PHILOSOPHY

HPH 121 | An Introduction

 PHILOSOPHY
Etymology ➢Greek words: philos (love) & sophia
and Definition (wisdom)
➢“love of wisdom”
 PHILOSOPHY
Etymology ➢ From myth to reason
and Definition ➢ natural explanations for natural
processes
 PHILOSOPHY

➢ Philosophy is a search for meaning

Philosophical
quest “philosophical search” = quest
 PHILOSOPHY

Etymology ➢The use of HUMAN REASON as the

and Definition central tool for investigation.
➢Pythagoras – the first call himself a
philosopho (lover of wisdom)
 Components:
1. It is that which that has value to the
subject
2. It is that which that consumes the
whole person--- his attention,
Philosophical concentration, interest
quest 3. It is that which is continued without
let-up until the answer is found
 PHILOSOPHY SCIENCE

_______ _________
_______ _________
_______ _________
Philosophy and _______ _________
Science ________ _________
 What is the importance of
Philosophy?

Importance of
Philosophy
 Western Philosophy
➢Pre-Socratics – first philosophers
➢Thales – Father of Western
It all started in Philosophy
the West! ➢Sophists – group of intellectuals after
the Pre-Socratics
➢Taught “eristic” – way of argumentation
aimed to win arguments rather than
arrive at the truth.
➢Excellent public speakers
 Western Philosophy
➢Greek civilization (Greece) – love of
learning
➢Preoccupied with the study of nature
The Natural and universe.
Philosophers
➢Uncovering truth through systematic
argumentation and theory.
➢Use of REASON rather than faith.
➢Humanism – focus on man as an
individual.
 Western Philosophy
➢Resistance against the Sophists
➢Teaching is more than winning arguments
It all started in ➢Teaching and learning as an opportunity to
learn the truth.
the West!
➢Real wisdom should strive to achieve truth
aside from knowledge
➢Man need not to know all things in this world.
➢Man must continue to inquire and seek to
understand and learn about the human
condition.
 ➢From Greece to many places of the
world.
➢Philosophers as pioneers in various
The Rise of fields of knowledge – history, biology,
Philosophers medicine, mathematics, astronomy, and
even physics.
➢Philosophers as having certain areas
of interest and expertise in various
field of learning.
 The Natural Philosophers

The Rise of
Philosophers
 The Natural Philosophers

The Rise of
Philosophers
 THALES
(624 BCE – 546 BCE)

➢Believed that the

ultimate composition of
The Rise of all things is WATER.
Philosophers ➢All things take
nourishment from
water.
 ANAXIMANDER ➢Student of Thales
(610 BCE – 546 BCE)

➢Agreed with his teacher

that everything comes from
single, basic material.
➢However, argued that
The Rise of
matter is not composed of
Philosophers
water.
➢Rather, all things emerged
from an indefinite and
boundless realm called
“apeiron”
 ANAXIMENES
(586 BCE – 528 BCE)
➢Young associate of
Anaximander.
➢Believed that it is
The Rise of
AIR that makes up
Philosophers
all things.
➢Air as the source of
all life.
 PYTHAGORAS
(570 BCE – 495 BCE)
➢Mathematician
scientist.
➢Credited for the
formulation of
The Rise of PYTHAGORIAN
Philosophers THEOREM
➢Established a
community of learners
devoted to the study of
religion and philosophy.
 HERACLITUS
(535 BCE – 495 BCE)

➢Proposed that
everything that exists is
based on a higher
The Rise of order or plan called
Philosophers “logos”.
➢Believed that change is
a permanent aspect of
the human condition.
 DEMOCRITUS
(460 BCE – 370 BCE)

➢Devoted himself to
studying the causes of
natural phenomena.
The Rise of
Philosophers ➢Proposed that matter is
composed of tiny
particles called
“atoms”.
 DIOGENES OF SINOPE
(412 BCE – 323 BCE)
➢Known advocate of a
simple and virtuous life.
➢Believed that one should
not only talk of virtue but
should show it in words and
The Rise of actions.
Philosophers
➢Emphasized on austerity
and simplicity.
➢Influenced the
development of
“Cynicism”
 EPICURUS ➢Believed that philosophy
(341 BCE – 270 BCE) could enable a man to live
a life of happiness.
➢Believed that indulgence in
bodily pleasure often leads
to dissatisfaction.
The Rise of
➢One should indulge in the
Philosophers
needs and pleasures of the
mind instead of the body.
➢Epicureanism – wisdom
and simple living will result
in a life free from fear and
pain.
 SOCRATES
(470 BCE – 399 BCE)
➢Made great contributions in
the field of Ethics.
➢Believed that philosophy
could enable a man to live
The Rise of a life of virtue.
Philosophers ➢Credited for formulating the
“Socratic Method” –
means of examining a topic
by devising a series of
questions.
 SOCRATES
(470 BCE – 399 BCE)

