Self-love and self-deception in Seneca, the Stoic

Download

index.pdf

Date

2005

Author

Sururi, Ayten

Metadata

Show full item record

Item Usage Stats

231
views

1006
downloads

In this thesis, Seneca̕s notion of self as self-love and the problem of self-deception are analyzed. In examining three types of self-love, اignorant, progressing selves,اthree models of self-deception are discussed. Self-deception is related to the problem of self-knowledge. I discuss the nature of self-love as self-esteem and self-preservation and self-shaping all of which are innate qualities and develop into more complex forms of knowing. Passions are concrete examples of the representations of deceived self; central to the overestimation of indifferents, the deceived self displays a pattern of reasoning that creates a paradox between what the self intends to do and what it actually appears or what the self wants to see himself as and what it actually is. In discussing various types of self-deception, it is argued that problem of deception can hardly be overcome practically even by education, although it is naturally possible. While the ignorant deceive themselves beyond their recognition, in the case of the educated selves, the tension between the knowledge of ignorance and the desire to be the person play an important role in self-deception. No one except the sage is free from self-deception. The thesis deals with the issue of self-knowing as a scarce possibility.

Subject Keywords

Philosophy.

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/2/12605937/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/15009

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis

Suggestions

OpenMETU
Core

The growing desert: nihilism and metaphysics in Martin Heidegger's thought Duman, Musa; İnam, Ahmet; Department of Philosophy (2009) In this study, we explore Heidegger’s understanding of nihilism as the essential dimension of metaphysics, of metaphysical experience of Being, and in the following, we address his responses to it. Heidegger takes nihilism as rooted in the metaphysical way of thinking, hence metaphysics and nihilism standing in a primordial identity. Such metaphysical way of thinking as a framework in which Being is experinced and articulated, explicitly or implicitly in all areas of Western culture, from art to science, gi...
Dualities in bergson revisited: towards a reconciliation? Karahan, Gülizar; Çırakman, Elif; Department of Philosophy (2008) The aim of this study is to make an inquiry on the nature and the development of dualities in Bergson’s philosophy. Since the nature of each duality differs from the others and the dualistic pattern inherent in Bergsonian philosophy is subject to change, we base our study on a chronological structure in order to comprehend better how this pattern changes. We claim that such an inquiry will yield relevant outcomes with regard to ontological and epistemological evolution of Bergson’s thought. To state more pr...
A discussion on how to formulate the question of contingency in Leibniz's system: a logical approach Besler, Arman; Grünberg, David; Department of Philosophy (2008) The main objective of this study is to shed light on some difficulties involved in the formulation of the problem of contingency in Leibniz’s philosophical system. Leibniz’s mature philosophy is characterized by the solutions he proposes for this problem, and the ontological ideas underlying or assisting them. ‘The problem of contingency’ refers to the tension between his conceptual containment theory of truth and his claim that true existential propositions that is, propositions which concern actual indiv...
PHILOSOPHY AS ART IN ARISTOTLE'SPROTREPTICUS Güremen, Refik (Wiley, 2020-07-01) Observing certain affinities with Plato'sAlcibiades I, this paper argues that a distinction betweencare(epimeleia) of the soul and philosophy as its art (techne) is reflected in Aristotle'sProtrepticus. On the basis of this distinction, it claims that two notions of philosophy can be distinguished in theProtrepticus: philosophy asepistemeand philosophy astechne. The former has the function of contemplating the truth of nature, and Aristotle praises it as the natural telos of human beings; whereas philosophy...
Irony as a philosophical attitude in socrates Korkut, Hacer; İnam, Ahmet; Department of Philosophy (2007) This thesis analyzes the reasons for Socrates' being presented as a paradoxical figure in the early dialogues of Plato. Irony as a fundamental philosophical attitude in Socratic philosophy is discussed with reference to some of the major philosophers of the history of philosophy. The thesis also suggests the possibility of seeing philosophy as an ironic activity and it traces the etymology of the concept of irony in terms of its philosophical importance.

Citation Formats

A. Sururi, “Self-love and self-deception in Seneca, the Stoic,” Ph.D. - Doctoral Program, Middle East Technical University, 2005.