Senior High School

Introduction to
the Philosophy of
the Human
Person
Quarter 1. Week 1-2

Doing Philosophy
 I What I need to know?
What makes a question philosophical? Why are there many contrasting views in philosophy? How
can philosophy be useful in my life as a student?
This lesson will introduce philosophy as a discipline. The learners will be able to understand the
meaning and process of doing Philosophy.

At the end of the lessons the learners should be able to:

1. Distinguish a holistic perspective from a partial point of view.
2. Realize the value of doing Philosophy in obtaining broad perspective on life
3. Do a philosophical reflection on a concrete situation from a holistic perspective.

I What is new?
Task 1. WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
Directions: On a sheet of paper, make a concept map that shows as many words as possible that you
think are associated with Philosophy.

Phil
osoph
y
D What I know?

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Pre- Test: MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Direction: Select the letter of the correct answer from among the given choices.

1. Why is Greece considered as the birthplace of philosophy?

a. It was the center of religious activities.
b. It played a significant role in ancient trade.
c. It advocated for the life of reason and rational thought.
d. It led to the birth of democracy

2. How important is Pythagoras to philosophy?

a. He coined the word philosophy first c. He wrote the book Politics
b. He founded logic d. He was the first philosopher

3. Which of the following supports the idea that philosophy aims at developing good judgment?
a. The art of questioning c. First cause
b. Big picture d. love of wisdom

4. Tony is interested in the nature of reality and existence. Which branch of philosophy should he be
reading about?
a. Aesthetics c. Metaphysics
b. Epistemology d. Ethics

5. Aristotle’s line “the whole is more than the sum of its parts” suggests
a. Parts are all interrelated c. Partial thinking is better than holistic
b. Only one factor matters d. Reflection is vital to man’s life

6. Ethics is a branch of philosophy which deals with correct judgment. Which scenario depicts this?
a. The President corrupted 1 million pesos
b. Amanda lied to her parents
c. A boy returned lost wallet
d. John did not study for his exam

7. What is the meaning of the ancient Greek word Sophia?

a. Question c. Love
b. Wisdom d. Reflection

8. When Filipinos celebrate fiestas for the sake of religion, this is an example of__________.
a. Partial thinking c. Reflection
b. Holistic thinking d. Holism

9. Why philosophy is considered the science of first causes?

a. It studies wisdom c. It promotes good life
b. It searches for meaning d. It seeks to know the very source

10. Which type of thinking advocates looking at the “big picture” when analyzing a situation or a
circumstance?
a. Philosophy c. Holistic thinking
b. Aesthetic d. Logic

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11. Which of the following is not a benefit of reflective practice?
a. It paves for personal development
b. It helps in making informed decisions
c. It teaches us about rash judgment
d. It gives meaning to experience
12. Who was the renowned philosopher in ancient Greek who was considered as the Father of Philosophy
a. Pythagoras c. Anaximander
b. Thales d. Anaximenes
13. What is the message of Socrates’ line “the unexamined life is not worth living?”
a. We should analyze our actions c. God created the universe
b. Love leads the way d. Truth will prevail
14. Which does the Greek word philo mean?
a. Love c. Philosophy
b. Wisdom d. Existence
15. The line “beauty is skin deep” belongs to which branch of philosophy?
a. Aesthetics c. Epistemology
b. Logic d. Metaphysics

What is in?
D
Task 2: VOCABULARY OVERLOAD
Direction: Match the words in column A with its definition in column B.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. Philosophy a. studies the process of attaining knowledge.
2. epistemology b. the branch of philosophy that deals with the examination of
existence
3. metaphysics c. a branch of philosophy dealing with correct judgment

4. ethics d. understand reality and answer fundamental questions

concerning knowledge, life, morality, and human nature

5. aesthetics e. view of taking all things as part of a system

6. partial perspective f. branch of philosophy that delves into art
7. holistic perspective g. focusing on one factor in analyzing a situation or a problem
to understand it
8. secondary h. is a science that deals with the formal principles of reason.
reflection
9. logic i. It is concerned with definitions, essences and technical
solutions to problems.
10. Primary reflection j. a transcendence of knowledge through reflection on
experience

Task 3: WHO AM I?

