INTRODUCTION TO

STEM 12 LABAS SHS | Ms. Ma. Fe Caranza | SEM 1 QTR 1 2022

PHILOSOPHY

M1: The Meaning and Method of Doing Philosophy

DEFINITION OF PHILOSOPHY
➔ comes from two Greek words: philos (love) and sophia (wisdom)
➔ science that studies beings in their ultimate causes, reasons, and principles which
govern all things
● widest generalization: truth, good, just, beauty, and existence
● Philosophers - people who engage in Philosophy; lovers of wisdom
● Beings - all things that exist
○ Material - all things we can see and touch (stone, trees, humans)
○ Immaterial - things that exist only in minds (God, soul, spirit, feelings)

NOTABLE ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHERS

● Pythagoras - mathematician and scientist notable for formulating Pythagorean
Theorem
● Hyraclitus - proposed that everything that exists is based on a higher order or plan
which he called logos
● Democritus - study of the causes of natural phenomena
● Diogenes of Sinope - advocate of living simple and virtuous life
● Epicurus - philosophy could enable a man to live happiness
● Socrates - foremost ancient philosopher
- Socratic method - examining a topic by devising a series of questions that
let the learner examine and analyze his knowledge and views regarding the
topic.
● Plato - student of Socrates
○ Theory of Forms - everything that exists is based on an idea or template that
can only be perceived in the mind.
○ Dialectic - a method of inquiry where two opposing ideas are discussed in an
attempt to arrive at new knowledge
○ last contribution is founding of the Academy, an institution of higher learning
● Aristotle - attended the Academy, prominent student of Plato
- all ideas and views are based on perception and our reality is based on what
we can sense and perceivedDeductive Re
○ Deductive Reasoning - process where specific statements were ana;yzed to
reach a conclusion or generalization

BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY

1. Metaphysics - consider the physical universe, existence, and the nature of ultimate
reality
2. Epistemology - considers how people come to learn what that they know
- “Theory of Knowledge”, nature of human knowledge and how they obtain it
- Propositional Beliefs:
a. Justified beliefs (need evidences)
b. Truth beliefs (corresponds to facts)
3. Logic - seeks to organize reasoning
- teaches how to differentiate “good” and “bad” reasoning and how to construct
valid arguments
4. Aesthetics - “Study of Beauty” or “Philosophy of Art”
- concerned with the nature and objective judgment of beauty

1
INTRODUCTION TO
STEM 12 LABAS SHS | Ms. Ma. Fe Caranza | SEM 1 QTR 1 2022
PHILOSOPHY
5. Politics - defines the principles of a proper social system, “governance”

HOLISTICS PERSPECTIVE AND PARTIAL POINT OF VIEW

● Holistic Thinking - perspective that considers large-scale patterns in systems
- open mindset and ability to get the general sense or impression regarding a
situation
- big picture mentality
● Partial Thinking - focuses on specific aspects of a situation
- important component of analytical thinking, as an individual focuses on
certain areas or aspects of a problem in order to understand it.

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.

THE VALUE OF DOING PHILOSOPHY ON OBTAINING A BROAD PERSPECTIVE ON

LIFE

★ Plato traced the need to philosophize to his sense of wonder

★ Rene Descartes traced the need to philosophize doubt
★ Karl Jaspers saw the need to philosophize because of experience
The need to philosophize is driven by the love for wisdom. To love wisdom is to
have an insatiable desire for truth. Philosophy itself is a distinct area of knowledge with its
own goals, concerns, and ways of doing things.

PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION
➔ process that would aid in understanding the holistic point of view of what is going on
(see the bigger picture of everything—essence of things and ultimate reasons)
➔ examine thoughts, feelings, and actions and to learn from it (Abella, 2016)
➔ act of giving time to think about the meaning and purpose of life (Gabriel Marcel)
● Primary Reflection - ability to think logically; construct and evaluate arguments
● Secondary Reflection - enable to look deeper and see the bigger picture of reality

2
INTRODUCTION TO
STEM 12 LABAS SHS | Ms. Ma. Fe Caranza | SEM 1 QTR 1 2022
PHILOSOPHY

M2: Methods of Philosophizing

IMPORTANT TERMS AND THEIR DEFINITIONS

● Philosophical Methods - study of how to philosophy
● Philosophy - concerned with determining the concept of truth
● Truth - property of sentences, assertions, beliefs, thoughts, or propositions that are
said to agree with facts (metaphysics)
● Propositions - statement about the world or reality that may or may not hold facts
● Knowledge - clear awareness and understanding of something
● Facts - proposition or statements which are observed to be real and truthful
● Claim - statement that is not evidently or immediately known to be true. It can be
proven by verification and experimentation
● Systematic Doubt is employed to help determine the truth
● Doubt drives the desire to discover truth
● Belief is true of it can be justified or proven though one’s senses or if it’s based on
facts

DISTINGUISH OPINIONS FROM TRUTH

● Fact - something concrete that can be proven
- truth and accepted as such
- from legal records, scientific findings, encyclopedias, atlases, etc.
● Opinion - less concrete
- a view formed in the mind of a person about a particular issue
- someone belief or thinks, not necessarily truth
- Words to identify opinion
a. biased words (bad, worse, good, better)
b. qualifiers (all, always, likely, never, might)

ARGUMENTS AND FALLACIES

● Arguments - situation where people are having a disagreement in mind
- set of statements, premises, and conclusion
- made for ot against a particular idea, theory, or position
- provide enough reasons to accept conclusion
● Logical Fallacies - comes from Latin word: fallacia (deceit, deception, trick)
- error or trick on reasoning that may be intentional or not
- weakens argument by distorting an issue, drawing false conclusion, misusing
evidence, or misusing language
○ Two Major Categories
a. Formal Fallacies - Premise 1: If A is true, then B is true
Premise 2: B is true
Conclusion: Therefore, A is true
b. Informal Fallacies
● Bias - disproportionate weight in favor of or against an idea or thing, usually in a way
that is closed-minded, prejudicial, or unfair

