I n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e

P H I L O S O P H Y
o f t h e

H U M A N P E R S O N
W e e k 1
 The Nature of

Philosophy
Chapter 1
Learning Objectives
 Distinguish a holistic perspective from a partial point of view.
 Enumerate values of doing philosophy in obtaining a broad
perspective in life.
 Write a philosophical reflection on a concrete situation from
a holistic perspective.
 H O L I S T I C
P E R S P E C T I V E
 The Blind Men and the Elephant
John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887)
read by Tom O'Bedlam

Moral:
The
TheThe
The
The
Fifth,
Fourth
AndFirst
ItThird
Second,
Sixth
was
so
who approached
reached
these
approached
six
no
chanced
men
sooner
feeling
men out
of of
to
the
Indostan
an
of
had
the
Indostan
touch
the
eager
Elephant,
begun
animal,
tusk,
the
hand,
ear,
So oft in theological wars,
Cried,
Said:
To
About
Disputed
And
And
And
learning
"Ho,
"E'en
felt
happening
the
happening
what
about
the
beast
loud
muchblindest
have
and
the
toto
inclined,
togrope,
knee
we
long,
take
fallman
here,
The disputants, I ween,
"What
So
The
Can
Against
Than
very
Who
squirming
most
tell
Each
round
seizing
went
what
histhis
inbroad
and
to
his
trunk
this
wondrous
onseeown
smooth
the
resembles
and
within
theswinging
opinion
sturdy
Elephant
beast
and
his most;
hands,
side,
sharp?
tail
is like
Rail on in utter ignorance
(Though
Exceeding
Thus
Is
That
At
Deny
To
mighty
once
me
boldly
fell
allthe
'tis
of
within
plain,"
began
stiff
fact
them
up
mighty
and
his
who
quoth
to
werescope,
bawl:
clear
strong,
spake:
can,blind),
he:
Of what each other mean,
Though
"God
"I
"'Tis
This
see,"
This
That
clear
bless
each
wonder
marvel
quoth
each enough
me!
was by
he,
of
of
but
partly
observation
an
an
"the
the
the
Elephant
Elephant
in
Elephant
Elephant
the right,
And prate about an elephant
AndIs
Might
IsIsvery
all
very
very
were
satisfy
like
like
likein
aaaSNAKE!"
SPEAR!"
his
the
ROPE!"
WALL!"
TREE!"
FAN!"mind.
wrong!
Not one of them seen!
Partial Perspective
One’s perception is
limited by other factors or
based on a single factor.
The Holistic Perspective
Various systems should be
viewed as wholes, not merely
as a collection of parts.
Holism
Tendency in nature to produce
wholes from the ordered
grouping of unit structures.

Jan Smuts
Statesman, Military Leader, Philosopher
 Partial Holistic
Perspective Perspective
 Limited and prioritized point of view or  Looks at all aspects of the given problem
frame of mind or situation
 Inevitably create powerful and persistent  All aspects are given importance when
illusions making conclusions
 Conclusions are made based on  All aspects are tied in together to form a
considering some, but not all sides of the general overview of the problem or
problem or situation situation
P H I L O S O P H Y
 What is
Philosophy?
ideas, views, principles,
perspectives, or beliefs

the activity of reasoning

an academic course or
degree
 ideas, views,
principles,
perspectives,
or beliefs

First common
meaning:
Philosophy refers generally to ideas, views, principles, perspectives, or beliefs held either by
individuals or groups of individuals, regardless of the specific nature of these ideas, views,
principles, perspectives, or beliefs. By their specific nature, we mean whether they are religious,
cultural, scientific, historical, or psychological, among others.
What is your philosophy in life?
 Life is nothing until it is
lived; but it is yours to
make sense of, and the of
it is nothing other than the
sense you choose.

Jean-Paul Sartre
French Philosopher
The life of an everyday
individual is really always
a tragedy, by gone
through in detail, it has the
character of a comedy.

Arthur Schopenhauer
German Philosopher
You will never be happy if
you continue to search for
what happiness consists
of. You will never live if
you are looking for the
meaning of life.

Albert Camus
French Philosopher
Money doesn’t make
me – I make money.

Rick Ross
American Rapper
What is your philosophy in life?

The question is
presumably asking about
our beliefs and principles.
 the activity of
reasoning

Second common
meaning:
Relates to the way we Filipinos, ordinarily use or understand the meaning of the word “pilosopo” –
the literal Filipino translation of the term “philosopher.” If philosophy is the activity of a philosopher,
then philosophy is the activity of the pilosopo.
Who is the Pilosopo?
What does a person called “pilosopo” do?
“Paano mo nasabi?”

