INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON Module 1

Name of Student:___________________________________ Date:__________________ Grade

Level & Section: Grade 11 - ___________________ Score:_________________

JUMPSTART

Activity 1: Concept Check

Direction: Write your answer on space provided.

1. What word comes to your mind if you hear the word Philosophy?
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2. Why do we need to study Philosophy?

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3. Is Philosophy important to our daily lives? Why or Why not?

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Great Job! Later as you continue reading this learning materials we

will see if your answers are correct.

Discover
Lesson 1: Holistic Perspective vs Partial Point of View

In a few years, you will gain new experiences in life that you may have dreamed of. Such experiences may
excite or challenge you, while some can make you rethink your life and decisions. At your age, you may have
already asked yourself important questions about your life that cannot be directly answered through research or
education, such as “What I want” or what make me happy”. If you asked those big questions you engage in
Philosophy
The original meaning of philosophy based on its etymology is love of wisdom. The term “philosophy
is an English translation of the Greek word “Philosophia” which is the combination of the two Greek words namely,
“philo” which means love, and “sophia” which means wisdom. Where Love is the strong desire of a particular object
and wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. A philosopher consequently is lover of wisdom or one who
loves wisdom. The term philosopher is used by Pythagoras, the Ancient Greek thinker popularly known for
 mathematical formula the Pythagorean Theorem. Pythagoras preferred to be called a philosopher rather than sophist
which literally means wise man or one who knows.
Common meaning of Philosophy
a. Philosophy is called science because the investigation is systematic and it follows certain steps or it employs
certain procedures. In other words, it is an organized body of knowledge just like any other sciences. It is a
science where reason and logic are used to understand reality and answer questions of knowledge. Overall
Philosophy is a science that studies beings in their ultimate cause, reasons, through the aid reason alone.
Beings, in philosophy means that all things that exists material or immaterial. Example of material stones,
tress, cars, plants and immaterial is the notion of soul spirit and God.
b. Philosophy as a Natural Light of Reason because it investigates things, not by using any other laboratory
instrument or investigative tools, neither on the basis of super natural revelation, otherwise it becomes
theology; instead the philosopher uses his natural capacity to think or simply human reason alone or s called
unaided reason.
c. Philosophy as a Study of all things. The reason is that philosophy is not one dimensional or partial. In short, a
philosopher does not limit himself to a particular object of inquiry. He questions almost anything, if not
everything. It is multidimensional or holistic.
d. Philosophy as a First Cause or highest Principle.
1. Principle of Identity- whatever it is; and whatever is not is not; everything is what it is. Everything is its
own being, and not being is not being. It means that each thing is identical with itself. Ex: "a = a" or "For
all x: x = x",
2. Principle of Non-Contradiction- it is impossible for a thing to be and not be at the same time, and at the
same respect. The law of non- contradiction is a rule of logic. It states that if something is true, then the
opposite of it is false. For example, if an animal is a cat, the same animal cannot be a cat.
3. Principle of Excluded Middle- a thing is either is or is not; everything must be either be or nor be;
between being and not being, there is no middle ground possible. Example “The world is flat” you should
answer True or False. If you believe the world is flat, then you should answer True if not you should
answer False.
4. Principle of Sufficient Reason- nothing exists without a sufficient reason for its being and existence.
e. Philosophy as a BODY of KNOWLEDGE because it provides methodologies and insights on how societal
questions, such as moral dilemmas of euthanasia or same sex marriage, can be answered.
f. Philosophy as an INTELLECTUAL ACTIVITY is an analytic procedure of addressing individual thought
process such as resolving conflict and confusion, testing positions, and analyzing beliefts.in all instances,
doing philosophy is prescribed by logic, reason and ethics leading to wisdom.

Branches of Philosophy A. METAPHYSICS

-Came from the Greek words meta and physika, where meta is beyond off after and physika means physical and
nature.