3
INTRODUCTION TO
STEM 12 LABAS SHS | Ms. Ma. Fe Caranza | SEM 1 QTR 1 2022
PHILOSOPHY

COMMON FALLACIES
1. Ad Hominem (against a man or person) - attacking the person, not the argument
itself
2. Appeal to Force (Ad Baculum) - threat of force or undesirable event
3. Appeal to Authority (Ad Verecundiam) - claim is true simply because a valid
authority/expert said it’s true
4. Begging the Question - assuming the thing or idea to be proven is true; “circular
argument”
5. Hasty Generalization - drawing conclusion based on too little data
6. Appeal to Emotion or Pity - manipulation of the recipient’s emotion in order to win an
argument
7. Appeal to People (Ad Populum) - idea is accepted because many people believe
8. Fallacy of Composition - a part of it is right so the whole is true
9. Fallacy of Division - assuming what’s true for the whole is true for its part
10. Cause-and-Effect (Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc) - relating one event to another event

EVALUATE TRUTH FROM OPINIONS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS USING THE

METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIZING
➔ process of determining the truth or drawing conclusions from a statement using
various philosophical methods: socratic, dialectic, scientific, and historical
● Socratic and DIalectic Methods are based on a discussion between two or more
people who may carry differing views but wish to pursue the truth by seeking an
agreement with one another.
● Scientific method, also called empirical method, is a process of determining truth or
knowledge through experimentation, inductive and deductive reasoning, and
hypothesis or theory testing
● Logic is the truth based on reasoning and critical thinking. It includes analysis and
construction of arguments. It serves as a path to freedom from half-truths and
deception
● Types of Reasoning
○ Deductive Reasoning - generalization > specific case > conclusion
○ Inductive Reasoning - specific evidences > conclusions

4
INTRODUCTION TO
STEM 12 LABAS SHS | Ms. Ma. Fe Caranza | SEM 1 QTR 1 2022
PHILOSOPHY

M3: Human Person as an Embodied Spirit

HUMAN COMPOSITION OF MAN

● Man - general term to human race
● Human - man as species—Homosapiens or Modern Human
● Person - personality of a man being so called “self”
● Human Nature - fundamental characters and traits of a Human
● Human Person
○ Self Awareness - clear perception of oneself
○ Self Determination - capability of a person to make choices and decisions on
own
○ Consequence - result or effect of an action or condition
○ Externality - capability of a person to reach out and interact
○ Dignity - innate right to be valued and respected

LIMITATIONS OF A HUMAN PERSON

● Transcendence - originated from the word: trans (go beyond) and scandare (climb)
- ability to change and be dynamic
● Limitations Lead to Transcendence
○ Facticity - already given things in life
○ Spatial-Temporal Being - “finitude”, we are limited by space (spatial) and time
(temporal)
○ The Body as Intermediary - acting as mediator
● Limitations for Transcendence
- may not occur to everyone
- does not come at a specified period
- varies across all people
- may coincide with physical limitations of the body
- developing a positive outlook in life
- working towards reaching
● Possibilities for Transcendence - live in the present
● Human Body Imposing Limits and Possibilities - bodily limitations & social and
environmental limitations
● Overcoming Limitations - tested by trying on new experiences and working on
challenges with increasing levels of difficulty.
● may successfully overcome his or her limitations
● Recognize and Evaluate Own Limitations and Possibilities for Transcendence -
you can go beyond your limitations if you set your mind on your goals

5
INTRODUCTION TO
STEM 12 LABAS SHS | Ms. Ma. Fe Caranza | SEM 1 QTR 1 2022
PHILOSOPHY

M4: Human Person in their Environment

ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY
➔ discipline that studies the moral relationships of human beings with the environment
and its non-human contents
➔ human person has the ability to change the environment that will enable them to
become aware of issues and society and their relationship
● Paradigm Shift - change from mythical explanation of the origins of the cosmos to a
more rational explanation
● thinkers were looking for the underlying laws of nature. They wanted to understand
the processes of nature by studying nature itself, not by listening to the stories about
the gods
● Payne (2010) Two Frameworks that Human Relate
1. Anthropocentric Model - humans are superior and central to universe, thus, it
is human centered
2. Ecocentric Model - ecological or relational integrity of the humans that
provides meaning of our morals and values and it is nature centered

NOTICE THINGS THAT ARE NOT IN PROPER PLACE AND ORGANIZE THEM IN
AESTHETIC WAY
● Ancient Thinkers
○ Anaximander - pre-Socratic philosopher, Creation-Destruction (the sketch of
the genesis of the world (cosmology), the evolution of the world begins with
the generation of opposites in certain region
○ Pythagoras - universe is living embodiment of nature’s order, harmony, and
beauty
- biophilia (love of other living things) & cosmophilia (love of other living
beings)
● Modern Thinker
○ Immanuel Kant - beauty is ultimately a symbol of morality (goodness)
○ Herbert Marcuse - said about the power of humans over nature

VIRTUES OF PRUDENCE AND FRUGALITY TOWARDS ENVIRONMENT

● Prudence - ability to have good judgment that allows avoidance of danger and risk
- covers good judgment, considering the consequences of an action, using
common sense and discretion, exercising cautions, and conforming to reason
and decency
● Frugality - the act of using money or other resources wisely and practically
- the quality of being thrifty, sparing or economical in the consumption of
resources and avoiding waste, lavishness, or extravagance