Unit 5: Selected Case Studies on Philosophy and Current Issues

5.1 Selected Case Studies on Local Philosophy and Current Issues

5.2 Selected Case Studies on Global Philosophy and Current Issues
Introduction
Welcome to Unit 5 of MPU3193/03 Philosophy and Current Issues. After learning about all the topics in philosophy,
this unit will look at how these concepts are applied through the current issues. The first part of this unit will be
based on current issues in the local context. You will be exposed to various current issues in Malaysia and relate the
issues to the concepts that we have learnt from unit 1 to unit 4.

In the second part of this unit, current issues all over the world will be discussed. You will learn to relate these issues
to the concepts we have learnt and reflect on how the philosophy that you have learnt from Unit 1 to 4 can be
applied in these situations.
 5.1 Selected Case Studies on Local Philosophy and Current Issues
Philosophy is used as a tool to refine the culture of thought in life through the arts and methods of thinking
and human concepts. Through the understanding of philosophy, it is hoped that we will be able to
understand issues happening in Malaysia better and be able to evaluate the issues more critically. It is also
hoped that we will be able to have better intercultural dialogue and appreciate the common values upheld
by Malaysians.

There are many issues happening in Malaysia that can be reflected from the perspective of philosophy.
Case 1
The advancement of technology has put the users of internet or what we call today, netizens, as one of the most
influential group in the world of social media. Issues that have gone viral on the social media are open for comments by
netizens. Comments posted can be positive and be a source of encouragement or strength to those involved. However,
this has also open doors to new social problems such as cyberbullying. Some comments posted are filled with harsh
words, curses, condemnation and other forms of harassment. This can lead to issues such as suicide, depression, stress
and other mental conditions which affects the community.

The Star Online reported on 14th January 2022 that Malaysia is the second in Asia for youth cyberbullying in 2020.

Read the following article for the full report.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/01/14/malaysia-is-2nd-in-asia-for-youth-cyberbullying

This is not in line with the fifth principle of Rukun Negara, Courtesy and Morality. In this principle, Malaysian citizens are
expected to respect one another in our words and actions despite our differences. When facing differences, it is crucial
that the arguments are viewed from the logical mind before comments are given. Netizens should also be aware of
fallacies such as ad hominem which could obstruct logical thinking. When debating about issues, we should be care not
to reject a person’s view or argument because of their character or personal differences. Another fallacy that could
happen is post hoc ergo propter hoc which means, whatever that happens after is caused by the incident before it. As
issues in life can be complicated in nature, this fallacy could stop us from thinking rationally.
Case 2
The influence and emphasis on capitalism has made the focus of education today to be more towards developing
workers who are highly capable to compete in fulfilling the needs of the industry (Yasir, 2020). Students are more
interested to know how they can compete in the job market. Education which was supposed to be built upon the
foundation of value has changed to focus solely on knowledge and skills. Education institutions became a factory in
producing products called human capital. Institutions which are placed at popular rankings give an impression that
the institution has high ranking and thus will make it easier for students to obtain jobs after graduation. This
culture of rank chasing is seen to be exploiting education institutions by promoting fake indicator on the quality of
institution. A university is a place to celebrate knowledge, intellect and culture and not just solely for profit. Besides
that, using examinations as a tool to measure the ability and understanding of students in that study period also
provide the same misconceptions. This could lead to students prioritising the grades on their examination result
and thus experience immense pressure during the examination period. Examination should not be the determining
factor of whether a person will be successful or not. These situations in our education system show that we have
deviated from the main aim of our National Education Philosophy. As such, we will not be able to lead students
towards achieving sejahtera in their lives.
Case 3
Dumping of illegal waste is one of the highlighted issues in Malaysia in 2019. The fumes from illegal dumping of
chemical waste into the Kim Kim River in Pasir Gudang, Johor, caused more than 2,700 people to be admitted
into hospital. These victims are mostly schoolchildren and the incident forced 111 schools in the Pasir Gudang
district to be closed temporarily. The Western thinking that the nature is something that we can conquer and
exploit has led us to be careless when dealing with the nature. However, this has to stop. Sustainable
development is needed to ensure that we are able to use the nature responsibly to fulfil our needs. Instead of
treating the nature as something that is lifeless and thus can be exploited, we have to protect and manage the
nature with wisdom. In Islam, man is seen as leaders who are given the ability to think so that they can manage
the earth created by God wisely. Hence, man as the servant of God should refer to the Quran as a guide to
manage the nature according to the will of God instead of relying on science alone. The principle of ‘Belief in
God’ in the Rukun Negara is important in guiding Malaysian citizen to manage all the responsibilities entrusted
to us.
Case 4
The world is shocked by the loss of Malaysian Airlines, MH370 in March 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to
Beijing. Until today, the airplane has not been found and there are various theories surrounding this issue. Using the
concept of knowledge as justified, true belief, how do we determine which the theory is acceptable? As the truth is
still unknown, the elements about knowledge becomes the criteria to determine whether a theory can be assumed as
knowledge or a fact.
1. Step 1: Belief (It is believed that the plane fell in the Indian Ocean.
2. Step 2: Truth
- The yardstick for truth:
(i) Correspondence – fits the actual fact – this cannot be determined as long as there is no empirical evidence to justify
this.
(ii) Coherence – the opinion can be deemed as the truth if it is consistent with the other truths. The theory that the
plane crashed into the Indian Ocean is consistent with the findings of debris of the plane in Indian Ocean. The debris
found is the justification by providing empirical evidence.
3. Step 3: Justification is needed to fulfil the correspondent and coherence theory. Justifications must be empirical
evidence. Justifications that have logical arguments but without empirical evidence cannot be accepted.