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 Directions: Identify each of the following Philosophers and their contribution to Philosophy
1 _________ 2 ____________ 3____________ 4 __________ 5 ____________

Lesson 1: The Nature of Philosophy

D What is it?
Philosophy is considered as the mother discipline out of which other sciences emerge. What makes
philosophy unique or different from the other disciplines?

Philosophy began through wonder.

It all begins with a feeling of curiosity or doubt. When you want to know a certain truth, even
before you do investigations, it is always natural for a human being to wonder.
Wondering is the primary action when we seek answers to a lot of questions.

Around 650 B.C. a man named Thales of Miletus started to diverge from the
mythological tradition and sought to answer question like “What is the underlying substance
that reality is made of? And for him that underlying substance that reality is made of is
Thales water. Thales was considered as the Father of Western Philosophy. He was already doing
philosophy before the term philosophia is used. (Sioco and Vinzons, 2016)

Pythagoras, a Greek mathematician, was the first one to use this term
to classify three classes of people who attended the ancient Olympic Games
as lovers of gain, lovers of honor: and lovers of knowledge or wisdom
(Caraan 2016, 2). He favored the third class for not being driven by profit
nor honor. Instead, they sought ways to arrive at the truth. He then called
these people as philosophers. Among the ancient Greeks, philosophers
became pioneers in history, biology, medicine, mathematics, astronomy,
and even physics.
Pythagoras

What is Philosophy?

The word philosophy comes from two Greek words: philos (love) and sophia (wisdom). Literally, the
term "philosophy" means, "love of wisdom." In a broad sense, philosophy is an activity people

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undertake when they seek to understand fundamental truths about themselves, the world in which
they live, and their relationships to the world and to each other. As an academic discipline philosophy is
much the same. Those who study philosophy are perpetually engaged in asking, answering, and arguing
for their answers to life most basic questions. To make such a pursuit more systematic academic
philosophy is traditionally divided into major areas of study. (https://philosophy.fsu.edu/)
a. Metaphysics
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that deals with the examination of existence (Landauer
and Rowlands 2001, para. 1). It answers queries like “What is the meaning of life? What is the purpose
of life? Does God exist?”.
b. Epistemology
Epistemology studies the process of attaining knowledge. It answers the question, ‘How do we
know?”. Among the biggest concerns of epistemology are the origin and the verification or the
confirmation of knowledge. It is also concerned with how the human person’s mind is associated with
reality; and whether these relationships are valid or invalid (Landauer and Rowlands 2001, para. 1).
c. Ethics
Ethics is a branch of philosophy dealing with correct judgment. It answers the question, “What I
ought to do?” It is the study of right or wrong in human actions (Landauer and Rowlands 2001, para. 1).
It is concerned about human conduct. It deals with norms or standards of right and wrong applicable to
human behavior.
d. Aesthetics
Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy that delves into art (Landauer and Rowlands 2001, para. 1). The
study includes what art is and the purpose behind it . The philosopher is concerned with the analysis of
aesthetic experience and the idea of what is beautiful. It attempts to answer questions like “is art
subjective?

Philosophy as a body of knowledge provides methodologies and insights on how societal questions
can be answered. On the other hand, philosophy as an intellectual activity is an analytic procedure in
addressing individual thought processes. Philosophy in life is important because it serve as a guiding
principle on how one ought to live life.

Task 4. THE FRUITS OF THE BRANCHES

Direction: Let us focus on the four main branches of Philosophy and begin to wonder. List down
three specific questions that you want to ask and know that each branch could answer.

Metaphysics Epistemology Ethics Aesthetics

Great Job! That is how Philosophy started. It began through wonder-questions that need to be
answered. Do you think you can get one specific answer to each question if you are going to ask the
philosophers?

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 Let us continue and find out.