Subdivided into 2
1. General Metaphysics/Ontology ➢
Onto means being.
➢ Logos means knowledge or study Ontology
➢ Studies beings in their ultimate causes, reason and principles through the
aid of reason alone. 2. Special Metaphysics
 Cosmology
➢ came from the Greek word kosmos and logos, means world and study
➢ Cosmology means it studies the world or universe including its origin, dynamics, and characteristics, as well
as the laws that govern its order.
 Psychology
➢ Came from the Greek word psyche and Logos means soul and mind and study.
➢ Study of the nature and dynamics of the person as a whole with emphasis on the way the persons mind
functions and the way she behaves.
• Theodicy
➢ Came from the Greek word Theos means God. Study of God, it is the justification of the goodness of God in
the face of the existence of evil.
METAPHYSICS
 ◦ deals with the first principles of things, including abstract concepts such as being, knowing, substance,
cause, identity, time, and space
◦ Abstract theory or talk with no basis in reality

B. ETHICS- Came from the Greek Ethos means custom or habit. It is the morality of human actions. It concerns on
how human persons ought to act and the search for definition of a right conduct and good life.
C. EPISTEMOLOGY
Came from the Greek word Episteme and Logos meaning knowledge and study. Study the nature of knowledge
and justified beliefs. Specifically, it analyzes the nature of knowledge and how to relate into a similar such as truth,
deals with the nature, sources, limitation, and validity of knowledge. It explains the following:
 How we know what we claim to know
 How can we find out what we wish to know
How can we differentiate truth from falsehood
 How do we acquire reliable knowledge?
1. INDUCTION - On one hand, he sees, hears, and touches; on the other hand, he organizes mind what he
learns through the senses. What one sees, hear and touch is more important. Philosophers believe that
general ideas are formed from the examination of particular facts. Empiricism the view that knowledge
can be attained only through sense experience. Knowledge is based on what our sight, hearing, smell, and
other senses tell us is really out there, not what people make up in their heads
2. DEDUCTION – it is more important to find a general law according to which particular facts can be
understood or judged. Its advocates are called rationalist (Rene Descartes) Real knowledge is based on
Logic, the laws, and the methods that reason develops.
The best example of knowledge according to them is Mathematics, a realm of knowledge that is
obtained entirely by reason that we use to understand the universe
3. PRAGMATISM – (William James and John Dewey) believed that the value in use is the real of truth and
meaning. The meaning and truth of an idea are tested by its practical consequence
D. LOGIC – comes from the Greek word “ logike” – means a treatise on matters pertaining to human thought.
The concern is the truth or the validity of our arguments regarding such objects. It is based on claims about
propositional structure and the body of argumentative techniques has a variety of meanings including word,
thought, idea, argument, account, reason or principle; is the study of reasoning, or the study
of the principles and criteria of valid inference and demonstration.
E. AESTHETICS – is the science of the beautiful in its various manifestation including the sublime, comic,
tragic, pathetic and ugly. To experience aesthetics, therefore, means whatever experience has relevance to art,
whether the experience be that of the creative artist or of appreciation.
Importance of Aesthetics of which learners need to consider:
It vitalizes knowledge makes our knowledge of the world alive and useful. It helps one to realize a part of a
play, a poem, or a story to give one a new insight, to help one see new relationship between the separated items in
one’s memory
It helps us to live more deeply and richly. A work of art-whether a book, a piece of music, painting, or a
television/movie show helps us to rise from a purely physical existence into the realm of intellect and the spirit. As a
being of body and soul, a human being needs nourishment for his higher life as well as his lower
It brings us in touch with our culture. Things about us change so rapidly today that we forget how much we
owe to the past. Hans-Georg Gadamer, a German philosopher, argues that our tastes and judgments regarding beauty,
work in connection with one’s own personal experience and culture. He believes that our culture consists of the
values and beliefs of our time and society. That is why a “dialogue’ or conversation is important in interpreting works
of Art.
Meaning and Process of Doing Philosophy

Doing philosophy means engaging oneself in matters of utility and methodologies to eliminate any
practical problem or abstract idea. Before engaging in philosophical inquiry, one must be able to distinguish
between a holistic and partial point of view. This is critical for anyone doing philosophy because it sets a limit
in coming up with conclusions about a given situation.
 Characteristics of Partial Point of View
1. Looks at only a limited number of aspects of the given problem or situation
2. Conclusions are made based on considering some, but not all, sides the problem or situation 
Characteristics of Holistic Points of view
1. Looks at all the aspects of the given problem or situation
2. All aspects are given importance when making conclusion.
 3. All aspects are tied in together to form a general overview of the problem or situation.

