INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
FIRST QUARTER EXAM REVIEWER
LESSON 1: DOING PHILOSOPHY
PHILOSOPHY – came from the two Greek words “philos” – love,
“Sophia” – wisdom = love of wisdom
- Applied to the study or discipline that uses
human reason to investigate the ultimate
causes, reasons, and principles which govern
all things.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PHILOSOPHY
 Philosophy is considered as a way of analyzing frameworks.
 Philosophy is a distinct area of knowledge.
 Philosophy can be thought of as an examination of a particular
area of knowledge
 Philosophy can help us examine various views on relevant
issues in our lives.
 Philosophy is a method of mental exercise.
 Philosophy is concerned with determining truth since it lies at
the heart of any inquiry.
PRACTICAL USES OF PHILOSOPHY
 Philosophy can contribute to self-development
 Philosophy cannot answer all the questions in the world
 Philosophy improves problem-solving and decision-making
 Philosophy enables a person to engage in critical analysis
WHY DO WE PHILOSOPHIZE?
Plato – man philosophizes because of our sense of wonder.
Rene Descartes – man philosophizes to doubt
Karl Jaspers – man philosophizes because of experience
PHILOSOPHERS
- People engaged in philosophy, especially as an
academic discipline
- “lovers of wisdom”
 PYTHAGORAS
- PYTHAGOREANISM
prescribed a highly structured way of life and espoused the doctrine of
metempsychosis - transmigration of the soul after death into a new body,
human or animal
 HERACLITUS
- "change is the only constant in life."
- “No man ever steps in the same river twice.”
 DEMOCRITUS – “laughing philosopher”
- He devoted himself to the study of the causes
of natural phenomena
- believed that happiness (euthymia) was a
property of the soul
 DIOGENES OF SINOPE - one of the founders of the school
of Cynicism
- He was a known advocate of living a simple
and virtuous life.
 EPICURUS
- EPICUREANISM
*pleasure was the chief good in life
*Happiness is Pleasure; all things are to be done for the sake of the
pleasant feelings associated with them.
 SOCRATES - He was considered the foremost philosopher of
ancient times. (Father of Western Philosophy)
 PLATO - - student of Socrates
- Academy
 ARISTOTLE - - student of Plato
- attended the Academy
- all ideas and views are based on perception and
our reality is based on what we can sense and
perceive
BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
AESTHETICS - concerned with the nature and appreciation
of art, beauty and good taste
COSMOLOGY - deals with the physical situation that is the
context in the large for human existence: the universe has such
a nature that our life is possible
- a branch of metaphysics that deals with the
nature of the universe
EPISTEMOLOGY - theory of knowledge
ETHICS - also called moral philosophy, the discipline
concerned with what is morally good and bad and morally right
and wrong
- deals with moral questions and dilemmas
LOGIC - study of reasoning, or the study of the principles and
criteria of valid inference and demonstration
METAPHYSICS - generally focused on how reality and the
universe began
- studies what we are and what our purpose is
PERSPECTIVE or POINT OF VIEW
- is defined as a way or a method how one sees or perceives the reality or
a phenomenon.
PARTIAL POINT OF VIEW/PERSPECTIVE
- Is a perspective that looks at reality based on single or partial
component of a system.
Example: In the hospital, doctors often focus on a specific set of
symptoms to determine the cause of the patient’s illness. Once a
particular cause has been identified, the doctor then prescribes the
appropriate medicine and other treatments to address the illness.
HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE
- Aims to determine and explain the whole or totality of a given
system by examining the behaviors and activities of certain
component parts.
Example: A teacher listens first to both stories of her two arguing
students before making any conclusions about the issue.
LESSON 2: METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIZING
KNOWLEDGE - Clear awareness and understanding of something
- Facts, information, and skills acquired through
experience or education
OPINION - A view or judgment formed about something, not
necessarily based on facts or knowledge.
WISDOM - the soundness of an action or decision with regard to the
application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment.
- The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good
judgment.
