CORE122 – Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

Content 1: Doing Philosophy

1st Semester, SY 2020-2021

Handout no. 1

Essential Topic: Partial Perspective vs. Holistic Perspective

Holistic vs. Partial

● Partial view
○ Seeing reality or a certain phenomenon based on a single factor or causal agency
(Nazareno and Tagulao, 2019, p.19).
○ A perspective based on one of the component parts of a whole (Nazareno and Tagulao,
2019, p.19).
○ Biased, narrow, limited/focused.
● Holistic view
○ Holds that the significance of parts can only be understood in terms of their contribution
to the significance of the whole and the latter must therefore be epistemologically prior
(Nazareno and Tagulao, 2019, p.19).
○ Allows inquirers to examine the importance of various relationships whether a particular
system and eventually conceptualizing aches and patterns so as to create a hypothesis or
theory in understanding a certain phenomenon (Nazareno and Tagulao, 2019, p.19).
○ “Unbiased,” open (to new ideas/perspectives), integrated.
Philosophy
● Etymologically, the word came from the two greek words: philos (love) and sophia
(wisdom)––“love of wisdom” (Magbanua, 2017, p. 3).
● May refer to (1) ideas, views, principles, perspectives, or beliefs; (2) the activity of correct
reasoning; and (3) an academic field of study (Mabaquiao, 2017, p. 10).
● Eventually, the term is now being used to describe the intellectual activity that searches for the
truth of everything.
● Does not only answer the big questions but also examines them.
● Integrative of experience (Dy, 2001)
● Searches for meaning and value (Dy, 2001)
● Teaches not “what to think about” but “how to think.”
● Main tools: reflection and reasoning
● In understanding philosophy, it is important to understand its history and context.
○ Ancient
■ Main approach: cosmocentric- seeing the human person as microcosm, a part of
nature and a child of the universe (Joven and Perez, 2018, p. 7).
■ Sample questions: What is the primordial/basic stuff? or What is the source of
everything? How to live a meaningful life?
■ Famous philosophers: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle
○ Medieval
■ Main approach: theocentric- seeing the human person as a creature of God, and
as such still a part of the nature of His creation (Joven and Perez, 2018, p.7).
■ Sample questions: What is the good? What is the beautiful? What is the nature of
God?
■ Famous philosophers: Augustine, Aquinas
○ Modern
■ Main approach: anthropocentric- seeing the human person as neither part of
nature or God but an existent intellectual subject (Joven & Perez, 2018, p. 7).
■ Sample questions: What is man? How is the relationship between immaterial
mind and material body possible? How is knowledge possible? What are the
limits of knowledge?
■ Famous philosophers: Locke, Hume, Kant
○ Contemporary
■ Approach: Varies- Contemporary philosophy is no longer seen as something
separate from, and sealed off from, other disciplines (Searle, 2003, p.12)

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CORE122 – Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
Content 1: Doing Philosophy
1st Semester, SY 2020-2021

● Existential- seeing the human person as an existent subject, i.e., a

thinking and liberated being whose search is only for the meaning of life
(Joven and Perez, 2018, p.7).
● Phenomenology- seeing the human person as a subject, a pure
consciousness (Joven and Perez, 2018, p. 7).
● Analytic philosophy
■ Sample questions: How to live a meaningful life? How is reason violent? What
are the limits of language? Does physicalism have more warrant than dualism?
■ Famous philosophers: Nieztsche, Sartre, Heidegger, Husserl, Foucault, Derrida,
Russel, Quine, Wittgenstein
● Famous branches of philosophy
○ Logic - concerned with correct thinking and argumentation (Nazareno and Tagulao, 2018,
p. 14).
○ Metaphysics - concerned with the nature of reality and being (Nazareno and Tagulao,
2019, p.13)
○ Epistemology - concerned with the nature and possibility of knowledge (Mabaquiao,
2017, p. 26)
○ Ethics - concerned as to how to achieve a good and meaningful life. It examines moral
judgments and acts (Mabaquiao, 2017, p. 26)
○ Aesthetics - concerned with the nature of beauty (Mabaquiao, 2017, p. 26)
● Other contemporary branches:
○ Philosophy of Science - concerned with distinguishing the scientific and nonscientific
statements and justifying the process of induction (Mabaquiao, 2017, p. 27)
○ Philosophy of Religion - concerned with the clarification of the meaning of religious
experiences (Mabaquiao, 2017, p. 27)
○ Philosophy of Language - concerned with determining the meaning of statements and
language (Mabaquiao, 2017, p. 27)
○ Philosophy of Mind - concerned with establishing whether the mind is physical or not,
identifying the properties of the mind, and determining the possibility of artificial
intelligence (Mabaquiao, 2017, p. 27)
Nature of philosophy
1. Philosophy integrates itself with other disciplines to achieve a comprehensive and
coherent worldview (Magbanua, 2017, p.5).
2. Philosophy analyzes the very foundations of other disciplines (Magbanua, 2017, p.5).
3. Philosophy analyzes and criticizes treasured beliefs and traditions (Magbanua, 2017, p.5).
Why does philosophy matter? (Mabaquiao, 2017, pp. 35-44)
● Criticisms
○ Philosophy does not provide definite answers
○ Philosophy is impractical
● Replies
○ Philosophy examines whether questions can be given definite answers
○ Philosophy primarily deals with the needs of the mind
● Some major achievements
1. Expands the boundaries of knowledge
2. Contributes to the development of other disciplines
3. Provide ethical guidelines for the use of technology
4. Contributes to social transformation
5. Provides holistic view of life

