Self-Knowledge and the Self

Jopling does an admirable job of tackling the philosophy (and, to a certain extent, the psychology) of self-knowledge. The book's introduction lays out the general scope of his arguments and background, both of which are quite diverse. Jopling draws on many sources of inspiration but mainly focuses on some of the more recent works in this area. More telling is the section in the Introduction titled "Four Philosophical Psychologies" - finally, a philosopher similar to Faber ("Objectivity and Human Perception: Revisions and Crossroads in Psychoanalysis and Philosophy") who is unafraid to confront the nexus of thought and being. He first looks at different approaches to the self and how the different modes of self-inquiry lead to some problems. Then he leads into a discussion on self-detachment and self-knowledge including transparency and reflective detachment borrowed from Hampshire's work. Jopling includes some excellent references to psychology while also developing the philosophical overview. Jopling then moves to the grittier questions of being versus identity. His discussion of Sartre's work, particularly the contrast with previous philosophers is very informative and interesting. Then Jopling moves to the post-modern view epitomized by Rorty. The problems associated with the infinite spiral of narratives is laid bare. Jopling's final chapter focuses on dialogic self-knowing. Interestingly enough, Jopling uses Margaret Laurence's "The Stone Angel" to draw in the threads of self-knowledge theory and psychology. I enjoyed the use of literature to illustrate the fact that self-knowledge "takes the form of injunction, attestation, and avowal". An excellent companion to Faber's work.

In this clear and reasoned discussion of self- knowledge and the self, the author asks whether it is really possible to know ourselves as we really are. He illuminates issues about the nature of self-identity which are of fundamental importance in moral psychology, epistemology and literary criticism.
Jopling focuses on the accounts of Stuart Hampshire, Jean-Paul Sartre and Richard Rorty, and dialogical philosophical psychology and illustrates his argument with examples from literature, drama and psychology.

Annotation In this clear and reasoned discussion of self- knowledge and the self, the author asks whether it is really possible to know ourselves as we really are. He illuminates issues about the nature of self-identity which are of fundamental importance in moral psychology, epistemology and literary criticism. Jopling focuses on the accounts of Stuart Hampshire, Jean-Paul Sartre and Richard Rorty, and dialogical philosophical psychology and illustrates his argument with examples from literature, drama and psychology Can we ever really answer the question, "who am I"? In this remarkably clear, fresh and persuasive treatment of a long-standing philosophical question, Jopling argues that we can acquire self-knowledge, but that our attempts to know ourselves shape and alter the very self that is their object; that is, the self we come to know is dependent on how it is known. Self-knowledge is a dynamic and self-transformative process which is only possible in interaction with others. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 13 INTRODUCTION......Page 14 APPROACHES TO THE SELF......Page 44 SELF-DETACHMENT AND SELF-KNOWLEDGE......Page 72 A MYSTERY IN BROAD DAYLIGHT......Page 94 ~THE MAN WITHOUT QUALITIES~: IRONY, CONTINGENCY, AND THE LIGHTNESS OF BEING......Page 122 DIALOGIC SELF-KNOWING......Page 148 NOTES......Page 180 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 194 INDEX......Page 202 Philosophy Book Cover 1 Title 4 Contents 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 13 INTRODUCTION 14 APPROACHES TO THE SELF 44 SELF-DETACHMENT AND SELF-KNOWLEDGE 72 A MYSTERY IN BROAD DAYLIGHT 94 ~THE MAN WITHOUT QUALITIES~: IRONY, CONTINGENCY, AND THE LIGHTNESS OF BEING 122 DIALOGIC SELF-KNOWING 148 NOTES 180 BIBLIOGRAPHY 194 INDEX 202 Self-knowledge has been characterized as an achievement and not as a given.