Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Person- University of San Jose-Recoletos

Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Person- University of San Jose-Recoletos

The inquiry into man and his dimension as a person as an existent being
in the world :
 Dignity
 Truth
 Freedom
 Justice
 Death
 Relation with others and with God
A branch of philosophy which focuses on the nature of man

SOCRATES
“THE UNEXAMINED LIFE IS NOT WORTH LIVING”

________________________
Socrates is known for the art
of questioning – Socratic
Method or Elenchus which is
way of eliciting the truth by
question and answer.
________________________

______________________________________
According to Socrates the hard questions we
throw unto ourselves are not meant to confuse
us; but they must be welcomed as healthy ways
of connecting with the complex reality of our
world.
_____________________________________
 Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Person- University of San Jose-Recoletos

_________________________________
For Socrates, true learning is not a blind
obedience to the teacher. True learning is
always dialogical.
Thus, this needs a healthy communication
between the two parties.
_________________________________

________________________________________
For Socrates, the only true knowing is called “docta
ignorantia”
 This means, “It is to know that you do
not know, and now that you know that
you do not know, you are now willing to
truly know.
________________________________________
 Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Person- University of San Jose-Recoletos

_________________________
Wisdom leads us to a life of real
virtue and in the end, to a life of real
happiness or eudaimonia
_________________________

__________________________________
Philosophy is the eternal quest for the truth.
True knowledge must lead to a real virtue
called “arête” or the virtue of perfection.
ARISTOTLE Wisdom, in this regard is moral wisdom, not
“ALL MEN BY NATURE just intellectual wisdom.
DESIRE TO KNOW”
_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________
 Some things in this world are
superficial.
 These are seeming realities
which (Fr. Moga) called as a
“swirl of distractions”.
 Thus, there is a necessity of
clarifying the meaning of
things in our life thru the act of
philosophizing.
_____________________________
 Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Person- University of San Jose-Recoletos

____________________________________
Thru an act of philosophizing an individual is
able to engage in analysis and
interpretation of concepts, definitions,
arguments and problems.
 Thus, one is able to acquire
and create an insight.
____________________________________

________________________________
It is a kind of seeing with the mind with
the goal of realizing the meaning of
something.
 It emerges when we are thrown
into a situation.
_______________________________
____________________________________
Point of view is a way or a method how one sees
or perceives the reality or a phenomenon.
Moreover, it is the angle of considering things,
which shows us the opinion or feelings of the
individuals involved in a situation.
____________________________________
Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Person- University of San Jose-Recoletos

________________________
A partial point of view is a
perspective based on one of the
component of a whole.
________________________
 Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Person- University of San Jose-Recoletos

__________________________________________
Holism comes from the Greek word “holos” which
literally means all, entire, totality. A school of thought
that maintains the interdependence of factors to
another agencies of causalities.
 Hence, a holistic perspective broadens
the understanding of reality by taking
considerations of other possible causal
agents or factors that may contribute in
understanding a certain phenomenon.
__________________________________________
Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Person- University of San Jose-Recoletos
Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Person- University of San Jose-Recoletos
Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Person- University of San Jose-Recoletos

Passage of Philosophy

In the affairs of daily life, we cannot separate ourselves from an experience of battling with questions about
morality like what makes our actions right or wrong and its parameters. Such connectedness of the self to the
experience often lead to several misconceptions like Philosophy as an incomprehensible subject of inquiry or
simply a quotation of one’s view of life. One way of understanding it is to look at its etymological definition from
the two Greek words “philo” and “sophia” which means the desire to possess the object of truth and practical
application of the knowledge of the truth. For Socrates however, it is not enough that one claims to be wise in
something he knows to be true but must be ready to provide justifications and counterarguments in matters of
clarifications of the fact in question. As for Plato, this question and answer approach makes the inquiry of
Philosophy conversational though not necessarily interpersonal and a matter of persuasion. An inquisitive mind
is primordial in the study of Philosophy as it is the lifelong quest for truth due to our learned ignorance or
limitations of knowledge. In addition, Aristotle claimed that our eternal desire to know is to develop a virtue that
is functional in both means and ends learned through social interactions and life experiences. Such desire must
lead us to ultimate goodness, characterized by a life well-lived. This means doing well in our capacity to be good
fortified by practice and perfected by excellence as a virtue. In fact, to say that one has a philosophy in life
means an understanding of one’s view not just of the self but of human beings’ existence and all their
undertakings. It is about discovering the human person in its totality and essence, thus putting premium in the
study of the human person transcends knowing but of doing. In the end, true knowledge prevents one from self-
contradiction.

As Philosophy is not just a mere studying but of doing, thus, to philosophize is an act of doing philosophy. To
philosophize, therefore is to continue the quest and living the truth as truth is the ultimate object of knowledge.
Questions related to truth and knowledge presents solutions to the reasons and causes of the critical problems
of our existence. In seeking for truth, it requires questions to be answered and answers to these questions
necessitate the science of reasons and art of correct thinking or the ultimate whys of beings. These answers