83. Self-Hatred and the Distinctions of the Self

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

• The Problem of Self-Hatred: How to reconcile the natural law that each thing loves itself with instances where people appear to hate themselves
• Per Se vs. Per Accidens: The fundamental distinction needed to resolve the problem
• Simpliciter vs. Secundum Quid: Good in some respect versus good simply
• What Constitutes the True Self: The soul/reason vs. the body as the primary locus of personal identity
• The Fallacy of Equivocation: Mixing senses of words as a pervasive philosophical error
• Philosophical Distinctions as Tools: How proper distinctions prevent confusion and resolve apparent contradictions

Key Arguments #

Thomas’s Resolution #

• Per Se Love is Necessary: One cannot per se hate oneself because each thing naturally loves itself and desires the good
• Per Accidens Self-Hatred is Possible: However, one can hate oneself per accidens in two ways:
  1. By Willing Evil Under the Aspect of Good: One wishes evil to oneself under the notion that it is good in some way (e.g., suicide to escape misery or shame)
  2. By Misidentifying the True Self: One identifies primarily with the body rather than the soul, thus when willing what is contrary to reason, one hates what one truly is while loving what one merely thinks is oneself

The Nature of the True Self #

• Reason as Most Truly Man: Following Aristotle, Aquinas teaches that reason (intellect and will) is most of all man, not the body
• The Body as Transitory: The body is corruptible and transitory; the soul persists and is therefore more truly oneself
• Example from Sensory Life: While we are embodied in this world with senses, the body seems to be ourselves; people often identify primarily with their bodily nature

Two Mistakes in Self-Understanding #

1. Identifying with Bodily Passions Rather Than Reason: When one acts from anger or appetite against reason, one is not being true to oneself despite thinking one is
2. Mistaking What One Thinks Is Good for What Is Simply Good: One can desire what is good only in some respect (secundum quid) while avoiding what is simply good (simpliciter)

Important Definitions #

• Per Se (καθ’ αὑτό): By itself, intrinsically, essentially; what belongs to something as such
• Per Accidens (κατὰ συμβεβηκός): Incidentally, accidentally; what belongs to something not as such but through some contingent circumstance
• Simpliciter: Simply, absolutely, without qualification; good in itself
• Secundum Quid: In some respect, relatively, with qualification; good in a certain way but not simply
• Natural Love (amor naturalis): The inclination of each thing toward its own good according to its nature

Examples & Illustrations #

Shakespeare’s Richard III (Extensive Treatment) #

Berquist provides a detailed analysis of Richard III’s soliloquy after his nightmare:

• Richard dreams that all his murdered victims come to curse him
• Upon waking, he exclaims: “Richard loves Richard. That is I am I”
• Yet he also says: “I rather hate myself for hateful deeds committed by myself”
• The tension illustrates that Richard loves himself as existing (per se) but hates himself for his actions (per accidens)
• Richard’s conscience condemns him: “My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, and every tongue brings in a several tale, and every tale condemns me for a villain”
• He recognizes that nobody loves him because he hates himself: “There is no creature who loves me. And if I die, no soul shall pity me. Nay, wherefore should they, since I myself do not?”

The Poisoned Drink #

• A poison that smells and tastes good
• One desires it under the aspect of good (pleasant sensory qualities)
• Yet it is not simply good; it is good only in some respect (secundum quid)
• This exemplifies how one can will something bad under the guise that it appears good

Suicide and Misery #

• Those who take their own lives grasp the act of dying under the notion of something good
• Specifically, escape from misery, pain, dishonor, or the loss of dignity
• The act is bad simply, but appears good in some respect

The Movie Actress #

• Identifies primarily with her bodily beauty
• May choose abortion to preserve her figure or career
• In doing so, she hates what she truly is (her soul) while loving what she mistakenly thinks is herself (her body)

Coriolanus (Brief Reference) #

• A man extremely brave and courageous but prone to anger
• Tribunes try to manipulate him by arousing his anger
• When he says “I must be false to myself” to show humility, the question arises: is he being true to himself when true to his anger?
• This illustrates the confusion about what constitutes the true self

The Drinking Problem #

• A man recognizes he must stop drinking to save his life
• When tempted to drink, is he being true to himself by having a drink (following his passion) or by calling a buddy for support (following his reasoned choice)?
• The answer depends on whether one identifies the true self with passion or with reasoned choice

Questions Addressed #

Q: Can someone hate himself? A: Not per se, because each thing naturally loves itself and desires the good. But per accidens, one can hate himself in two ways: (1) by willing evil to himself under the aspect of good, or (2) by identifying himself with his bodily nature and thus hating what he truly is when he wills what is contrary to reason.

Q: What is the true self? A: The rational soul is most truly oneself, not the body. Though we experience ourselves through our bodies in this life, the body is the transitory part while the soul persists.

Q: How can one be “true to oneself” when there are conflicting desires? A: One is true to oneself when one follows reason and deliberate choice, not when one follows passion. Deliberate choices constitute the person more truly than momentary passions.

Q: How does the Psalmist mean that those who love iniquity hate their own souls? A: They love iniquity because it appears to them as good (in some respect), while they love their bodily desires. In doing so, they necessarily hate their own soul—what they truly are—since they act contrary to reason.

Philosophical Method Notes #

The Crucial Role of Distinctions #

Berquist emphasizes that three distinctions are “extremely important in philosophy” and “appear over and over again”:

1. Distinction of the Senses of a Word (equivocation)
2. Distinction of Per Se and Per Accidens
3. Distinction of Simpliciter and Secundum Quid

These correspond to the first three fallacies “outside of words” in Aristotle’s treatment of sophistical refutations.

Learning from Fallacies #

Berquist notes that understanding fallacies teaches the importance of these distinctions. To give the fallacy to someone is to make them aware of the importance of the distinction they’ve missed.

Application to Real Life Ethics #

These distinctions are not merely academic. They help explain why people act against their own good: they pursue what appears good in some respect (secundum quid) while avoiding what is simply good (simpliciter).