Unit Test Reviewer
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
Module 1: Doing Philosophy
Lesson: Holistic Perspective
Date: September 12, 2021
Topic
The Nature of Holism: Meaning
The Nature of Holism: Development
Application of Holism: Sciences
Application of Holism: Social Sciences
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Description
Etymological Meaning:
 Derived from the Greek word holos meaning all, whole, or entire
True Meaning:
 The whole system determines the importance and nature of its components.
 The nature of a certain science can’t be explained by its parts alone.
 Aristotle – he was already thinking in a holistic manner even before the term was coined; in
his metaphysics, he said that “the sum is greater than its parts”
 Baruch de Spinoza – 15th century, strengthened holism in the mystical dimension of wester
philosophy and sociology
 General Jan Christian Smuts – 4th prime minister of South Africa; he was the first to coin the
term “holism”. According to him, there is a tendency in nature to form wholes that are greater
than the sums of the parts through creative evolution.
Agriculture – Principles of Permaculture
 Permaculture centers on “whole systems thinking”, utilizing the patterns and resilient
features observed in natural ecosystems
Physics – Holomovement
 According to David Bohm, “ultimately, the entire universe … has to be understood as a
single undivided whole”
 Moment to moment, the cosmos flickers between the implicate and explicate order –
enfolding the present to the implicate order and unfolding the next moment to the
explicate order in a rapid moment of undivided wholeness.
 Undivided wholeness: The abstraction of the parts is from the whole
Ecology – Holistic Ecological community
 An ecosystem wherein the species in the community are interdependent on keeping the
balance of the system.
 Co-existence is likely to be found in this system
Sociology – Polis
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Holistic Perspective versus Partial Perspective
Wrap-up
 Polis was established by the Greeks to demonstrate their principle on holistic society
where the individual found identity in the whole society
Anthropology – Holistic Anthropology
 All human aspects and his activities are analyzed in understanding culture
Psychology – Gestalt Therapy
 A holistic approach that stresses individual responsibility and awareness of present
psychological and physical needs.
 Any doctrine that views the whole using the lens of a part is seen as a partial view and is
rejected in holism
 Holism establishes the doctrine that the nature of the parts is seen in the lens of the whole
system
 Partial views include:
1. Reductionism – the whole can be explained by a single constituent part
2. Vitalism/ individualism – the whole can be understood in terms of a single living element
3. Mechanism – the whole can be conceived in terms of a single physical element
 The Holistic perspective considers the interdependence of the components of the system –
viewing each component through the lens of the whole system
 The Partial perspective limits itself to a specific factor or part to understand a system.
 The principle of holism can be applied to everyday life by simply being open minded and
developing a holistic perspective which in turn leads to wisdom.
 Holism is looking at the component parts in the lens of the whole.
 Holistic concept is applied in most fields of different systems.
 One of the ways to gain wisdom is to have a holistic perspective which can be achieved
through open mindedness.

