Self in Historical Context (Part Two), The
Continuing his discussion of the self in historical context, philosopher Charles Taylor talks about the progression of ideas about the self from Descartes through John Locke. It was from Locke that what Professor Taylor calls the "punctual self" tha...
Significant Others
Philosopher Charles Taylor talks about George Herbert Mead and the distinction he made between the "I" and the "me." The fundamental idea here is that we don't discover who we are simply from the inside. Rather, we discover who we are by how we're r...
Reductive Theories of the Self
Philosopher Charles Taylor discusses his ideas about what he calls "reductive theories of human beings." Professor Taylor explains that, by reductive, he means simplifying explanations and ideas that normally require "rich language" and substituting...
Recognition in the Formation of Self
Philosopher Charles Taylor talks about ways in which one's identity is worked out with other people. He discusses the paramount importance of recognition, by which he means acceptance for what you are by people that really matter. An example in chil...
Self in Historical Context (Part Three), The
Philosopher Charles Taylor continues his discussion of the self, tracing the evolution of the concept over time. Professor Taylor talks about the modern perspective of the self, which he describes as being two kinds of internal, self-examination tha...
Ancient Views of the Self
Philosopher Martha Nussbaum talks about the split among the ancient Greeks between those, like Aristotle, who thought the body was an essential part of the self, and those like Plato, who believed that the body was merely "...a prison house for the ...
Locke and the Self
Philosopher Ian Hacking talks about John Locke's idea that the self--or the person one is--depends on what one remembers. Professor Hacking looks at the implications of this idea on jurisprudence, citing a Canadian example of two individuals who bas...
Cultural Identity
Philosopher Charles Taylor talks about the role that social and cultural groups play in the formation of one's identity.
Self in Historical Context (Part One), The
Philosopher Charles Taylor talks about the ways in which the concept of "the self" has changed over time. He begins by talking about Plato and then moves through other major philosophers, including Augustine and Descartes, pointing out that there ha...
Minority Rights, Cultural Survival and the Self
Philosopher Charles Taylor talks about the devastating impact on personal identity when reference points like language, traditions and other elements of culture are destroyed.