline concepts unite to form the wholesome unified substance called the One Infinite Source.
Personality Traits
The persona is the outwardly displayed mask (character) representing individuality. Personality is a set of individual consistent patterns of feeling, thinking and behaving. The ethereal spirit is the metaphysical essence within the body, also called breath of life (chi). The eyes are the window to the soul (psyche). The unconscious is structured like a language. We use logos and symbols to communicate and express ideas. Once the idea is perceived by the brain it will be stored in the subconscious mind and becomes part of the person’s memory bank accessible through the symbolic register. Consequently, memories and personal characteristics can be used to influence and predict future behavior. Pragmatics is a subfield of linguistics and semiotics which studies the way in which context constitutes and forms meaning.
Pragmatist metaphysics
Pragmatist metaphysics explores pragmatism as an epistemological approach to interpreting commonly held beliefs among social groups. Pragmatists describes the notion of “trustworthy knowledge” as one’s understanding capacity to identify objects present within the physical plane of reality. Pragmatism is a philosophy of knowledge, which relies on the effective utilization of resources. This model of contemporary epistemology integrates the practical application of knowledge with theory. Most pragmatists focus on the context of how objects relate to each other in their current environment. They believe this paradigm has an ontological nature and it explores reality in terms of what is meaningful and useful on the micro and macro scale. Pragmatists focus on the correlational validity of beliefs onto actions. These two variables mutually affect each other depending on the present impact of social, geopolitical and economic values.
Pragmatic methodologies
Pragmatic methodology suggests series of techniques, which can be used as problem-solving procedures to produce favorable outcomes. The beneficial components of achieving desirable results can be illustrated by the instrumental implication of logistic strategies. This descriptive outlook allows people to form their own belief system based on subjective interests. These socially constructed concepts formulate the human existential experience of reality. Each person internalizes a specific set of ideas based on his beliefs and experiences. Pragmatists suggest that the meaning of knowledge is value-driven.
Founding Theorists
The founding thinkers of pragmatism were Charles Peirce, William James, John Dewey, Richard Rorty and Krastyo Krastev . This nineteen century philosophy movement was centered towards the use of humanistic and pluralistic ideas. Krastyo Krastev, one of the founding fathers of modern philosophy proposed the notion that the truth is only portrayed in relevance to how it serves a meaningful purpose by producing desirable outcomes. This shows the importance our actions have onto the establishment of core beliefs. Many such examples can be seen in education, science and politics. This analogical reasoning emerged to explain the subjects’ behavioral responses as guided by individualistic needs in order to sustain existence and improve quality of life. “Knowledge is to be evaluated according to whether it has useful consequences for the user’s desired action. The criterion of usefulness is then tempered by the critical analysis of which interests are being served by that action“ (Cornish, 2009, p. 807).
The Ontology of Consciousness
John Dewey described the concept of “inquiry” as a process of self-conscious decision making, which informs our actions. Knowledge is learned as a derivative of experiences obtained through the process of inquiry. “In summary, Dewey’s philosophy of knowledge relies on his concept of inquiry, in which actions as outcomes of inquiry serve as the basis for beliefs“ (Morgan, 2014, p. 1048). Pragmatic epistemology views the meaning of knowledge as an observable truth. We need reliable proof that our work is efficient and satisfies our needs. Pragmatists use a pluralistic approach to classify changeable variables. The process of change becomes inevitable and we are constantly developing and shifting our values to adapt to fit the social environment.
Social settings influence our understanding and perception of reality. Informational social influence affects how we perceive and interpret our experiences in accordance to normative societal values and ethics. Pragmatism explores the effects of the interactive dynamic between various dogmatic principles coexisting within a social group.
Generalized knowledge of subjects is gained though experimentation and applicability of scientific methods, which have been proven to re-produce beneficial results. Pragmatism broadly conceptualizes the meaning of the word “truth” as something we have experienced and simultaneously observed in order to establish a functioning work systems design. The derivative product is what is considered to be important and is agreed upon on an individual and collective level of consciousness. Pragmatists believe that methodologies and theories are only relevant as to their applicability and usage, disregarding the skeptics concerns of truthfulness. This statement supports the idea that there is no ultimate or absolute truth in our existential dimension. Pragmatic philosophy coined the term “meaning” as a force proportionally equal to its ability to accurately replicate desirable effects.