Lesson 1.1: The Process of Doing Philosophy

As what Roque Ferriols, a Filipino philosopher said, “Like all activities, philosophizing is something
which is easier to do than to define”. To truly understand what philosophy is, we must allow ourselves to
experience it. (Corpuz,et.al, 2016)

Going back to Task 3, if you are going to ask the philosophers about the questions
that you have in mind, you probably get various answers from different philosophers,
because they have different way of thinking and point of view.
The Milesians triumvirate: Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes as example.
They are also called Monist-believing in one element. Thales believed that the primary
substance in reality is water for it can be changed to solid and liquid.
Anaximander It was being opposed by his student, Anaximander who said that fundamental
substance of reality is the apeiron (infinite) because everything is ageless and eternal.

Anaximenes on the other hand, who was the student of Anaximander claimed
that the fundamental substance must be air which holds our souls together and
encompasses all the worlds.

These pre-Socratic philosophers are all considered as Hylozoist; someone whose

doctrine lies in a concept of life in all matters. From Thales up to Leucippus and
Democritus, they all focus on this kind of philosophical argument – providing the Anaximenes
fundamental substance of reality Here is the list of pre-Socratic philosophers who
contributed significant theories about the fundamental substance of reality:
PHILOSOPHERS FUNDAMENTAL SUBSTANCE OF REALITY
Thales Water
Anaximander Apeiron/infinite
Anaximenes Air
Pythagoras Number- all are calculated
Heraclitus Change
Parmenides Being
Empedocles Earth, air. Fire. Water
Anaxagoras No single element- infinitely divisible
Zeno of Elea All beings are interconnected- dialectics
Leucippus and Democritus Atoms
In the process of doing Philosophy it is critical to have a holistic point of view- the perception of looking
at all aspects of a situation first before making a conclusion. Some other skills involved in doing philosophy
are critical, logical, analytical thinking, observation, and communication skills. (Gibuena, 2018)

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 HOLISTIC POINT OF VIEW
 Looks at all aspects of the given
problem or situation
 All aspects are given importance
when making conclusions
 All aspects are tied in together to
form a general overview of the
problem or situation
PARTIAL POINT OF VIEW
 Looks at only a limited number of aspects of the
given problem or situation
 Conclusions are made based on considering some,
but not all, sides of the problem or situation

TASK 5. PARTIAL OR HOLISTIC

Directions: Analyze each situation. Identify which situation is on Partial point of view and which is on
Holistic point of view.

_______________1. Tina saw her sister-in-law, walking inside the mall with a guy she did not even know.
She angrily tells this to his brother and accuse her of cheating.
_______________2. Ms. Lopez called the parents of Lisa and Hanna to talk about the arguments between
the two girls that happened during the recess.
_______________3. Upon seeing the suspicious man who was handling a blooded knife, the policemen
decided to arrest the man at once.
_______________4. The judge called for the presence of the victim and the accused to exhibit their
evidences about the crime.
________________5. Ms. Corpuz scolded her student Johnmark for sleeping during her class without
asking him anything.

Lesson 1.2: The Value of Doing Philosophy

Why do we philosophize? We all have the potential to philosophize since we have the tendency to
wonder and doubt. A philosopher is a good communicator who can clearly and adequately present his or
her ideas.
Doing philosophy can be applied in day-to-day activities and life perspectives. Because it involves an
evaluative process, doing philosophy allows a person to make better decisions and act accordingly to
situations with the help of various philosophical skills.
On life perspectives, philosophy enables reflective thinking which greatly influences a person’s view
of life, challenges, and relationships In doing philosophy, a holistic perspective on the subject is always
required. Failure to do so or only using a partial point of view may lead to illogical or incorrect conclusions.

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Importance of doing philosophy
1. Allows a person to make better decision and act accordingly to situations with the help of various
philosophical skills.
2. Philosophy enables reflective thinking which greatly influences a person’s view of life, challenges,
and relationships.
3. Wisdom is gained when philosophy is applied to formulate a conclusion about a certain concern.
4. Philosophy enables a person to engage in critical analysis and interpretation of concepts definitions,
arguments, and problems.
5. Philosophy also improves problem-solving and decision making.
6. A philosopher is a wise communicator who can clear and adequately present his or her idea
7. Finally, knowledge of philosophy can contribute to self-development

Approaches in Doing Philosophy

Analytical approach in philosophy would mean a lot of things. To simply define this, we need to
understand the concept of Charlie Dunbar Broad from his article entitled The Main tasks of Philosophy –
that analytical philosophy is all about the analysis and definition of our fundamental concepts and
consequently to clear the resolute criticism of our beliefs. In short, it is an approach that focuses on the
matters of logic – the act of analyzing statements/arguments that are coherently true.

