SENIOR HIGH

SCHOOL

Introduction to Philosophy of
the Human Person

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 CO QAH + MELC LW

HANDOUT No. _1 _
Course Outline & Quality
Assured Handouts paired in Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
withMELC- Based Learner’s
Worksheet

MELC:
1. Distinguish a holistic perspective from a partial point of view
2. Realize the value of doing philosophy in obtaining a broad perspective on life
Semester: First (Q1) Week No.1 Day: 1 to 4
LESSON: The Meaning and Method of Doing Philosophy

The study of this subject is an initiation to the activity and process of philosophical reflection as a search
for a synoptic vision of life. At the end of the course, you should be able to reflect on their daily experiences
from a holistic point of view, acquire critical and analytical thinking skills and should be able to apply this
critical and analytical thinking skills to the affairs of daily life and become truthful, environment-friendly and
service-oriented. Actively committed to the development of a more humane society and articulate their own
philosophy of life.

TOPIC 1: Define Philosophy and Its Most Notable Greek Philosophers

The Meaning of Philosophy and Philosophy of the Human Person

The word philosophy comes from two Greek words: philos (love) and sophia (wisdom). The ancient
Greeks used this term to refer to “love of wisdom” and they soon applied it to the study or discipline that uses
human reason to investigate the ultimate causes, reasons, and principles which govern all things. People who
engage in philosophy are called philosophers or “lovers of wisdom.” Among the ancient Greeks, the
philosophers became pioneers in various fields of knowledge such as history, biology, medicine, mathematics,
astronomy, and even physics. It was quite common to hear of ancient philosophers who were “experts” in
various fields of meaning.
Philosophy, meaning "love of wisdom," is a science where reason and logic are used to understand
reality and answer questions of knowledge, morality, and human nature. It can be described as either a body of
knowledge or an intellectual activity.

Philosophy as a body of knowledge provides methodologies and insights on how societal questions,
such as moral dilemmas of euthanasia or same-sex marriage, can be answered.
On the other hand, philosophy as an intellectual activity is an analytic procedure of addressing
individual thought processes such as resolving conflict and confusion, testing positions, and analyzing beliefs.
In all instances, doing philosophy is prescribed by logic, reason, and ethics leading to wisdom.

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 Philosophy applied to human experience or everyday life denotes the use of philosophy as an intellectual
activity. Also known as philosophy in life, this concept is important because it serves as the guiding principle
on how one ought to live life.

The following are the most notable ancient Greek philosophers.

Pythagoras (570 BCE to 495 BCE) - A mathematician and scientist, he was credited with formulating the
Pythagorean theorem. His work earned him many followers, and he established a community of learners who
were devoted to the study of religion and philosophy.

Heraclitus (535 BCE to 475 BCE) - He proposed that everything that exists is based on a higher order or plan
which he called logos. For him, change is a permanent aspect of the human condition as he was
credited with the saying, “No man ever steps in the same river twice.”

Democritus (460 BCE to 370 BCE) - He devoted himself to the study of the causes of natural phenomena. He
was among the first to propose that matter is composed of tiny particles called atoms.

Diogenes of Sinope (412 BCE to 323 BCE) - He was a known advocate of living a simple and virtuous life.
For Diogenes, one should not only talk of virtue but should show it in words and actions. His
emphasis on austerity and simplicity often went to the extreme, and he was said to have lived like
a beggar. He was also known to be a vocal critic of well-known philosophers such as Plato and
Aristotle. His teachings and views were later developed by his followers and influenced the
development of several schools of philosophy such as Cynicism and Stoicism.

Epicurus (341 BCE to 270 BCE) - He believed that philosophy could enable man to live a life of happiness.
His views gave rise to Epicureanism – a school of philosophy which believes that wisdom and
simple living will result in a life free of fear and pain.

Socrates (470 BCE to 399 BCE) - He was considered the foremost philosopher of ancient times. He made
contributions to the field of ethics. He also believed that philosophy could enable a man to live a
life of virtue. He was credited with formulating the Socratic method – a means of examining a
topic by devising a series of questions that let the learner examine and analyze his knowledge and
views regarding the topic.

Plato (427 BCE to 347 BCE)- A student of Socrates, he wrote down his mentor’s teaching and incorporated
some of his own ideas into them. Plato’s most significant ideas included his Theory of Forms,
which proposes that everything that exist is based on an idea or template than can only be
perceived in the mind. Plato is also known for his dialectic - a method of inquiry where two
opposing ideas are discussed in an attempt to arrive at a new knowledge. Plato’s lasting
contribution to learning was his founding of the Academy, an institution of higher learning.

Aristotle (384 BCE to 322 BCE)- He attended the Academy, and was the prominent student of Plato. For him,
all ideas and views are based on perception and our reality is based on what we can sense and
perceive. This view greatly influenced the study of the physical sciences. He also proposed a
system for the classification of plants and animals. His studies in logic led to the formulation of a
formal process of analyzing reasoning which gave rise to deductive reasoning - the process by
which specific statements are analyzed to reach a conclusion or generalization.

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 TOPIC 2: The Difference between Holistic Perspective from a Partial Point of View

Holistic and Partial Points of View

Before engaging in philosophical inquiry, one must be able to distinguish between a holistic and partial point
of view. This is critical for anyone doing philosophy because it sets a limit in coming up with conclusions about
a given situation.

Holistic Point of View Partial 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.
Example: A teacher listens first to both stories
of her two arguing students before making
any conclusion about the issue.
• Looks at only a limited number of aspects
of the given problem or situation.
• Conclusion are made based on considering
some, but not all, sides of the problem or
situation.
Example: A teacher scolds Student A after Student
B accused him of stealing her pencil case.
However, the teacher only listened to the story of
Student B, not to Student A, before deciding to
scold the student.

