INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN PERSON

 
INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN PERSON
A LEARNING MODULE

MINSU, MAIN
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
CORE SUBJECT
UNITS: 4
TEACHER FACILITATOR: HERBERT F CHAVEZ

NAME: __________________

DATE: __________________

TIME FRAME
TO
COURSE OUTLINE WEEK
ACCOMPLISH
PART I: UNDERSTANDING PHILOSOPHY BY DOING IT
Module 1: A Holistic Perspective: The Philosopher’s Way 1
Module 2: What it Means to be a Philosopher? 2
Module 3: What Makes a Question Philosophical? 3
PART II: TRUTH AND PHILOSOPHY
Module 4: The Domains(Field) of Truth 4 ✓
Module 5: Truth and Opinion 5

PART III: THE HUMAN PERSON AS AN EMBODIED

SPIRIT
Module 6: The Body as Limitation and Transcendence 6
Module 7: The Human Person as an Embodied Spirit:
7
Ancient and Contemporary Thought
MID-TERMS
PART IV: FREEDOM
Module 8: The Meaning of Freedom 8
Module 9: Freedom and Responsibility 9
PART V: INTERSUBJECTIVITY
Module 10: Meaning of Intersubjectivity 10
Module 11: An intersubjective Relationship across
11
Differences
PART VI: THE HUMAN PERSON IN SOCIETY
Module 12: Social Interaction and Society 12
Module 13: The Harmony between Individualism and
13
Collectivism
PART VII: THE HUMAN PERSON AS A BEING UNTO
DEATH
Module 14: Death and the Meaning of My Life 14
Module 15: The Human Person is a Being in Need of God
15
and Being-towards-God
   INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN PERSON
 
FINALS

CHAPTER 2: TRUTH AND PHILOSOPHY

MODULE 4: THE DOMAINS OF TRUTH (Mga Larangan ng Katotohanan)

Introduction:
In the previous chapter we learned about the meaning and the process of doing
philosophy. We also learned how to distinguish between personal and philosophical
questions. Most importantly, we were encouraged to ask philosophical questions. When
we start to raise such questions, we ultimately, want to arrive at the truth. Nowadays, it is
more and more difficult to discern what is true from what is false; it seems that everybody
can claim to hold the truth. Philosophy as a discipline will not claim to be the sole bearer
of truth. It is not so much “the Truth” that concerns philosophy, but rather the way or
process by which we can distinguish claims that are true from those that are false. There
is much more disagreement rather than agreement among philosophers with regard to the
question of truth. Nevertheless, there is one thing that most of them agree on: that truth is
not a simple matter as much as human knowing is just as complex a process.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. Enumerate and distinguish the different ways of understanding truth.
2. Explain the criteria to establish the truth in an argument.

Activity:
Give 5 statements that you believe in to be true. Then, explain why those statements
are true for you. Write down your answer on one whole sheet of paper.

Analysis:
Continue answering on the same paper:
1. Separate and place those statements that have scientific bases under the category of
Scientific Statements and those other statements that are not scientific under Non-
Scientific Statements.
2. If scientific statements only are the things that can be considered as knowledge and
true by virtue of its concrete evidence, do you think there other way to determine
the truth of non-scientific statements? How?
(Kung ang mga maka-syentipikong pahayag o pangungusap lamang ang maaari
nating ituring na kaalaman at totoo dahil sa kaakibat nitong ebidensya, sa palagay
mo, mayroon pa bang paraan na malaman ang katotohanan ng hindi maka-
syentipikong pahayag? Papaano?)
   INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN PERSON
 

Abstraction/Contents:

Domains (Fields) of Truth

Jurgen Habermas (isang pilosopong Aleman/German), argues, in his book about
universal pragmatics, or the study of the structure of communicative language as we use it
everyday, that apart from the scientific truths, there are other domains in life in which we
understand truth differently (Habermas: 1979). Scientific Truths are covered by the
objective domain of life. This pertains to the natural world that maintains a relative
independence from the perspective and attitude of human beings that perceive them(
katotohanan na hiwalay sa taong tumitingin o dumadanas). Example, typhoon season,
which belongs to the natural realm, comes and goes whether or not we want it. Water’s
boiling point remains at 100 degrees Celsius. And will remain so even if a powerful tyrant
wants to change it.
In the Social Domain, “truth” is analogous with (not the exact equivalent) of a
general agreement or consensus (napagkasunduan ng mga tao) on what is right as opposed
to what is wrong. For example, in a chapel for prayer and meditation, we say that
maintaining silence is good. But in a basketball game, we say that we should cheer for our
team as loudly as we can to keep them motivated. We do not look at these two different
situations as contradicting each other. We understand that some things are “true” or good
in a particular context, while they are “false” or wrong in another context. The truths in
the social domain are mostly products of an “agreement” in society that has been
established over time. Because of time-honored presence, they become so embedded in
our society such that they are hardly questioned by anyone. It is in this way that norms or
values appear as truths. Nevertheless, we have to e constantly aware that these truths are
“created” or constructed by people. As such they can be changed through a critical
examination and deliberation among the members of a community.

Aside from the social domain, there is also the personal domain where truth is
analogous with sincerity (katotohanan na nakabase sa katapatan ng tao sa kanyang
sinasabi). When you say to another person, “I am telling the truth,” what you usually mean
by that statement is that our statements are consistent with our inner thoughts and
intentions. This is a precarious domain of truth because no one can have access to our
minds and our thoughts except ourselves. Even the one who claims to have psychic powers
that can read your mind will have to rely on your own confirmation if she in fact reads you
correctly. For this reason, the truths that we claim in this domain need corresponding
actions that will establish trust. A person who proves to be consistent with what he declares
about himself is regarded as authentic and can therefore be trusted or trustworthy.

Truth And Justification

Richard Rorty offers a simple way of defining truth: truth can be understood as
what has passed “procedures of justification” (Rorty, 1989). Justification means the
process of proving the truth or validity of a statement (paraan ng pagpapatunay sa
katotohanan ng ipinapahayag). This process is made up of ways of critically testing a
claim against certain criteria.
   INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN PERSON
 
As we have shown above, there different domains of truth – objective, social, and
personal. Each domain of truth has a corresponding justification or has different criteria
for truth. In the scientific/objective domain, truths are tested against empirical evidence
(ebidensyang maaaring maranasan sa kapaligiran). In the social domain, truths are tested
against their acceptability to a particular group in a particular time in history. In the
personal domain, truths are tested against the consistency and authenticity of the person
who claims it.

Assessment :

A. Analysis
Tell whether the truth of the following statements fall under Scientific Truth, Social
Truth, or Personal Truth

1. Water is composed of 1 atom of hydrogen and 2 atoms of oxygen.

2. I did not steal her cellphone,” the boy told to his teacher.
3. Pedro was criticized as rude by his parents for not using “po” and “opo” as he
talked to his grandmother.
4. COVID 19 is a deadly contagious deadly disease which one can be infected
through at least droplets of saliva coming from a carrier person from the moment
those droplets come in contact with one’s eyes, nose, and mouth.
5. A presidential candidate promised to the people that once he won the election, he
would eradicate the problems related to illegal drugs.

B. Comprehension Skill
1.Differentiate the following:
a. (Scientific truth/domain) Objective vs. non-objective truth
b.Truth in the social domain vs. Truth in the personal domain
2. What are the criteria (test of justification) to establish truth in the following
domains of truth?
a. Scientific Domain
b. Social Domain
c. Personal Domain