Someone who engages

in the activity of reasoning
just to evade or cover up
an obvious truth.

Robert Nocos
Paano mo nasabi meme
 'Panalo na tayo': Roque
rejoices as PH 'beats' UP
prediction of 40,000
COVID-19 cases
ABS-CBN News

Someone who engages in

the activity of reasoning
simply to irritate or annoy
somebody else.

Harry Roque
Presidential Spokeperson
Who is the Pilosopo?
What does a person called “pilosopo” do?

Pilosopo is one who engages in

reasoning for the purposes of covering up
an obvious truth, annoying someone, and
engaging someone in an unwelcoming
argumentation.
 an academic
course or
degree

Third common
meaning:
Refers to an academic subject or course that is taught usually in colleges, universities, and
seminaries. In this course, one usually studies reasoning skills and different theories about the
nature of reality, morality, society and justice, religious beliefs, and knowledge, among others.
Priest

Doctor

Lawyer
L O V E O F W I S D O M
 philosophy

Based on etymology:
From the greek word philosophia, which is a combination of two Greek words, namely, philo –
which means love, and sophia – which means wisdom.
First to use the term
philosopher.

Preferred to be called a
philosopher rather than
sophist – which literally
means a “wise man.”

Pythagoras
Ancient Greek Mathematician
 Philosopher
Lover of Wisdom
- Plato’s Dialogues

Socrates and Plato

OG Philosophers
Group of intellectuals who
taught oratory for a fee to
individuals aspiring to
have a successful career
in politics.

Sophists
 A successful career in
politics would require skills
in public speaking and
persuasion.

President Ferdinand Marcos

Widely considered as an excellent orator.
 All truths are relative in
that all truths are
determined by or are
based on human interests.

Sophists

Reason will show us

that certain truths are
universal.

Philosophers
Who is the
wise person?
“One thing only I know,
and that is I know nothing.”

knowing what one knows and

what one does not know

Socrates
Greek Philosopher
 “If you cant explain it to a
six year old, you don’t
understand it yourself.”

having justified true beliefs Albert Einstein

German Theoretical Physicist
 “That’s what I do: I drink and I
know things.”
knowing things that are
valuable in life

Tyrion Lannister
Fictional Character
“We write from life and call
it literature, and literature
lives because we are in it.”

having the ability to put

knowledge into practice

F. Sionil Jose
National Artist for Literature
Ramos and Enrile on the final days
of the Marcos’ regime abandoned
their former boss and joined the
peoples’ cause.

knowing what should be

done and acting accordingly

Fidel V. Ramos and Juan Ponce Enrile

Former Marcos’ Allies
What kinds of questions
does philosophy ask?
Foundational Questions
These are questions that are directed
at our frameworks, generally referring
to our belief systems and worldviews.
External Questions
These are questions we ask about the
framework itself.
Philosophy as
an Activity
dynamic

critical

creative
 The Value
of
P H I L O S O P H Y
The Value of Philosophy

It’s natural to wonder, to be inquisitive.

Philosophizing is pleasurable.

Provides knowledge and wisdom that are useful.

Philosophical (critical) thinking protects us against

unsupported ideology, unjustified authority,
unfounded beliefs, baseless propaganda, and
questionable cultural values.
Why do we go through the struggle to be
educated? Is it merely in order to pass some
examinations and get a job? Or is it the
function of education to prepare us while we
are young to understand the whole process of
life? Surely, life isn’t merely a job, an
occupation: life is wide and profound, it’s a
great mystery, a vast realm in which we
function as human beings.
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Indian Philosopher
Philosophy will not fatten our purses…For
what if we should fatten our purses, or rise to
high office, and yet all the while remain
ignorantly naïve, coarsely unfurnished in the
mind, brutal in behavior, unstable in character,
chaotic in desire, and blindly miserable?

Will Durant
American Writer, Historian, Philosopher
 Through the greatness of the
universe which philosophy
contemplates, the mind also is
rendered great.

Bertrand Russell
British Philosopher
P H I L O S O P H I C A L
R E F L E C T I O N
Philosophical
Reflection
The careful examination of life situations. This involves the weighing of several
alternatives and using specific standards to evaluate one's actions. A man reflects
philosophically when he is able to build on previous actions, events, or decisions.
 First Paragraph
Introduce the topic and
show how it affected you.

How to
Second Paragraph
Write a Compare other experiences
Philosophical and opinions. Here you can
provide the philosophers'
Reflection approaches to the topic.

Third Paragraph
You can switch to your
own opinion and its
argumentation.
 Next Topic

KNOWING THE
TRUTH
Presentation by: Tristan Russell T. Arcangel