The Question of “Who Am I?”

The starting point of epistemology and ontology is the relationship between the object and the subject. First, epistemology concerns how I acquire knowledge by observing an object and how I convey that knowledge to others. In English, this is expressed as “How we know what we know.” Therefore, if our understanding of an object is based on our experience, it is empiricism; if it is based on reason, it is idealism.

Furthermore, ontology concerns what the object of my cognition is (the study of being) and what is being studied. If one studies infinite, transcendent, and universal objects, it becomes metaphysics; if one studies finite, empirically testable, and concrete objects, it becomes positivism. The lineage of metaphysics extends from Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, and Hegel, while positivism begins with Comte.

Religion and philosophy are based on metaphysics and idealism. According to metaphysics, all things are divided into the infinite and the finite, and human beings—as finite beings (subject to change and motion)—seek to understand the infinite (unchanging and immovable). The questions are: What is the infinite? And how can we know it? Even if we accumulate finite entities to bring them closer to the infinite, they cannot become the infinite. By exploring the Infinite, one gains insight into what it means to be a finite being—humanity—in relation to the Infinite.

In contrast, university theses (not only in the natural sciences but also in the social sciences, politics, education, and nearly every field) focus on finite objects, and their epistemology is grounded in positivist philosophy—a tradition initiated by Comte—which holds that objects must be observable, experiential, and provable. Most of my academic papers are grounded in Ontology (Realism) and Epistemology (Post-positivism).

I wanted to write my essays grounded not only in positivist research but also in idealism and metaphysics. As in the famous quote by Descartes, the philosopher who has most influenced my thinking, “I think, therefore I am.” Unlike in existentialism, where one thinks because one exists, the reason for my existence is thought itself. When I cannot think, I do not exist; even if I have a physical body, there is no reason for my existence.

Therefore, “Cogito” is a necessary condition for my existence, and my existence is only assured as long as I am conscious of my own mind. Furthermore, my self-awareness begins the moment I can think. Ultimately, it is only when I myself become the object of my own thought that I can discover who I am.

This is because, for me, discovering who I am—my true self—is the greatest challenge that I must overcome.

12/31/2019 by Dr. Lan Joo