Looking at the characteristics of holistic and partial points of view, it can be concluded that using a
holistic perspective is more reliable in doing philosophy than using a partial perspective. Partial points
of view only promote limited knowledge on the situation. This leads to wrong conclusions.
Philosophy requires learning to look into all available perspectives and work on their relationship to
come up with sound, logical, and valid conclusion. In the process, doing philosophy helps one to
develop the skill of broadly looking at the situation first before concluding anything.

Lesson 2: Value of Philosophy

Socrates believed that philosophy should achieve practical results for the greater well-being of society. He
attempted to establish an ethical system based on human reason rather than theological doctrine. Socrates pointed out
that human choice was motivated by the desire for happiness. Russell holds that the primary value of philosophy is
not in any kind of definite answer, but exists in the questions themselves. He concludes that, "through the greatness
of the universe which philosophy contemplates, the mind also is rendered great."
According to Plato, Philosophy is the love of knowledge, the pursuit of truth, and the questioning of all ideas.
By studying, discussing, or just thinking about the many ideas in the world, you can find questions you had never
thought to ask, or perspectives you had never considered before.
Importance of Doing Philosophy
 Doing philosophy can be applied in day to day activities and perspective. Because it involves an evaluate
process, doing philosophy allows a person to make better decisions and act accordingly to situation with the
help of various philosophical skills.
 Doing philosophy enables reflective thinking which greatly influences a person’s view of life,
challenges, and relationships.
 Doing philosophy directs how a person will perceive these factors in life and how they will be faced.
 In any setting, wisdom is always gained when philosophy is applied to formula conclusion about a certain
concern

What do you think?

Is doing philosophy possible without engaging in philosophical reflection?

Tips
 In doing philosophy, a holistic perspective on the subject is always required. Failure to do so or only using
partial point of view may lead to illogical or incorrect conclusion.
 In the process of doing philosophy is critical to have holistic perspective- the perception of looking at all
aspects of a situation first before making a conclusion. This point of is different from holistic thinking which
is a mental activity of recognizing the interconnectedness of systems and procedure to form a general picture
of an issue.
 The process of doing philosophy should not be mistaken for the Filipino activity of “pamimilosopo” or
pedantry where a person displays useless knowledge or minute observances of small details.

Lesson 3: Philosophical Reflection as a Way of Doing Philosophy

Jay and Ryan proceeded to articulate the specificity of the approaches to doing philosophy. They start with
the discussion on the nature and dynamics of philosophical reflection.
According to Jay and Ryan, philosophical reflection is one of the important skills that one needs in doing
philosophy. In order to drive their point, Jay and Ryan appropriated Gabriel Marcel’s notion of philosophical
reflection, which is deeply personal and is intimately anchored on day-to-day existence. For Marcel, as Jay and Ryan
argue, philosophical reflection is first and foremost the act of giving time to think about the meaning and purpose of
life.

There are two types of philosophical reflection according to Marcel, namely, primary reflection and
secondary reflection. Primary reflection is a kind of thinking that calculates, analyzes, or recounts past events. In this
way, primary reflection is a fragmented and compartmentalized thinking. Thus, for Marcel, according to Jay and
Ryan, primary reflection cannot be a genuine thinking because it failed to make sense of the whole, of the mystery of
life. In other words, primary reflection is selfish thinking because it is instrumental thinking. As we already know,
instrumental thinking is a “means-end” kind of thinking. Applied to human relations, instrumental thinking thinks
only of what it can practically get in a relationship. For example, one may establish a relationship or friendship with
somebody who is rich so that she may be able to borrow money in times of need. Secondary reflection, on the other
hand, is characterized by the act recapturing the unity of the original experience by gathering back together what has
been separated by primary reflection. Thus, secondary reflection allows us to think holistically. In this way,
 secondary reflection enables us to integrate our fragmented and compartmentalized experience into a coherent whole.
This gives us the impression that secondary reflection for Marcel is genuine or unselfish thinking. Applied to human
relations, secondary reflection does not think of what it can practically get in a relationship. Here, the human person
establishes a relationship with the other not because of what she can get, but is premised on the idea that the other is a
human person that deserves respect, care and love.

INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON Activity Sheet 1

Name of Student:_________________________________ Date:__________________ Grade

Level & Section: Grade 11 -__________________ Score:_________________

Explore

Activity 1: Throw back

Direction: Give a brief answer to the following question. Write your answer on the space provided.
1. Give at least 5 situations where you are adopted a holistic view in looking at a problem or situation.
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Rubrics

Category 5 4 3 2
Topic Content is closely Content is nearly Content is Content is slightly
related to the topic. related to the topic somewhat related related to the topic.
to the topic.

Content The statement is very The statement is The statement is Statement is

well organized. pretty well hard to understand. slightly organized.
organized.

Deepen
Activity 2: Optimize Me
Direction; Give a brief and substantial answer to the question. Write your answer on the space provided.
1. How can having a holistic view help us become better individuals?
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Rubrics
Category 5 4 3 2
 Topic Content is Content is Content is Content is
closely related to nearly related to somewhat slightly
the topic. the topic. related to the related to
topic. the topic.
Content The statement is The statement is The statement is Statement is
very well pretty well hard to slightly
organized. organized. understand. organized.

INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON Activity Sheet 2

Name of Student:_________________________________ Date:__________________
Grade Level & Section: Grade 11 -__________________ Score:_________________

Explore
Activity 1: Pandemic
Direction: Make a reflection about the Corona Virus (Covid-19) based on the following questions.
1. Explain in your own words what is the Novel Corona Virus?
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2. How does it spread and why is it spreading so quickly?
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3. What are the symptoms of Covid-19?
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4. What are the precautionary measures for Covid-19?
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5. How can you protect yourself from the Corona Virus?
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Rubrics

Category 4 3 2 1
Topic Content is Content is Content is Content is
closely related to the nearly related to the somewhat related to slightly related to the
topic. topic. the topic. topic.

Content The statement is very The statement The statement is Statement is slightly
well is pretty hard to understand. organized.
organized. well
organized.
 INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON Activity Sheet 3
Name of Student:_________________________________ Date:________________
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Grade Level & Section: Grade 11 -__________________ Score:_______________
__

Assessment 1:

Direction: Read the statement below and identify what is ask. Write your answers before each number.
1. What do you call the strong desire for a particular object?
A. Immaterial Things C. Love
B. Material Things D. Wisdom
2. What do you call the process by which a person undergoes a reflective state or evaluates his or her
experiences before making any related action?
A. Holistic Perspective C. Partial Perspective
B. Primary Reflection D. Secondary Reflection
3. It studies beings in their ultimate causes, reason and principles through the aid of reason alone.
A. Cosmology B. Ontology C. Psychology D. Theodicy
4. Who was the Ancient Greek thinker more popularly known for Mathematical formula, the
Pythagorean Theorem?
A. Pythagoras B. Aristotle C. Confucius D. Plato
5. What reflection allows us to think holistically?
A. Holistic Perspective C. Partial Perspective
B. Primary Reflection D. Secondary Reflection
6. Which of the following, when translated, means ‘Love of Wisdom’?
A. Philosophy B. Pythagoras C. Science D. Psychology
7. The Greek word ‘Ethos’ means custom or habit. What branch of Philosophy came from it?
A. Epistemology B. Ethics C. Logic D. Metaphysics
8. It is a branch of Philosophy where real knowledge is based on logic, the laws, and methods that
develop reason.
A. Epistemology B. Ethics C. Logic D. Metaphysics
9. What is “being” in Philosophy? A. Unaided reason.
B. It follows a certain procedure
C. The notion of God, Soul, and Spirit
D. Anything that exist material and immaterial
10. Philosophy which provides methodologies and insights on how societal questions, such as moral
dilemmas of euthanasia or same sex marriage, can be answered.
A. Body of Knowledge C. Natural Light of Reason
B. Intellectual Activity D. Study of all Things

Assessment 2:
Direction: Give a brief answer on the following questions. Write your answer on the space provided.

1. List down instances in your life where you were able to engage philosophy?
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2. How does philosophy help you address your present situation?

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*Rubrics will be referred on the activity 1 Sheet 2