Speculative approach in philosophy is just a mere counterpart of the first approach. If we

philosophize in an analytic manner, we care about the rational proof of a certain statement. In contrast,
according to Vinzons, speculative philosophy is all about trying to “find an underlying explanation or
general principle that could explain reality in its entirety.” And same is true with Broad’s idea of this
approach which simply tells us that it aims to produce a general conclusion of a certain concept. In short,
from the word itself – speculative – it’s all about giving speculations to arrive at a certain conclusion.

Task 6. LET US DO PHILOSOPHY

Directions:
A.Choose a topic from the given issues. List down 3 questions about this topic. Collect details presented by
different media: radio, television, newspaper, internet, and family member that will answer your 3
questions. Analyze and compare the details that you gathered.

Topics to choose
1. The spread of CoVid -19 in the Philippines
2. ABS-CBN shutdown
3. Implementation of online classes in the New Normal
4. Corruption in the office of Philhealth
5. Increase of Unemployment rate

Topic:___________________________________________

Questions Radio Television Newspaper Internet Family

Members
1.
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2.
3.

B. Process Questions:
1. Does searching through different media help you on discovering the right information about your
topic? How?
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. Are the details reliable or not? How sure are you that the information given to you is true?
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. Have you obtained a broader perspective on life while doing philosophy? How?
_________________________________________________________________________________
4. What approach in philosophy did you apply in obtaining the answers? Explain your answer.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 1.3 Philosophical Reflection

In doing Philosophy, one need to master an important skill. This is Philosophical reflection. The
French Philosopher Gabriel Marcel (1889-1973) shares that philosophical questioning begins with a
metaphysical unease. Gabriel Marcel also talked about reflection as necessary to human life because
human life has always had its center outside itself, especially on a wide and diverse range of outside
interests, for instance, it may be centered on a loved one, a sport, a vice like gambling, or even a crime like
armed robbery and so on. Reflection is therefore, part of life or at least, one of the ways in which life
manifests it. It may also be seen as one of the ways in which life could rise from one level to another.

By primary reflection or first reflection, he meant a given stage in the human

life, whereby man exercises upon his environment the faculty of reason. This includes
analysis, in which the mind acts upon the given situation in order to make it
conceptually intelligible. This activity is the one we ordinarily refer to as reasoning. In
this reflection, man becomes aware that the world he perceives is different from his
interior world that the outer world seems to exist objectively.

Gabriel Marcel 9
 Secondary reflection is forced to recognize that our primary assumption must be called in question
and that sensation, as such should certainly not be conceived on the secondary reflection that has made
possible in human existence, considerable use of sensations, commitment, participation and
contemplation. In secondary reflection, man has left the lonely and the constricting domain of existence
and entered the realm of being.

Marcel therefore, insists that ours is a being whose essence is to be in every way involved. For
instance, I am not distinct from my body as a participating agent in the world and that perception is not
awareness of inner data, but active reception of the world, a power of opening oneself to it.

In the process of doing philosophy, it is critical to have a holistic point of view-the perception of
looking at all aspects of a situation first before making a conclusion. (Secondary reflection= Philosophical
reflection)

Wisdom as it refers to a person’s ability to apply knowledge to daily life particularly in making
sound choices and judgment is the intended product of philosophizing.
Examples of activities that emanated from a deliberate reflection
 Learning from your previous mistakes and not repeating them
again
 Evaluating and knowing the best choice from a set of options
 Gaining a holistic point of view first before making any conclusion

Task 7: REFLECT HOLISTICALLY

Directions: Suppose that each given situation will come to your life and you need to decide philosophically
on what do before each action. Reflect holistically and write your answer.

Actions What must be done before the action?

