by Nini Neri
Last Thursday’s lecture was about the ‘capable self’ and creativity. As mechanical as those two words (‘capable self’) put together may sound, there is actually an abstract depth to them.
The self is capable because it can ‘do’. Not only is this self able to ‘do’, it is also able to choose what it does. It has the freedom of defining and executing what it is ‘to be’ according to what it intends; it has the freedom to cause an effect.
Although there are, in fact, no limits to these actions (let us not delve into the details of moral and ethical acts but leave them instead as they are)—there is still an essence which they measure and upon which they are made. This essence is creativity. And the medium of creativity is imagination.
The ‘capable self’ has creativity somewhere in its core (the capability of language, human action, etc.), that creativity develops in the person’s imagination then is manifested in his/her actions. The actions may not always be processed this way, but it still happens somehow—even when the person is unaware of it!
Creativity is a small revelation of the ‘abstract depth’ upon which the ‘capable self’ may be easily related to. This creativity—in essence—takes no definite form (that is, until it is manifested in action), thus fulfilling the ‘abstract’ aspect, yet it delves deep into the ‘abyss’ which is the human person. It is an ‘abyss’ because of the depth and mystery of that which is the self.
One can never truly define the self and one is always learning something new about the self which makes it seem like as life goes on, one is plunging deeper into the mystery of himself (that gives it an ‘abyss-like’ characteristic). The mystery of the self is never-ending.
The ‘capable self’ has an abstract depth; that of which is the mystery of the self. This mystery of the self can be only partially revealed by creativity that is manifested in human action, narrative, and language. Each time we do something, we manifest our creativity, which reveals a small part of who we are. Through this, we may continue to learn about ourselves even more.
Creativity helps us with uncovering (though in the most minimal of ways) the mystery of who we are. I mean, just as I was writing this blog post, I’ve come to think of a lot of things. As I proofread (to the best of my abilities at 4am), I got to reflect on what I wrote and see myself in a sort-of-new light. I’m not saying that this reflection is creative or anything, but since it came from somewhere inside me, it reveals a glimpse of what sort of ‘creativity’ I hold. It also reveals a part of who I am.
We will all come across these moments of hazy revelation at some points in our lives. But we will always have to keep delving, for it is a never-ending plunge as we fall deeper into the mystery of ourselves.
Reading this article makes me realize the true mystery of the human being, and the importance of experience to get to know the capable self. We need to constantly learn from our mistakes, and rise every time we fall.
ReplyDeleteI think a very important factor in doing Philosophy is having faith in yourself. We need to always have faith in our creativity and versatility as human beings. Bad experiences may happen but we must always know that we will be okay, and we must never lose faith in ourselves.
- Anika Leongson, C
I think that there will always be part of us that will always want to constantly recreate, redefine, refresh and say or do something new or different. Creativity is not always fabricated. It is, most of the time, based on a real experience. I see the importance of making an effort and taking initiative in engaging minds with ideas that promote creativity and innovation because there will always be a need for it.
ReplyDeleteKat Altomonte, C
People have always associated creativity with "going beyond" or "thinking outside of the box", but I think a more clever way of looking at creativity would be making the most out of whatever is in that "box". The limitations that we are bound with, as humans, have brought about various creative ideas that have helped ease our living today. As discussed in class, the infinite is IN the FINITE. Making the most out of things while we are bound with restrictions bring about the creativity and the infinite in us, human beings.
ReplyDeleteYnna Roldan, C
I like how you said how reflection is creative and how it reveals a part of who we are. This reminds me once again of Marcel's broken world. I think the world is becoming/ has been essentially broken because people have been forgetting to reflect and be creative. Without reflecting they don't know who they are, and if a person does not know who they are, I believe they will also have a hard time knowing others. Because of this the world is broken. People can't identify themselves and others. They treat each other as agents or simple gears in an elaborate machine, the world. This is why in Philosophy we always need to reflect and be creative.
ReplyDeleteI also think creativity reveals a part of us. I think creativity is how we choose to live life and how we do things and through creativity, we experience so much more about life, at the same time, we learn more about ourselves.
ReplyDeleteDiane Cheng (C)
"One can never truly define the self and one is always learning something new about the self which makes it seem like as life goes on, one is plunging deeper into the mystery of himself (that gives it an ‘abyss-like’ characteristic). The mystery of the self is never-ending"
ReplyDeleteThis pretty much states that humans can never really be judged by anyone unless he is done with his purpose in his life. As we are alive, we are not the totality of our being yet for we are still in progress of fulfilling that.
Mar Tan (C)
As human beings, we are all inherently creative, albeit in different ways. Some people are creative with numbers, some with the arts, and so on. This creativity exists as a gift, and as a gift, we only ought to share it with others. We have so many capacities as human beings, and we are made into this world as Dasein: being-with-others. We therefore ought to make this world a better place by sharing this creativity, which is an essential part of our being human.
ReplyDeleteMiguel Co (A)
I really like what you said that "But we will always have to keep delving, for it is a never-ending plunge as we fall deeper into the mystery of ourselves." As we dig deeper in ourselves we find the purest form of personal experience. As we live in this world, we indeed need to be creative, to imagine the unimaginable, because it is in this way that we are able to open ourselves to different truths, possibilities, and realities. Without this creativity in us, we will indeed remain broken as we no longer see the beauty that is in life. To have this imagination and creativity precisely allows us to experience the world, ourselves, and others in a different light, it allows us to appreciate more the beauty that is to life.
ReplyDeleteFrenchi Baluyot (A)
I completely agree with your points. I think the very reason of our existence is to be able to fully manifest our capable selves-- infinitely. And yes, this is done by thriving in the line of creativity. Creativity is a gift. It is a way of life where we should all venture upon. Without it, the world will be filled with monotony. On the other hand, with it, the world will be filled with color. Indeed, the essence of the capable self is to be able to utilize our creativity to the highest degree. A life embracing this essence of creativity is said to be (in my opinion)-- is a life well lived. It is a life filled with victory, of vigor, of radiance and of light. Hence, the failure to invest/ to thrive/ to go in depth in our own given creativity is life wasted.
ReplyDeleteWasted, because we just lost the beauty and essence of what life offers us. Wasted, because it then turns our world to a broken world, as Marcel puts it-- where the side of monotony, lost of self, lost of community, lost of imagination-- exist.
Denise Tan (A)
"We will all come across these moments of hazy revelation at some points in our lives. But we will always have to keep delving, for it is a never-ending plunge as we fall deeper into the mystery of ourselves."
ReplyDeleteI agree that many times in our lives we find ourselves at that hazy point wherein so many questions are running inside our head. So many goals, deadlines, etc that we forget what truly matters to us and that is why i feel that amidst this delving, it is important that we listen. Sometimes we delve too deep that we fail to hear what the world is trying to tell us and see the beauty of what is lying in front of us. We need to stop and listen to ourselves- to that little voice that reminds us of what truly matters amidst all the haziness we may encounter in life.
Yzabelle Siy (A)