Lesson: Broadening Perspective

Date: September 27, 2021
Topic Description

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Eastern (Oriental) and Western
(Occidental) Philosophy: 3
Attitudinal Imperatives
Schools of Philosophy – Eastern
Philosophy
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Intro
- It is important to have a broad perspective for it gives higher order thinking skills which lead to
wisdom.
- To broaden one’s perspective, they need to be open minded to different but essential views and lean
from significant philosophical thoughts.
- Philosophy is mainly categorized into eastern (oriental) and western (occidental) philosophy.
Pattern of Life and Death
- Western: Linear – Birth is the beginning and Death is the end
- Eastern: Circular – Death is linked to birth in a cycle; illustrated by Samsara or Reincarnation
Distinction of Philosophy and Religion
- Eastern: No rigorous distinction between religion and philosophy; philosophical thoughts become
religious doctrines and rituals. Religion is philosophy and philosophy is religion, i.e. Buddhism
which serves as philosophical teachings and religious tenets at the same time.
- Western: There exist a rigorous distinction between religion and philosophy; philosophers tried to
explain things using reason instead of allowing myths explain things.
Acceptance of the validity of intuition and mysticism
- Eastern: When logic can no longer explain things, they resort to intuition; they are inclined to
mysticism and superconciousness. These are reflected through the practice of meditation and
yoga.
- Western: When logic can no longer explain things, they resort to theories and speculation; they
reject mysticism and lean to logical thinking.
Buddhism
- Siddhartha Gautama
- Becoming the buddha means becoming enlightened.
- Basic Tenets
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 1. Three Marks of Existence
a. Annica – Impermanence; Everything that exists lacks continuity – nothing ever lasts
b. Annatta – No self or soul; there is no substance in humans that can be called the soul – the
individual is compounded into five factors: physical forms, ideation, feelings, mental forms,
and consciousness.
c. Dukkha – Suffering; suffering exists to assail us – to exist is to suffer
2. Four Noble Truths
a. Dukkha – suffering exists; the realization that suffering does exist, there is an unpleasant
and dark side to life, few of which are pain, sickness, hunger, poverty, death, greed, anger,
frustration, hate, jealousy, and disappointment.
b. Samudaya – selfish desire causes suffering; the realization that there is a cause for
suffering: selfish desire like fame, wealth, power, fame, etc.
c. Nirohdha – suffering ends when selfish desire ended; utmost liberation called nirvana can
be achieved by ending cravings and wants.
d. Magga – following the noble eightfold path ends selfish desire as such suffering ends.
3. Eightfold Paths and the Middle Way
a. Panna (Wisdom)
i. Samma Dithi: right understanding – understanding the noble essence of the four noble
truths, seeing it from an angle of truth
ii. Samma sanskappa: Right thought – channeling the mind in the right direction, ensuring
it yearns for true enlightenment
b. Sila (Morals and Virtue)
i. Samma Vacca: Right speech – let your words instill peace, love, and harmony; do not
lie, gossip, and say harmful thoughts
ii. Samma Kammanta: Right conduct – good deeds following the five Buddhist percepts:
do not kill, lie, steal, misuse sex, or drink alcohol.
iii.Samma Ajiva: Right Livelihood – earn and support yourself honestly, do not step on
another being’s toes while earning a living, including animals.
c. Samadhi (Focus and Meditation)
i. Samma Vayama: Right effort – channeling one’s energy towards the promotion of good
thoughts and not feeding and growing bad thoughts.
ii. Samma Sati: Right mindfulness – becoming aware of the body, mind, and feelings;
feeding it with positive energy and attributes.
iii. Samma Samadhi: Right Concentration – steadies the mind’s focus toward good and
positive attributes, includes the four stages of deeper concentration.
- Teachings on Human Nature

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  Nothing is permanent about reality
 Man is not a substance, there is no self (anatma)
 Man is a becoming or an event, this realization leads to compassion, the most important
Buddhist virtue.
Confucianism
- Confucius, 6th century BC
- Basic Tenets
1. Analects (Lunyu) – Confucius’ sayings
 revealed his personality, ambitions, fears, joys, commitments, and knowledge
2. Five Classics (Wujing) – Can be described in terms of five visions
a. Yijing (Metaphysical Vision) – Classic of changes; explains the cosmos as a great
transformation of opposing yet complementary forces – the yin and yang.
b. Shujing (Political Vision) – Classic of History; presents the ethical foundation for a
humane government in which politics means moral persuasion – the government must not
only provide and maintain order, but also educate.
c. Shijing (Poetic Vision) – Classic of Poetry; confusian valuation of common human feelings
– the basic theme is mutual responsiveness
d. Liji (Social Vision) – Record of Rites; shows society as a community of trust with an
emphasis on communication – each person is obligated to recognize the existence of
others and to serve the public good.
e. Chunqui (Historical Vision) - Spring and Autumn Annals; emphasizes the significance of
collective memory for communal self-identification.
- Tenets on Human nature
 Confucianism conditions man to be a gentleman or simply a man of virtue. Whose basic virtues
are humility, sincerity, graciousness, magnanimity, and diligence.
 The nature of a gentleman as a superior man is a man at his best and is a portrayer of authentic
manhood.

Taoism
- Laozi or Lao Tze
- Compiled in the Tao Te Ching
 “Tao” – “Way”
 Natural order and progression of the universe
 Unified, ternal, and indescribable
 Describes nature as the interaction of two opposite but complementary forces.
 Its goal is to harmonize oneself with the Tao, and therefore with nature, and the universe.

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Schools of Philosophy – Western
Philosophy
- Tenets on Human Nature
 The human nature is aligned with nature, which invites harmony, balance, and order.
 Man has a tendency to deviate from natural order which invites destruction
 The purpose of self-cultivation is to return to a mode of existence that is natural.
 Views illness as the lack of alignment or harmony within the body.
 An imbalance of yin and yang within the body prevents chi (life energy) from flowing freely
which causes pain and physical illness – the use of acupuncture adjusts chi as it moves through
the meridians of the body.
 The concepts of natural flow is applied in encouraging appropriate behavior through
modelling.
Naturalism
- John Dewey, Earnest Nagel, Sidney Hook, and Roy Wood Sellars
- Tenets
 The ultimate reality is nature or matter, not mind or spirit.
 Nature is inherent, self-sufficient, self-determined, and governed by its own laws.
 Naturalists have regard for actual facts, actual situations, and realities.
- Tenets on Human nature
 Man is inherently good
 Man is born natural
 Man’s instincts are responsible for all one’s activities (biological, psychological, or social)
 Values of life are created by the human needs.
 Man must submit himself to the laws of nature.