1. Buying a new gadget
2. Choosing friends
3. Eating food
4. Deciding where to study in College
5. Joining an organization in school
6. Helping a stranger
7. Going out with friends
8. Posting your opinion or feelings in the
social media
9. Going out with the opposite sex
10. Confronting a person who verbally
Task 8: EXPRESS YOUR VIEWS
Directions: Given are some quotations from our famous philosophers. Explain the meaning of these quotes
based on your own perspective.
1. “The unexamined life is not worth living.”- Socrates
2. “One cannot step twice in the same river” – Heraclitus
3. “Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say
something.” ― Plato
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 A What I have learned?
Task 9. DEFINE!
Directions: Define each word using the concepts that you have learned from the lessons.
1. Philosophy- _________________________________________________________
2. Holistic Perspective__________________________________________________
3. Partial Point of View_________________________________________________
4. Philosophical Reflection_____________________________________________
5. Primary Reflection___________________________________________________
6. Secondary Reflection________________________________________________
7. Ethics_____________________________________________________________
8. Arsthetics___________________________________________________________
9. Metaphysics________________________________________________________
10. Epistemology__________________________________________________

REFLECTION:
I have learned that philosophy is
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Based on what I learned about holistic and partial point of view , I intend to
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
What I value most with doing philosophy is that
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

A What I can achieve?

Post- Test: MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Direction: Select the letter of the correct answer from among the given choices.
1. Why is Greece considered as the birthplace of philosophy?
a. It was the center of religious activities.
b. It played a significant role in ancient trade.
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 c. It advocated for the life of reason and rational thought.
d. It led to the birth of democracy
2. How important is Pythagoras to philosophy?
a. He coined the word philosophy first c. He wrote the book Politics
b. He founded logic d. He was the first philosopher
3. Which of the following supports the idea that philosophy aims at developing good judgment?
a. The art of questioning c. First cause
b. Big picture d. love of wisdom
4. Tony is interested in the nature of reality and existence. Which branch of philosophy should he be
reading about?
a. Aesthetics b. Epistemology c. Metaphysics d. Ethics
5. Aristotle’s line “the whole is more than the sum of its parts” suggests
a. Parts are all interrelated c. Partial thinking is better than holistic
b. Only one factor matters d. Reflection is vital to man’s life
6. Ethics is a branch of philosophy which deals with correct judgment. Which scenario depicts this?
a. The President corrupted 1 million pesos
b. Amanda lied to her parents
c. A boy returned lost wallet
d. John did not study for his exam
7. What is the meaning of the ancient Greek word Sophia?
a. Question c. Love
b. Wisdom d. Reflection
8. When Filipinos celebrate fiestas for the sake of religion, this is an example of__________.
a. Partial thinking c. Reflection
b. Holistic thinking d. Holism
9. Why philosophy is considered the science of first causes?
a. It studies wisdom c. It promotes good life
b. It searches for meaning d. It seeks to know the very source
10. Which type of thinking advocates looking at the “big picture” when analyzing a situation or a
circumstance?
a. Philosophy c. Holistic thinking
b. Aesthetic d. Logic
11. Which of the following is not a benefit of reflective practice?
a. It paves for personal development
b. It helps in making informed decisions
c. It teaches us about rash judgment
d. It gives meaning to experience
12. Who was the renowned philosopher in ancient Greek who was considered as the Father of Philosophy?
a. Pythagoras c. Anaximander
b. Thales d. Anaximenes

13. What is the message of Socrates’ line “the unexamined life is not worth living?”
a. We should analyse our actions c. God created the universe
b. Love leads the way d. Truth will prevail
14. Which does the Greek word philo mean?
a. Love c. Philosophy
b. Wisdom d. Existence
15. The line “beauty is skin deep” belongs to which branch of philosophy?
a. Aesthetics c. Epistemology

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 b. Logic d. Metaphysics

References

Corpuz, Brenda B, et al (2016), Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Lorimar Publishing Inc.

Sioco, Maria Paula G., et al (2016), Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person, Vibal Group Inc.

Ramos, Christine Carmela R., PhD (2016) Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person , Rex Book
Store

Activity Sheets (2016) Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person, Department of Education

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