• Holistic thinking refers to a perspective that considers large-scale patterns in systems. A

holistic perspective requires an individual to have an open mindset and ability to get the general
sense or impression regarding a situation.
• Partial thinking focuses on specific aspects of a situation. The partial view is an important
component of analytical thinking, as an individual focuses on certain areas or aspects of a problem
in order to understand it.

The term "holistic thinking" refers to a big picture mentality in which a person recognizes the
interconnectedness of various elements that form larger systems, patterns and objects. Thinking holistically is
the opposite of analyzing something, which involves breaking down a larger system into its details.

Holistic medicine is a prominent example of holistic thinking. A medical professional who believes in
holistic care considers the relationship between the mind, body and spirit. For example, holistic doctors don't
just provide patients with medications. Instead, they look at ways to improve life balance and eradicate health
problems from their root source, such as high stress or bad nutrition.

In philosophy, point of view describes the perception of an event or phenomenon and how exactly it is
viewed. Point of view often is shaped by an individual's beliefs or experiences. Though partial thinking is
useful, philosophy utilizes holistic thinking in making sense of problems and issues related to the human
experience.

People tend to apply an analytical perspective when looking at problems or situations. A holistic view
gives rise to a more appreciative perspective about life, as we are able to look at life in its totality.

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 TOPIC 3: The Value of Doing Philosophy in Obtaining a Broad Perspective on Life

Why is there a need for man to philosophize?

Philosophers have often wondered and argued about the role of philosophy in man’s life. One view is
that each one of us is a philosopher, whether or not we have studied philosophy. We all have the potential to
philosophize since we have the tendency to wonder and doubt.
The Greek Philosopher Plato traced man’s need to philosophize to his sense of wonder. Whenever we
are confronted with an experience, we always wonder how it came about. Man’s over-abounding curiosity
drives him to ask questions, some of which have no definite answers.

French philosopher Rene Descartes traced the need to philosophize to doubt. His method of
examining ideas and perspectives became the basis of critical thinking and analysis in the sciences. In the
sciences, there is a need to verify an information or explanation before it is accepted as truth. In life, we will
be faced with ideas and arguments which present themselves as “truths.” A critical and questioning perspective
is necessary in order to determine if indeed these ideas or views are correct or true.
Swiss-German philosopher Karl Jaspers saw the need to philosophize because of experience. Jaspers
called these experiences limit situations, and these are often accompanied by feelings of helplessness, anxiety,
or dread. For Jaspers, philosophy provides us a means to understand adverse or challenging conditions, and to
rise above them and gain new knowledge and perspectives.

Finally, the need to philosophize is driven by the love for wisdom. To love wisdom is to have an
insatiable desire for truth. A philosopher does not seek knowledge to claim ownership of it; and one who
engages in philosophy is not satisfied with figuring out the answer to a question. He seeks to continue to
question, to probe, and to discuss in order to get to the bottom of things. The philosopher who exemplified this
perspective was Socrates. By expanding our knowledge through philosophy, we begin to realize that learning
is unceasing - there is a lot more to experience in life. Socrates is also recognized for his motto: “The
unexamined life is not worth living.” And nowhere it is more appropriate to embark on philosophy than in an
examination of our own life.

The Value of Philosophy

➢ The value of philosophy is not measured by its ability of arriving at definitive answer, but in uncertainty
and in enabling a person to widen his or her perspectives to avoid dogmatism.
➢ Engaging in philosophy is contemplation, a reflective activity where you renounce who you are, your
beliefs, and your values. Holding on to your beliefs is closing yourself to the possibilities of other
perspectives.

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 Doing philosophy can be applied in day-to day activities and life perspectives. Because it involves an
evaluation 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.

The following are the branches of philosophy that deals with a particular aspect of life or phenomena.
Aesthetics is the branch of Philosophy which deals with beauty and what makes things “beautiful”.
Logic is branch of philosophy which deals with correct reasoning.
Epistemology discusses the nature of knowledge and knowing.
Ethics is the branch which deals with moral questions and dilemmas.
Political Philosophy studies governments and deals with questions of justice, power and the rights and
obligations of citizens.
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy which deals with questions regarding reality and existence.
Philosophy of the Human Person is not a branch of philosophy but an area in philosophy that understands the
human person from a philosophical perspective – integrating and synthesizing the different branches of
philosophy and other fields of study to know the truth about the human person.
Lastly, philosophy does not limit itself to its own field. Philosophy makes sense of information
gathered from various fields of knowledge (e.g., science, psychology, economics, politics, etc.) by
integrating ang synthesizing them to have a deeper and more complete understanding of reality.

REFERENCES
Abella, Roberto D. 2016. Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City: Vibal Group Inc.
Accessed July 19, 2021. https://study.com/cimages/videopreview/videopreview-full/big_picture_vs._detail-
oriented_thinking_183971.jpg.
Department of Education Curriculum and Instruction Strand. Most Essential Learning Competency with
Corresponding CG codes, 2020
DepEd Order No. 31 series 2020. Interim Guidelines for Assessment and Grading for the SY 2020-2021.
Gilbuena, Ariel. “Intro to the Philosophy of the Human Person Chapter 1 the Process O….” SlideShare
Android. Accessed July 19, 2021. https://www.slideshare.net/arielgilbuena7/intro-to-the-philosophy-
of-the-human-person-chapter-1-the-process-of-doing-philosophy.