Short comment:
Some philosophers, who are not empirically informed, would usually concur that partiality is to
science whereas holistic view is to philosophy (See Dy, 2001). Such a belief implies that to have a
broader perspective, we must philosophize. They are not wrong. However, it becomes problematic when
we describe philosophizing in an exclusivist manner. If we limit the activity of doing philosophy into
what thinkers call ‘the true philosophical method,’ i.e., institutions and reflection are already sufficient in

Botor | ADNU HUMSS © 2020

CORE122 – Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
Content 1: Doing Philosophy
1st Semester, SY 2020-2021

knowing the truth, (P.S Churchland, 2003, and 2013) then the desire to achieve a holistic understanding of
reality becomes unattainable.
In the history of science and philosophy, we have seen that what seems to be obvious, guided by
our naive observations and reflections, is not necessarily true. Thus, for us to have a holistic view, we
must look at the aspect that we are investigating from a multi-disciplinary lens. Philosophy is noted to
have the tendency to integrate different theories of different fields of study (P.S. Churchland, 2003).
However, there are some philosophers who unfortunately forget this characteristic of philosophy. For
instance, there are still some proud philosophers, under the aegis of ignorance and arrogance, who claim
that in answering the ‘big questions,’ science should not meddle and vice versa (P.S. Churchland, 2007).
But again, to be stuck in the traditional or folk philosophy is itself an exclusivist stance. In other words,
for us to have a broader perspective on truth we must endeavor to be open to every discipline relevant to
the inquiry being addressed. We must allow philosophy to co-evolve with other disciplines as already
observed in philosophizing abroad because gone are the days where philosophy is considered as the
‘mother of all sciences.’

Any insights? (Answer this through Schoology. Password: s0ph!a)

References

Churchland, P. S. (2002). Brain-wise: Studies in Neurophilosophy. Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute

of Technology.
Churchland, P. S. (2007). Neurophilosophy: the early years and new directions. Functional Neurology,
1-11.
Churchland, P. S. (2013). Touching a Nerve: The Self as the Brain. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Critchley, S. (2010). What is a Philosopher?. The New York Times. Retrieved from
https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/what-is-a-philosopher/
Dy, M. (2001). Philosophy of Man: Selected readings. Makati: Goodwill Trading Co., Inc.
Magbanua, N. (2017). Foundations of Philosophy. Quezon City: Brilliant Creations Publishing, Inc.
Joven, J. and Perez, R. (2018). Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person. Mandaluyong City:
Books atbp. Publishing Corp.
Nazareno, I. and Tagulao, M. (2018). Philosophy of the Human Person. Manila: Mindshapers Co., Inc.
Mabaquiao, N. (2017). Making life worth living: An introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person.
Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.

Botor | ADNU HUMSS © 2020

CORE122 – Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
Content 1: Doing Philosophy
1st Semester, SY 2020-2021

Bunnin, N. & Tsui-James, E.P. (Ed(s).). (2003). The Blackwell Companion to Philosophy (2nd ed.).
Oxford: Blackwell Publishing

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