Know Thyself – The Value and Limits of Self-Knowledge: The Examined Life

Description

Based on legend, inscribed on partitions of the temple on the sacred web site of Delphi in Historical Greece have been two premier injunctions: NOTHING IN EXCESS, and KNOW THYSELF. This course shall be an examination of the latter injunction in an effort to find what self-information is, why it is perhaps useful, and what, if any, limitations it would face. What’s lacking from an individual missing in self-information that makes her much less sensible, virtuous, or competent in sure areas than others who’ve this capability, and what if something may she do to fill that hole? Historic sources in addition to latest analysis in philosophy, experimental social psychology, and neuroscience will inform our investigation, within the course of which we’ll change into college students of our personal desires, and domesticate some meditative practices.

Studying Outcomes:
Learners will acquire familiarity with outstanding themes from Western, classical Chinese language, and Buddhist approaches to our information of ourselves. Within the course of doing so, they may acquire an appreciation of the relation of self-information to knowledge, of the worth of mental humility, in addition to of strategies of studying about oneself that don’t depend upon introspection.