Self-Knowledge

Abstract

It is not clear that art ever offers anything like knowledge. But if it does, then one should perhaps look to the self-portrait. The self-portrait is an image of an individual created by that individual, in modern times with the aid of a mirror or a camera. Self-scrutiny in a mirror, and the effort to fix the mirror image in paint or chalk, may bring understanding about the self and its social entanglement in poses and expressions. Even study of a self-portrait produced with little effort, for example, with a camera held at arm's length, may yield insights into aspects of character and personality masked by social performance. The possibilities and the limits of selfknowledge through self-portraiture are discussed with reference to an etched self-portrait by Rembrandt and to its democratic descendant, the "selfie."

Kurds – “External” and “internal” in Syria, Khaibun’s Organization and “Arab Security Belt” (Security Belt Forces)

“…On the one hand, in Western philosophy many philosophers and psychologists have advanced conceptions of the self, such as René Descartes, John Locke, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Johann Fichte, Georg Hegel, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, William James, Karen Horny, Erich Fromm, Burrhus Skinner and other (Bachvarov, Draganov & Stoev, 1978;Mosig, 2006;Zhu & Han, 2008). In a closer temporal perspective, Daniel Dennett conceived of the self as a homunculus, Patricia Churchland in the light of eliminative materialism denies the existence of the self, whereas Charles Taylor, Marya Chechtmann and Hilde Nelson introduced the narrative theory of self and personal identity (see Sturm, 2007;Renz, 2017;Berčić, 2017;Dimkov, 2019a). On the other hand, in Eastern philosophy, the most well-known conceptions of the self are represented by the views of Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Hinduism (Ho, 1995;Mosig, 2006).…”

The late antique history of psychology: The test case of introspection.

“…systematic collection 3.1). On the relationship between self-knowledge and divine knowledge, seeBurton-Christie (1993, p. 108), Bitton-Ashkelony (2011, p. 292), and McGinn (1999.23 On the ancient history of the notion of self-knowledge, seeCourcelle (1975) andRenz (2017).24 Origen posited a two-stage creation, the first of which involved the creation of rational beings, pure intellects (logikoi) who were originally immersed in contemplation. Eventually, however, they experienced satiety (κόρος, satietas) in the vision of God.…”