PROPOSITIONS - statements about the world or reality
METHODS OF INQUIRY
SOCRATIC – “"elenchus" - to inquire/cross-examine
DIALECTIC - two opposing ideas are discussed in an attempt to arrive a
new knowledge
PLATO’S DIVIDED LINE
“pistis” – belief or conviction
“eikasia” – illusion/imagination – lower type of opinion
-Represented by shadows in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave
“noesis” – reason using intellect
-deals with grasping of complete or perfect knowledge of the
forms and ideas
“dianoia” – understanding using scientific, mathematical, or abstract
hypothesis – lower type of knowledge
-still relies on some assumptions, hypothesis and imagery
from physical or sensible world.
“aporia” – recognizing own ignorance
METHODS IN ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE
SOCRATIC METHOD
- is a form of cooperative argumentative dialogue between individuals,
based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking
and to draw out ideas and underlying presuppositions
SYSTEMATIC DOUBT
- Nothing is taken as true unless there is sufficient reason and evidence
to prove that is indeed true
- teaches us to take our beliefs and subject them to doubt
 TRUTH - is the property of being in accord with fact or reality
 FACT - an indisputable observation of a natural or social
phenomenon
-something that actually exists
THEORIES OF TRUTH
 CORRESPONDENCE THEORY OF TRUTH - claims that
true beliefs and true statements correspond to the actual state of
affairs.
 COHERENCE THEORY OF TRUTH - a belief or set of
beliefs is justified, or justifiably held, just in case the belief
 coheres with a set of beliefs, the set forms a coherent system or
some variation on these themes.
 PRAGMATIC THEORY OF TRUTH - the view that
whatever is useful to you, or beneficial for you, is true
BASIS OF DETERMINING TRUTH (Roberto Abella)
A belief/statement is true if…
1. it can be justified through the use of one’s senses.
2. it is based on facts.
3. people agree on a common belief.
4. proven through action.
5. subjected to test.
ARGUMENT - is a series of statements meant to establish a claim.
- Statements that assume the claim to be true and provide
reasons why the statement is true
1. DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENT – the truth of the premises
definitely establishes the truth of the conclusion
A Deductive Argument is …
VALID – if its premises necessarily lead to its conclusion.
- That is, if you were to accept that the premises are
all true, you must accept that the conclusion is true.
SOUND – if it is valid and you accept that all its premises are
true.
- A good, convincing argument is sound
2. INDUCTIVE ARGUMENT – believes that the truth of the premises
provides only good reasons to believe the conclusion is probably true.
An Inductive Argument is …
STRONG – if its premises make the conclusion probable.
- That is, if you were to accept that the premises as true, then you
would have to accept that the conclusion was probably true.
COGENT – if it is strong and its premises are accepted.
FALLACY - a failure in reasoning which renders an argument invalid.
1. AD HOMINEM - attacking the person, focus our attention on
people rather on arguments or evidence
2. AD BACULUM – (appeal to force) using threat or force, or an
undesirable event to advance an argument
3. AD MISERICORDIAM – (appeal to pity) strong appeal to
pity or sympathy
4. AD POPULUM – (appeal to people) the idea presented must
be true because many or most people believe it.
5. AD VERECUNDIAM – (appeal to authority) - insisting that
the claim is true simply because a valid authority or expert on
the issue said it was true, without any other supporting
evidence offered.
6. APPEAL TO TRADITION - it is assumed that the idea is
acceptable because something has been done a certain way for
a long time, or traditionally, so, it is necessarily the right way
of doing it.
7. POST HOC ERGO PROPTER HOC – (Cause and Effect)
one event is said to be the cause of a later event simply because
it occured earlier
BIAS - a disproportionate weight in favor of or against an idea or thing,
usually in a way that is closed-minded, prejudicial, or unfair
1. CORRESPONDENCE BIAS / ATTRIBUTION EFFECT -
tendency to draw inferences about someone's personality based
on their behaviors, even when there is situational explanation
for the behavior
2. CONFIRMATION BIAS - tendency to look for and readily
accept information which fits one's own beliefs or views and to
reject ideas or views that go against it.
