Chapter 3THE SELF OF MAN AND ITS DESTINY
I. Self and Physical BodyIN the previous chapter, we have briefly considered the
psychological account of the origin and development of human
personality or self. The terms are interchangeable in so far as they
refer to the unified and integrated essence of man, and it is
immaterial which one is employed. However, the term “self” will be
preferred whenever the reference is to the essence of man
conceived as an autonomous entity which, though it has developed
in a physical matrix, is yet capable of surviving it and continuing its
own independent existence. Our main concern, now, will be centred
on the nature and destiny of self.
Personality or self is no doubt centred in the physical organism.
But there are valid grounds for believing that it is not identical with
the body. That man is something more than his physical self, can
easily be seen from the fact that whereas his body is continually
changing, both in its inner structure as well as in its outward
appearance, his self remains unchanged. What, then, is his real self?
The answer is, the ego or “I” of whose real nature we know nothing
except in so far as it expresses itself in its behaviour or activities
which are mediated by the body. Biology tells us that the human
body is an organic structure, composed of millions of living cells
which are continually changing. The moment a cell passes out of
existence, it is replaced by a new one. In technical language, the
process of catabolism is counterbalanced by the process of
anabolism. Disintegration is quickly followed by reintegration. As a
result of this, new cells are being produced and taking the place of
older ones. Destruction and construction go side by side. The
human body is, therefore, continually changing into a new one, so
much so that it does not take more than three years, or seven as
some believe, to renew itself completely.
Now, if by “self” we mean the physical self, namely, the body
which undergoes a complete change after every period of three or