Introspection, Self-Analysis & Knowing Oneself – How possible & valuable is it?

Definitions:
· Introspection -The examination or observation of one's own mental and emotional processes
· Self-analysis - the analysis of oneself, particular one's motives and character
· (One)self - A person's essential being that distinguishes them from others, especially considered as the object of introspection or reflexive action

Knowing yourself, or self-awareness, is the ability to understand your own thoughts, feelings, and motivations. It involves recognizing your strengths, weaknesses, values, and how you react to different situations. It is said, this understanding is crucial for personal growth, decision-making, and building healthy relationships. We may want to discuss this.

It is generally considered positive to know oneself, but is this indeed always the case? There are also a number of assumptions which arise from this notion, of which one is that the “Self” is a stabile unity which can be researched and understood. However, this implies that this system, the self, can understand itself. We may want to ask, is this an impossible tautology?

There are many difficulties for the individuum to understand and learn about them-self. Many are rooted in the limitations of our cognitive and metacognitive skills (the ability to think about your thoughts and emotions), others are related to our emotions which are challenged in situations of criticism. Humans are masters of avoidance and self-deceit, either to avoid stress and despair or to fit in with a peer group which does not accept a true persona.

A Few Hurdles
Some psychological difficulties are explained in the theories of Cognitive Dissonance and Attribution Error. The first deals with the consequences of having conflicting thoughts, beliefs or attitudes relating to behavioural decisions and attitude change. Accordingly, we adopt a suitable narrative to align thoughts and convictions with actions, to achieve cognitive and emotional rest.

Attribution Error describes the tendency to subscribe causality to events, which are in fact unrelated. The moment we have found a suitable attribution, we stop searching for others; again, with the result of cognitive rest.

There are many more fallacies and cognitive biases of the human mind, which make it hard to reflect truly on one’s actions and convictions. (see Daniel Kahneman – Noise 2021).

Societal expectations and norms can shape our self-perception and identity. Our tendency to subscribe to an ideology, as one of many examples, will interfere with our self. We become what we expect us to be according to the chosen ideology and we express this by upholding beliefs which are part of an ideological package, but not necessarily arisen from our own experience or logic. With this in mind, we may want to discuss how we can ever reach a true reflection of ourselves.

Some Philosophies
Socrates' "Know Thyself":
This ancient Greek maxim highlights the importance of self-reflection as the foundation of wisdom. Socrates believed that true wisdom begins with understanding one's own ignorance and limitations.

Eastern Philosophies:
Eastern philosophies, such as Buddhism, offer perspectives on the self that emphasize impermanence and the interconnectedness of all things, challenging the notion of a fixed, independent self.

Nietzsche was highly critical of the value of introspection as a mean to understanding oneself. Nietzsche saw introspection as a valuable tool for self-discovery, but one that must be used cautiously and critically. Nietzsche believed that introspection can be prone to self-deception, as individuals may project their desires and biases onto their self-analysis, leading to a distorted view of themselves. He believed that true self-knowledge requires a combination of introspection, external observation, and a willingness to challenge and overcome oneself.

Schopenhauer viewed introspection as a crucial pathway to understanding the self and the world. He believed that through introspective examination of one's own will, one could grasp the fundamental nature of reality, which he identified with the "Will to Live". This introspective knowledge, according to Schopenhauer, is distinct from knowledge gained through external perception and is the key to understanding both individual consciousness and the universal driving force of existence.

Summary:
The promises of introspection are great and many. Philosophy lives of it. However, there are many hurdles to achieve a true image of oneself and the question remains, is there such a thing, a true self and how can we find it? Let’s discuss!