Understanding Self-understanding A Sense of Self     The study of the derivation of words provides fascinating insights into the affairs and times of bygone generations. Have you considered the derivation of your own name? Many words that are in popular usage today have lost their original connotation, for instance, a "gymnasium" is no longer a place where nude athletes congregate. Another word that leads us into the topic of this chapter is selfish. The word that is now used to describe one who is meanspirited or an unfair act could have been used in the medieval marketplace to describe the custom of fishmongers [who . . . !] More likely, it reflects the perturbation of a culture trying to come to terms with an amorphous concept. "Ish" generally means "an approximation of" in general usage, as in "brownish" or "softish." Because the concept of self is so difficult to define in a clear and acceptable manner, former generations may well have coined the term self "ish" to give them some leeway. To broach the tricky topic of understanding self, here is an exercise designed to help you assess where you are now, which we can call your Self "ish" Self-Study:
Exercise 1: Place yourself on the spectrum between each of the paired statements below by circling the number that identifies your philosophic position:
1. You are body, mind, soul 1 2 3 4 5 You cannot be divided into discrete parts
2. Education is for the life of the mind 1 2 3 4 5 Education is for the whole being
3. PE is for a sound mind in a healthy body 1 2 3 4 5 PE is for well being
4. You have a body 1 2 3 4 5 You are a body
5. Basketball free throw shooting is largely mental 1 2 3 4 5 is concentrated effort
Discussion: To the extent that language is descriptive, you have displayed the degree of dualism with which you regard your self. If your score is low [5-10], you tend to view your body and mind as separate and distinct entities. A high score [20-25] signifies that you see your self as a unified whole. As we will see later in this chapter, perspectives on this topic vary widely, but there is unanimity that the way you see yourself will affect the way you interact with your world. Now, as you proceed along your philosophic journey, you will pass from the realm of metaphysical speculation, where you have been conducting an ontological examination of the nature of being, to an epistemological consideration of how we know. Understanding understanding    Understanding entails gathering and integrating information through the processes of experience and reflection. Information gathering takes place constantly through our senses. In everything you do, you are aware of the sights, sounds, smells, taste and feel of your surroundings. As you move, your kinesthetic sense organs provide further sensory input. Through these senses you learn to understand your world. Try the following experiment to verify how important your senses are to your comprehension and competence.
Exercise 2: Deprive yourself systematically of your sight, hearing, and touch as you conduct a series of everyday activities, for example taking a nature walk, playing a game of your choice and preparing a meal. Work with a partner as you use sensory deprivation techniques, such as wearing blindfolds, earplugs and thick latex gloves.
Discussion: Through these exercises, you will become aware of your dependence on your senses, most notably sight, and of the challenges that are faced on a daily basis by the blind and the deaf. Empirical data gathering is not only the basis of what you know personally, it is also the basis of what we know as a culture through scientific research. The experimental method is founded on the acquisition and manipulation of observed data. Even though this information enters your consciousness, it must be assimilated into your world view before it can be considered to be your understanding. What you know to be your perception and what you understand to be your reality might be quite different. A purpose and function of the philosophic process is to help you make personally acceptable sense of what may otherwise be a random and disconnected collection of observations. This integration process takes the form of disciplined thinking.
Exercise 3: To help you to cultivate your reasoning powers, try this partner exercise: - select a research conclusion in our field, concerning such topics as the benefits or dangers of exercise, obesity or alcohol use, and subject it to scorn. Specifically, try to find weaknesses in the experimental design and false premises on which conclusions were founded.
Discussion: As you become more proficient at establishing the legitimacy of truth claims, you are taking an important first step on the path to understanding by developing healthy scepticism.
Exercise 4: Take a frequently used conclusion from your interest area [for example, sports build character], identify the key words and carefully define them. Turn to your partner and compare definitions to see what other ways there are of understanding words and concepts. Distinguish common ground with your partner so that you may rework your definitions to be mutually agreeable.
Discussion: In this stage of the exercise, you have been developing definitional dexterity.
Exercise 5: Pick an issue that is hot today, for example whether affirmative action is desirable in college sports. Examine it, not from the perspective of the answer, but by asking what fundamental questions does it raise? As you do so, try to distinguish the central problem from the various side issues.
Discussion: You are now engaging in a form of philosophic exercise as a means of pursuing truth and understanding that dates back through the centuries to the original Socratic dialogues: clarification through questioning ever deeper and deeper.
Exercise 6: Play "Sherlock" with an issue, such as how to construct the perfect diet. Identify the various components of the puzzle, then construct the perfect solution by pulling all the parts of the problem together.
Discussion: The logical process you have just engaged in is inductive reasoning.
Exercise 7: Take a concept like sport and extract it's particular characteristics.
Discussion: This is a process of deduction, in which you have moved from the general concept to the specific components. These forms of reasoning are the building blocks to clearer understanding. They are also a means by which you can develop greater self-understanding in repose and in recreation. Learning and understandings do not just transpire in the classroom, or through bookish study. They take place in every walk of life. Generally speaking, the more you are engaged in, and by, an experience, the more likely it is to stimulate meaningful learning. Think of your own biography. Have your movement experiences been memorable, even inspirational, on occasions? If so, it is likely that they have contributed in profound ways to your self-understanding.