Religion Past and Present

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Self
(2,419 words)

[German Version]

I. Philosophy

The term self (ἑαυτοῦ/heautoú; αὑτοῦ/hautoú) appears as a noun (“the self”) but more often in compounds such as self-consciousness, self-relation, self-assertion, self-actualization, self-determination, self-assurance, and self-realization. Its basic meaning has to do with autonomy: self is something that can be by itself and stand by virtue of itself alone. Greek philosophy already emphasized this meaning: what something is of itself (κα…

Cite this page
Wesche, Tilo, Huxel, Kirsten, Herms, Eilert and Ziemer, Jürgen, “Self”, in: Religion Past and Present. Consulted online on 29 March 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1877-5888_rpp_COM_024799>
First published online: 2011
First print edition: ISBN: 9789004146662, 2006-2013



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