NATURE OF PHILOSOPHY

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
 PHILOSOPHY is the academic study of everything. Studies that have strong empirical
elements came to be considered SCIENCE that search for answers.
 Came to be understood as a way of thinking about questions.
 A way of thinking about the world, the universe, and society. It works by asking
very basic questions about the nature of human thought, the nature of the universe, and
the connections between them.
 In Etymological definition it is Love of Wisdom.
 From the Greek word, PHILIA – LOVE and SOPHIA – WISDOM

What is the study of philosophy?

Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental questions about existence, knowledge,
values, reason, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or
resolved.
Philosophy is a way of thinking about the world, the universe, and society. It works by asking
very basic questions about the nature of human thought, the nature of the universe, and the
connections between them. The ideas in philosophy are often general and abstract.
Uses tools of logic and reason to analyze the ways in which humans experience the world.
It teaches critical thinking, close reading, clear writing, and logical analysis; it uses these to
understand the language we use to describe the world, and our place within it.

NATURE OF PHILOSOPHY
NATURE- can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The
study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are part of nature,
human activity is often understood as a separate category from other natural phenomena.

Natural Philosophy or Philosophy of Nature was the philosophical study of nature and the
physical universe that was dominant before the development of modern science.
NATURAL PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE
Science is concerned with natural phenomena
Philosophy attempts to understand the nature of man, existence, and the relationship that
exists between the two concepts.
Why is it important to know the nature of philosophy?
All human beings orient their lives around ideas about what reality is like, that they believe
explain their experiences, and ideas about what reality and human beings should be like, that
they use to guide their behavior.
Philosophy uses the tools of logic and reason to analyze the ways in which humans experience
the world. It teaches critical thinking, close reading, clear writing, and logical analysis; it uses
these to understand the language we use to describe the world, and our place within it.
PHILOSOPHY is a study that seeks to understand the mysteries of existence and reality. It
tries to discover the nature of truth and knowledge and to find what is of basic value
and importance in life. It also examines the relationships between humanity and nature and
between the individual and society.
WHAT IS ETHICS?
Ethics, also called moral philosophy, the discipline concerned with what is morally good and
bad and morally right and wrong. The term is also applied to any system or theory
of moral values or principles.
There is a code of conduct or rule that should be followed.
What are examples of ethics?
 HONESTY.
 INTEGRITY.
 PROMISE-KEEPING & TRUSTWORTHINESS.
 LOYALTY.
 FAIRNESS.
 CONCERN FOR OTHERS.
 RESPECT FOR OTHERS.
 LAW ABIDING.

The main difference between ethics and philosophy is that ethics are moral guidelines

while philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and
existence, as an academic discipline.
What is the relationship between philosophy and ethics?
Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence,
especially when considered as an academic discipline. 
Ethics are the moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity.
Ethics vs. Morals.
While they are sometimes used interchangeably, they are different:
Ethics refer to rules provided by an external source, e.g., codes of conduct in workplaces or
principles in religions. Morals refer to an individual's own principles regarding right and wrong.
MORALS (Own perspective)

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND PHILOSOPHY?

This is both because philosophy touches so many subjects and, especially, because many of its
methods can be used in any field. The study of philosophy helps us to enhance our ability to
solve problems, our communication skills, our persuasive powers, and our writing skills.
PHILOSOPHY is a study that seeks to understand the mysteries of existence and reality. It tries
to discover the nature of truth and knowledge and to find what is of basic value
and importance in life. It also examines the relationships between humanity and nature and
between the individual and society.
We all need personal philosophy in life or we risk wandering, and responding to random stimuli
and information with little or no impact on our long-term goals. A philosophy of life is an overall
vision or attitude toward life and the purpose of it. Human activities are limited by time, and
death.
COMMON DEFINITIONS OF PHILOSOPHY

LOVE OF WISDOM
-PYTHAGORAS

PHILOSOPHEIN
“love of exercising one’s curiosity and intelligence”
- HERODOTUS

Must be clear, articulate and discussable system of ideas and principles

- PLATO

“the only true wisdom is in true knowing that you know nothing”
- SOCRATES

PHILOSOPHY AS A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

ZENO HERACLITUS
STOICISM “One cannot step twice in the same river”

SOCRATES PLATO
SOCRATIC METHOD principles of TRUTH AND SIMPLICITY
theory of IDEAS AND FORMS

ARISTOTLE DESCARTES
Study of METAPHYSICS METHODIC DOUBT
Cogito ergo sum
OBJECTS OF PHILOSOPHY

OBJECT
Things that can be observed can exists independently from our observations.
“anything that we can think or talk about”
-Charles Sanders Peirs

SUBJECT
Is a being with unique consciousness and unique personal experiences?
An entity with relationships with other entities outside itself

2 objects of philosophy:
MATERIAL PHILOSOPHY
• The view of all that exists is ultimately physical or material.
• All being
FORMAL PHILOSOPHY
• quod
• quo

BRANCHES of PHILOSOPHY
LOGIC
Is the science of inferential thinking and correct reasoning? This covers the study of ideas and
terms, judgement and proposition, reasoning, and syllogism.
AN EXAMPLE OF LOGIC, IS THE PROCESS OF COMING TO THE CONCLUSION OF
WHO STOLE A COOKIE BASED ON WHO WAS IN THE ROOM AT THE TIME
COSMOLOGY
Is the science which considers the ultimate principle and causes of mobile beings in general. This
includes the essential principle of natural bodies, matter and form, change, motion, time, places
spaces, causality and finality, generation and corruption.
an example of cosmology is the study of the big bang theory.
PSYCHOLOGY
Is the science of animate mobile beings such as: especially man- his nature, attributes, and
operations? This covers the concept of the life and its operations, the soul, sensation and a
petition, intellection and volition.
METAPHYSICS
Are the science w/c deals w/ the nature of being, its attributes, constituent principle, and causes?
This includes the concept of being, its analogy and fundamental attributes, problem of evil, act
and potency, essence and existence, substance and accidents, supposed and person, and causality
AN EXAMPLE OF METAPHYSICS IS A STUDY OF GOD VERSUS THE BIG BANG
THEORY.
THEODICY
Is the science of the nature, existence, essence, attributes, and operation of GOD? This covers
the demonstrability and actual demonstration of the existence of GOD, his essence and
attributes, and his immanent operations-intellection and volition, and his transient operation-
creation, conservation, concurrence, governance, and providence.
A vindication of God's goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil.
EPISTEMOLOGY
Is the science w/c examining the truth value or validity of human knowledge? This includes the
statement and solution to the critical problem, nature, origin, objectivity, and validity of
knowledge, truth and certitude.
It is defined as a branch of philosophy that is defined as the study of knowledge.
An example of epistemology is a thesis paper on the source of knowledge.
ETHICS
Is the science of the morality of human acts as ordained to the final end? This covers human acts
and principles of human actions, ultimate end of man dominant of morality, law and conscience.
defined as a moral philosophy or code of morals practiced by a person or group of people.
DIVISION OF PHILOSOPHY
SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY
is that w/c exists solely for the sake of knowledge. Its objects are the truth
PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY
is that w/c seeks to procure by some kind of activity the good of man. Its objects
are the good.