➢“Wisest is she who knows

she does not know,”
➢“One thing only I know,
The Rise of
and that is that I know
Philosophers nothing.”
➢“He who knows what good
is will do good,”
 PLATO
(427 BCE – 347 BCE)
➢Student of Socrates.
➢Theory of Forms –
everything that exists is
based on the idea or
The Rise of template that can only be
Philosophers perceived in the mind
(eternal and unchanging)
➢Wrote the Republic
➢Known for his Dialectic
➢Founded the Academy
 ARISTOTLE
(384 BCE – 322 BCE)
➢Student of Plato.
➢Believed that ideas and
views are based in
perception.
The Rise of ➢Believed that our reality is
Philosophers based on what we can
sense and perceive.
➢Formulated Deductive
Reasoning.
➢Founded Lyceum
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY INTO
A MODERN SCIENCE
➢The science and discipline of
How did it Philosophy as product of
develop? developments in the Western world.
➢Defined by the emergence of
various schools of thought.
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY

Ancient Rome
(1st Century BCE – 5th Stoicism
Century BCE)

Medieval Period
Scholasticism
(5th -15th centuries)

Various Schools Renaissance

(14th – 17th centuries)
Humanism
of Thought
Rationalism
The Enlightenment Empiricism
(17th – 18th centuries Social and Political
Philosophy

Modern Period Positivism

(19th century) Utilitarianism
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY

Pragmatism
Various Schools Existentialism
of Thought 20th Century
Phenomenology
Absurdism
Postmodernism
Post-structuralism
 Characteristics
✓Closely tied with religious beliefs.
✓Encourage people to adopt an ethical
and harmonious way of life.
✓Emphasis on social relations, family,
Eastern and community as central aspect of life.
Philosophy ✓The goal is to achieve a balanced life
and find one’s role in society.
✓Classified according to theistic and
nontheistic philosophies.
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY

Judaism
ca. 2000 BCE
(Israel)

Hinduism
ca. 1500 BCE
(India, South Asia)

Various Schools ca. 600 BCE

Shintoism
(Japan)
of Thought
Jainism
ca. 600-500 BCE
(India)

Buddhism
ca. 400 BCE (South Asia, East Asia,
Southeast Asia)
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY

Confucianism
ca. 400 BCE
(East Asia)

Taoism
ca. 200 BCE
(East Asia)

Various Schools
Islam
of Thought ca. 610 BCE
(West Asia)

Sikhism
ca. 1440 CE
(India)
 1. A WAY OF ANALYZING
FRAMEWORKS
Framework – a way of thinking about
the world and is composed of the
Characterizing
views and beliefs of a person
Philosophy
➢Internal Questions – questions dealing
with our own correctness and values
➢External Questions – seek to question
the very frameworks upon which people
base their own beliefs and views.
 2. AN EXAMINATION OF
PARTICULAR AREA OF
KNOWLEDGE
Characterizing
Philosophy
Central Principles
➢Examination
➢Questioning.
 2. A DISCIPLINE
Philosophy goes hand-in-hand with other
disciplines.
Examples:
Characterizing
➢Philosophy of Science
Philosophy
➢Philosophy of Religion
➢Philosophy of Education
➢Philosophy of Law
➢Philosophy of History
 MAIN BRANCHES
➢Philosophy of the Human Person – deals with
nature of man.
➢Aesthetics – deals with beauty, what makes
things “beautiful”.
Characterizing
➢Logic – deals with correct reasoning.
Philosophy
➢Ethics – deals with moral questions and human
behavior.
➢Political Philosophy – studies governments
➢Metaphysics – deals with questions regarding
the nature of reality and existence.
 AS AN ACTIVITY
✓It is a reflective and meditative
Characterizing
activity.
Philosophy
✓A way of exercising critical
thinking.
 1. There is a sense of wonder
(Plato)
2. There is doubt (Rene Descartes)
3. There is experience (Karl
The Need to Jaspers, experience as “limit
Philosophize situations”)
4. Driven by the love of wisdom
(Socrates, “the unexamined life is
not worth living”)