I.

INTRODUCTION  “Love of wisdom” is

A. Philosophy – The Pursuit of something in which all
Wisdom human nature in
 Medieval Europe - a some measure at
time in the history of least participates, and
education, where which predisposes all
being educated toward sympathy for
meant having gone the philosopher’s
through just a handful enterprise (Scott, et
of subjects, among al.,1993)
which are music,  Philosophy
mathematics, rhetoric emphasizes our living
and philosophy, with desire to understand
philosophy occupying the world that
a certain surrounds us and the
preeminence. world within us
 Present time - being (Demetrio, 1997).
educated means  The ancient
having gone through philosophers
the ever-growing understood the term
literature of an ever- philosophy as the
narrowing discipline, sum total of the main
and philosophy is no branches of scientific
longer considered study (physics, or the
preeminent. study of nature;
 While some students mathematics, or the
expect to glean exotic science of proportion;
knowledge about the metaphysics, or the
nature of the subject, science of being as
others are disgusted such; logic, or the
at the thought of its science of correct
endless debates inferential thinking;
(Demetrio, 1997). ethics, or the science
B. Definition of Philosophy of morality.)
 Etymologically, the  There is no distinction
word “philosophy” between philosophy
comes from two and science.
Greek words, philo  The entire body of
meaning “to love” and these sciences
sophia, meaning constitutes what we
“wisdom”. call philosophy.
 Philosophy originally
meant “love of
wisdom”
 In broad sense,
wisdom is still the
goal of philosophy.
  Philosophy is also
defined as the
science that by
natural light of reason
studies the first
causes or highest
principles of all
things.
Under this definition four
things are to be
considered: a. The First Principles
1. Science
- It is called science
because the
investigation is
systematic.
- It follows certain
steps or it employs
certain procedures.
- It’s an organized body
of knowledge just like
any other science.
2. Natural light of Reason
- Philosophy
investigates things,
not by using any
other laboratory
instrument or
investigative tools,
neither on the basis
of supernatural
revelation, otherwise
it becomes theology.
- The philosopher uses
his natural capacity to
think, or simply
human reason alone,
or the so-called
unaided reason.
3. Study of All Things
- Sets the distinction of
philosophy from other
sciences.
- A philosopher does
not limit himself to a
particular object of
inquiry.
- He questions almost
anything, if not
everything.
4. First Cause or Highest
Principle
- A principle is that
form which something
proceeds in any
manner whatsoever.
 Principle of Identity
- States that, whatever
is, is; and whatever is
not, not; everything is
what it is.
- Everything is its own
being, and not being
is not being.
 Principle of Noncontradiction
- States that it is
impossible for a thing
to be and not to be at
the same time, and
the at the same
respect.
 Principle of Excluded Middle
- A thing is either is or
is not; everything
must be either be or
not be; between
being or not-being,
there is no middle
ground possible.
 Principle of Sufficient Reason
- Nothing exists without
a sufficient reason for
its being and
existence.
b. A cause is defined as that from philosophy is questions, which has
which in any way whatsoever exerts three characteristics:
a positive influence in the production 1. Philosophical questions have
of a thing. answers, but the answers
The main kind of causes explain the remain in disputes.
how and the why of a being. 2. Philosophical questions
 Material Cause cannot be settled by science,
- Is that out of which common sense, or faith.
something is made. 3. Philosophical questions are
 Formal Cause of perennial intellectual
- Is that through which interest to human beings.
something is made.  The methodology or method that
 Efficient Cause philosophers use to address
- Is that by which philosophical questions is critical
something is made. thinking.
 Final Cause  Critical thinking comes from the
- Is that on the account word “criticize”
of which something is  Critical thinkers criticize the beliefs
made. of everyone, including themselves.
 Early philosophers studied aspects  By “criticize” means the careful,
of the natural and human world that reflective, rational, and systematic
later become separate sciences – approach to questions of very
astronomy, physics, psychology, general interest (Double, 1999).
sociology.  Critical thinking means
 Certain basic problems – the nature understanding of philosophy and
of the universe, the standard of refraining from merely giving claims
justice, the validity of knowledge, the but through careful thought, one
correct application of reason, and reasons through argumentations.
the criteria of beauty.
 Five Branches of Philosophy
1. Metaphysics
2. Ethics
3. Epistemology
4. Logic
5. Aesthetics
 Special Branches of Philosophy
1. Philosophy of Science
2. Philosophy of State
3. Philosophy of Politics
4. Philosophy of Mathematics
5. Philosophy of Education
6. Philosophy of Law
7. Philosophy of Language, and
others.
 For Double, (1999), although
philosophy is an organized body of
knowledge, the subject matter of