Ego is the identity that one thinks of him/her self to be. Another way to define ego is the part of a person's self that is able to recognize that person as being distinct from another person or thing. Ego most immediately controls thought and behavior, and is in touch with the external reality. Ego is responsible for certain attributes such as self esteem, self worth, self standards, attitude, and confidence. These are a few of the many roles that the ego plays a part of.

Ego has been examined for thousands of years by philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes. Philosophers believe that the mind and body are separate. They refer to this separation as dualism or duality. Dualism is a set of views about the relationship between mind and matter, which begins with the claim that mental phenomena are, in some respects, non physical. Interpreted, it means that we are not the physical body nor the thoughts that one has which are subject to change but the consciousness or awareness which is the essence of life itself inhabiting the body. Duality is the oldest of the world's faiths and its origins is dated between 10,000 - 7,000 BCE.

Psychologists have been studying the mental processes which include emotions, behavior, cognitive functions, and perception since the 1800's. Throughout the years, psychology has branched into a wide range of sub structural studies of the mind. A majority of these sub structural studies i.e. behavior, emotion, as many others has been acknowledged as an aspect of the individual's personality.

The greatest difference between the views of a psychologist and a philosopher is that psychologists believe that consciousness is created by the brain. The brain which is a thinking mechanism that controls thoughts, emotions, behavior, and cognitive function is who the individual is. As opposed to non-dualism philosophy which believes that consciousness is what we are which gives life to the brain by inhabiting the human body.

The brain is a tool which consciousness is able to operate through by manifesting itself through form. In religion, consciousness is often referred to as spirit.

By Accidx aka Mike M.

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