care of the self

The name of the ethical principle that leads people to cultivate themselves, that is to work to improve themselves. "This 'cultivation of the self' can be briefly characterized by the fact that one must 'take care of oneself.' It is this principle of the care of the self that establishes its necessity, presides over its development, and organizes its practice.(Foucault, Care of the Self, p.43) In ancient times this was often understood to involve a "cultivation of the soul" (Foucault, Care of the Self, p.45.) In earlier times this was a matter of self-mastery, but over the course of history it became more a matter of learning to shape one's own inner character (Foucault, Care of the Self, p.67)