Theoretic Methodology
Pragmatism uses incentives in order to enhance profit in the public sphere, where subject are active participants interacting and experiencing situations in their immediate environment. This theoretic methodology allows room for various interpretations and it doesn’t impose the limiting notion of one ultimate truth over another. Open-ended questions can be addressed by using practical responses, which provide relevant solutions to common problems. This can also assist in coordinating with the subjective reality of those, who study it. It uses the humanist perspective to suggest that over time people can change their beliefs and values, in response to presenting stimuli, by applying analytical thinking in order to evaluate acquired experiences, which results in better understanding of semantics. This transformation of change has been consistent throughout history and therefore adaptability is crucial for the survival of our species. Using the pragmatic mode of rational we can infer that if these models are proven to be efficient they must be true.
Division of human interactions are categorized by indicatively shared distinctions present among group members. Processing of these communication styles allows for computing impact-related factors. Applying pragmatism to mental health practices has many advantages, as it helps to explain “what works” in terms of problem-solving predictability. Pragmatist theory allows me to evaluate the overall effectiveness of treatment methods. Psychotherapists can successfully apply pragmatic paradigms when researching the complexity of evolutionary psychopathology.
Theory into Practice
It would be encouraged to incorporate pragmatic evidence-based solutions, when formulating treatment plan goals with clients. It is my belief that there are great benefits of integrating this theoretical approach into clinical practices. Using these practical methods in therapy would help clients to successfully measure and indicate their progress towards accomplishing treatment plan goals. Implementing pragmatic ontology into the psychotherapeutic treatment modalities would help clients to identify and resolve dysfunctional patterns, which exist within their own lives. This pragmatic model appears useful in terms of understanding and predicting behavioral responses to the cyclical progression of life. The development of the process investigating the intertwined relatedness of the connection between the researcher and the subject of study is centered around finding applicable and identifiable patterns.
Social Advocacy
Pragmatists advocate for the informative understanding of social actions. A small part of the course of treatment most patients undergo in outpatient mental health clinics contains psychoeducational components. Clients’ goals are to acquire essential coping skills and knowledge necessary for the implementation of problem-solving strategies, which they have learned in psychotherapy sessions. Many clients use creative writing and drawing as forms of self-expression and empowerment. Through the process of exploration and self-reflection, patients gain greater ability to utilize existing resources and establish a strong support system. During treatment sessions therapists work on improving social skills in order to resolve dysfunctional behavioral patterns.
Pragmatic Epistemology
The epistemology of pragmatism helps me to examine the dynamics of people and objects and ways in which they relate to each other in the environment. Pragmatists utilize existing resources to ingeniously satisfy their needs. Combining theoretical concepts and evidence- based models into my work has enriched my professional knowledge and positively impacts my encounters with various challenging situations. Evaluating diverse aspects of pragmatism in the context of my cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy practice has allowed me to incorporate valuable interventions, while taking into account social contexts and cultural values. Using this theoretical standpoint is important for mental health practitioners, because it helps to guide their intervention strategies. In this paper we have discussed how models of pragmatism can be applied to various treatment scenarios to help enhance progress and foster healing.
References
Borden, W. (2013). Experiments in Adapting to Need: Pragmatism as Orienting Perspective in Clinical Social Work. Journal of Social Work Practice, 27(3), 259–271. doi:10.1080/02650533.2013.818942.
Cornish, F., & Gillespie, A. (2009). A Pragmatist Approach to the Problem of Knowledge in Health Psychology. Journal of Health Psychology, 14(6), 800–8010. doi:10.1177/1359105309338974.
Johnson, M. (2008). What Makes a Body?. Journal of Speculative Philosophy, 22(3), 159–169. Morgan, D. L. (2014). Pragmatism as a Paradigm for Social Research. Qualitative Inquiry, 20(8), 1045–1053.
Searle, J. R. (2004). Mind: A brief introduction. New York: Oxford University Press.
Omnia in numeris sita sunt.
(Everything lies veiled in numbers.)