Idealism
- Plato, Rene Descartes, Benedict Spinoza, Gottfried Leibniz, Immanuel Kant, George Berkele, and
G. W. F. Hegel
- Tenets
 The ultimate reality is spiritual or mental.
 Reality can be found in man’s mind rather that in material nature
 Ideas are more important than objects since they are eternal and unchanging
 Considers two forms of the world – the material and the spiritual.
 The spiritual world is real and the ultimate truth
 The material world is transitory and mortal
 The material world is destructive, while the spiritual world is a world of ideas, feelings,

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 and ideals.
 Only the spiritual world is the essence of reality, which is undying, immortal, and true.
 Essential unity is implicit in all diversities.
 The “spiritual” is the implicit unifying factor and may be called Universal
Consciousness or Divinity who is ‘God’.
- Tenets on Human Nature
 Man is spiritual
 Supreme Creation
 Endowed with higher intellectual powers and shows greater levels of intelligence
 Man can mold their surroundings and circumstances
 The prime aim of life
 Achieve Spiritual values, namely truth, beauty, and goodness.
 The realization of these values is the realization of God.
 Divine
 To attain these values, man must harness his knowing, feeling, and willing capacity
thereby realizing the ultimate true self – divine.

Pragmatism
- Pragmatists: Charles Sanders Peirce and William James
- Tenets
 Idea is dependent to the outcome
 Ideas and things are all best viewed in terms of their practical uses and successes.
 Utility is the test of all truth and reality
 An idea is considered as a plan of action and is validated in its practical results.
- Tenets on Human Nature
 Pragmatists consider man as wholistic and constantly interacts which forms one’s experience.
 Pragmatists consider man as inherently creative and constructive.
 Man is an active participant in one’s world therefore man’s intrinsic need of creativity and
activity should be satisfied through application or action.
Filipino Consciousness and Loob
Philosophy - Filipino philosophy of Humanity
 Holistic
 Puts one in touch with other other beings
 Makes Filipino values interpersonal (Kagandahang loob, Kabutihang loob, kalooban)
 Interior

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Lesson: Philosophical Reflection
Date: October 4, 2021
Topic
Philosophical reflection and
broadening one’s perspective
Tips in Writing a Good
Philosophical Reflection
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 Innate goodness (kagandahang loob)
 Internal code and sanction
 Holistic from the interior dimension under the principle of harmony.
Gulong ng Palad
- Filipino philosophy of Time
 Downtrend – makes the Filipino hopeful and resilient
 Uptrend – makes the Filipino humble
- Illustrates life itself as a series of ups and downs – hopeful and humble.
Bahala na
- Filipino philosophy on Faith
 Originates from the word Bathala which means Supreme Being
 Filipino personalistic view of the world view
 In life, one has to reckon not only with nature and human nature but also with cosmic origin
 Literally means “leaving it all to God”
 Puts trust in the Divine Providence
 Does not mean “come what may” because it is perceived as courage to take risks.
Description
- Philosophical reflection calls for the critical examination of all views about a situation.
- Holistic viewing or approach is required because it does not only observe one’s action, but it
also puts into light the impact of said action.
- Philosophical reflection helps an individual in developing a holistic perspective.
- Organize: Prepare an outline of your thoughts, points, and ideas you might want to argue or
explore.
- Write Simply: Be simple and straightforward; avoid writing in a profound and obscure
manner.
- Be clear: Use common vocabularies to express your thoughts.
- Be Human: Convey your ideas in a way that you believe, and you are convinced by them.
Share personal experiences about these ideas.
- Use Examples: Provide evidence and examples to strengthen your ideas and points.
- Argue your point: Establish your viewpoint by giving reasons – start by giving a statement
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 that your reader might already accept, then proceed with your statements that your reader
might not accept at all.
- Consider criticism: prepare for possible objections or alternatives to your point. Anticipate
some critics – it helps to have someone specific in mind who will respond to your views and
arguments with objections.
- Define your specialized terms: Define technical terms that are not common to the public.
Stick to the meanings you have defined.
- Use the History of Philosophy: Bring in the opinions and arguments of other philosophers to
strengthen you point. Acknowledge that you are doing so by citing or quoting their words.

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