3. CONFLICT OF INTEREST - occurs when an entity or
individual becomes unreliable because of a clash between
personal interests and professional duties and responsibilities
4. CULTURAL BIAS - tendency to judge other phenomena
based on our own cultural preferences, or by the norms of a
particular culture
5. FRAMING - a person's decision is affected by the way the
information about the decision is presented or framed
6. HINDSIGHT - allows people to convince themselves after an
event that they had accurately predicted it before it happened.
LESSON 3: THE HUMAN PERSON AS AN EMBODIED SPIRIT
MAN - It is the general term commonly used to refer to the entire human
race. Other related terms, humanity, mankind, and humankind.
HUMAN - refers to man as species – HOMO SAPIENS or MODERN
HUMAN BEINGS.
PERSON - Refers to a human being granted recognition of certain rights,
protection, responsibilities and dignity above all.
HUMAN NATURE - It refers to the characteristics that distinguish
humans from all other creatures.
SELF-AWARENESS - refers to the person having a clear perception of
oneself, including his thoughts, emotions, identity and actions
 INTERIORITY - quality of being focused on their own inner
nature. Daydreaming, getting lost in our thoughts, imagining,
fantasizing, and reflecting.
SELF-DETERMINATION - refers to the capability of persons to make
choices and decisions based on their own preferences, monitor and
regulate their actions, and be goal-oriental and self-directed
 FREE WILL - the supposed power or capacity of humans to
make decisions or perform actions independently of any prior
event or state of the universe.
 CONSEQUENCE - is the result or effect of an action or
condition. Philosophers believe that a person acts freely and
with due regard for the consequences of his actions
EXTERNALITY - refers to the capability of a person to reach out and
interact with others and the world.
DIGNITY - refers to the innate right to be valued and respected.
SPIRIT - intangible element which enables one to understand thought,
possess awareness, interiority, and the capacity to reach out to the outside
world and other persons
EMBODIED SPIRIT – union of the body and spirit
TRANSCENDENCE - ability to surpass limits and also one important
trait that distinguishes the human person from other beings in existence
LESSON 4: THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE ENVIRONMENT
“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the
continent, a part of the main.” - John Donne
- This means that as human person, we interact not only with
our fellow human beings, but also with other living and non-
living elements in our environment. Humankind is a part of the
world, and we significantly affect our environment in the same
way that changes in our environment affect us.
ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY – is the discipline that studies the
moral relationship of human beings with the environment and its non-
human contents.
ANTHROPOCENTRISM – focuses on the significant role of
humankind in the world and considers nature as the means by which
humans are able to meet their needs and survive. This view believes that
humans are the most important species on the planet and they are free to
transform nature and use its resources.
BIOCENTRISM – believes that humans are not the only significant
species on the planet, and that all other organisms have inherent value
and should be protected. This view advocates ethical treatment of
animals.
ECOCENTRISM – places great value on ecosystems and biological
communities. This view gives equal importance on all organisms in the
planet.
ENVIRONMENTAL AESTHETICS - Philosophical view that believes
maintaining order in the environment will bring out the natural beauty of
the surroundings and contribute to the well-being of the people and other
organisms living in it.
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS - This is a moral approach that analyzes
the relationship between humans and the environment. It also discusses
environmental problems caused by human activities and social issues that
impact the environment.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - This concept focuses on
reconciling human activities and economic development with the
protection of the environment.
Major ideas:
1. We must make wise decisions regarding the use of natural resources to
ensure that there is still enough left for future use.
2. The misuse of resources often means that other people do not get to
benefit from it.
ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY – refers to maintaining the state of
the environment.
EQUITY – demands that we use our natural resources in such a manner
that these are conserved so that the next generation will be able to use
them.
 Prudence is the ability to regulate one’s actions and behavior.
 Frugality is being thrifty with the use of one’s resources.