Titus Luis Vecino September 8, 2021

B28 GED101

Module 1 Paper

When the module started with the name of the course, Understanding the Self. I had two
things in mind First, this subject was going to be something very shallow, and everything that will
be thought is already something I know. Second, this course will be intense to a point where I will
not be able to understand anything. However, I am glad to say that the course was neither.
Although it was deep, I was able to understand the topics discussed in the course. Throughout
the course, I am glad to say that I have learned a lot.
For my end-course activity, I was instructed to make a drawing or an image of a
representation of myself based on how I understood the course so far. I was instructed to use
symbolisms or other shapes representing the different facts that influence me and describe and
explain the drawing I have done. The following paragraphs will provide the answers to the guide
questions provided to me.
My drawing is a drawing of a person with common geometric shapes. From what I have
learned, I realized that everything discussed was applicable in my life and that it affected me,
myself, and my identity. In the drawing, you will see that I drew a person with basic geometric
shapes like a circle for the head and the body, arms, and legs curved edged squares. And from
each part of the body, you will see that a factor that shapes me is written. The places where it is
also written are also intentional. In the head it the words self and nature are written. These words
are written on the head because, in the head, all the innate things are. At the start of the course,
the term self was defined against identity, the self was defined as the unsocialized self, and it is
who a person truly is. Another thing written in the head was the term nature, the term nature
was defined as a non-negotiable factor, and the traits that we get from our parents are part of
the nature factor in the self. These things are written in the head because I believe that these
things are innate, that no matter where I go to live or no matter what culture I am in, these things
will not change. Hence, it was innate within us. And that is why it is in the head.
In the body of the drawing, we can see that the words, Identity, Nurture. The course
identified identity as how people see and understand me and that this may change according to
the people I am with. On the other hand, Nurture is defined as someone’s social factor and the
context people need to have been the social life of the self. It is in the body but not in the head
or limbs because I believe that these things change. Unlike the nature of the self, people’s identity
and nurture can change. Moreover, when identity and nurture change, it can entirely change
someone. However, this is still something internal and cannot be changed easily. That is why it is
in the body rather than the limbs.
In the limbs, in the arms, environmental and social. While for the legs, the word person-
volition is written. First the arms, the arms write environment and society is written because, in
the course, these two factors of the self are what we always encounter every day and every part
of our life. Hence, it is on the arms because it symbolizes our actual arms and hands that we need
to encounter and interact with things every day. In the legs, the word person volition is written.
Person volition is written in the legs because person volition is defined in the course as someone’s
experience and that we are a product of our social experiences. The reason why it is in the legs
is that it symbolizes what the self has gone through. For us to move anywhere, we need our legs,
and our legs make us go through things, and in the same way, we are a product of our volition.
Hence, it is in the legs.
Philosophy is a subject that I have also taken an interest in. For me, the philosophical
views I have imbibed are Aristotle’s. This is because when it comes to philosophical views, I
cannot choose between rational and empiric. I believe that these two need to go together for me
to really be able to understand the self. In Aristotle’s view, he viewed the self by explaining how
we need both the mind and the body to know the self. He continues and mentions that the
essence gives meaning to matter and vice versa. For me, this means that without the mind, the
body will be nothing but a body, and without a body, the mind is nothing but a mind. Thus, both
are needed to understand the self because to understand the self is to understand ourselves
internally and externally and accept who we are.
The scientific view that has impacted me significantly is more of the social sciences than
the biological sciences. I see social sciences as more attractive than biological sciences. This is
because biological science only affects the primarily physical. After all, many of what we get for
our bodies are hereditary, which comes from our parents. In comparison, the social sciences can
affect us a lot, too. In different exciting ways as well. The social sciences part of the self is divided
into sections, namely, psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, and economics.
Moreover, sociology is what I have imbibed with more. This is because I take an interest in this
topic in social sciences. I also believe that a person's behavior around a different group of people
changes, and this affects their identity or how other people perceive and understand them.
In this module, I had many learnings, and at the start of the module, I learned that the
self and identity are two completely different things. I learned that the self is innate and who we
are, while identity is a perception that people have about me and may change depending on the
group of people I am around with. Another learning that I have regarding the course is the
numerous and various factors that affect the self. And knowing all these factors made me realize
how much I am affected by the things around me to turn into the person I am to become. Another
learning I have been the views that take place in being able to know the self. These are the
philosophical and scientific views in how I can understand myself. In this lesson, I was also able
to learn that the quest to know oneself has been around for quite a long time.
In this first module, I was able to learn a lot in the course. I believe that the module was
a bit quick in its time and was compressed. But now, knowing that this is Mapua, I expect it to be
more like this and that I am to adjust to this accordingly to keep up with the lessons and the
schoolwork that are given. The topic of the self is quite interesting to me, so I am excited to learn
more about the self, knowing that I am only scratching the surface about the topic.