When all three of the steps are fulfilled, then the opinion can be accepted as true and acceptable knowledge. Hence,
the theory that the plane fell into the Indian Ocean is accepted as a true and acceptable knowledge.
Theory
Conspiracy theory (airplane is
hijacked)
Only the passengers died but the
airplane is still in one piece.
Hence, the black box cannot be
seen.
Airplane crashed into Indian
Ocean
Belief Truth
Believed Coherence and correspondence
cannot be proven
Believed Coherence and correspondence
cannot be proven
Believed Coherence exist with the
findings of the debris.
Correpondence- it cannot be
determined whether the
airplane crashed into Indian
Ocean
Justification
There is no justification that is
supported with empirical
evidence. Hence, the conspiracy
theory is rejected.
There is no justification that is
supported with empirical
evidence. Hence, the theory that
the airplane is still in one piece is
rejected.
Justification only fulfils the
coherence theory (which is the
finding of the debris).
Hence, as of now, the theory that
the airplane crashed into Indian
Ocean cannot be accepted yet.
Case 5
Students may think that philosophy has nothing to do with the programme they are studying. However, this
thinking is not true. Take for example, one area of philosophy is metaphysic which study the existence of what
beyond we can see. In Malaysia, there is freedom to choose our religion. There are Malaysians who are atheist
and believe that there is no God. Atheism is supported by materialism ontology which believe that reality is made
up of physical and material existence alone. They believe that there is no supernatural or spiritual realm and that
what we see is all there is. With science taking over a major part of our lives, this belief is further strengthened
and people become self-reliant. Although there is a freedom to choose our religion, it is important that such
decision is made after reviewing valid evidences and supported with strong justification. Those who believe in the
existence of God provided several justifications to their belief.

Firstly, the marvelous creation of the universe shows that there must be a God. The first evidence of God’s
existence can be seen in the creation of man. How did the first man come about? There must be a Creator out
there who created the first pair of humans. The plants, animals, earth, and other resources on the earth are also
created by a Creator as they cannot exist on their own. Secondly, the design of the universe is balanced and well
planned. Every part of the universe is there for a reason and designed for a specific purpose. The mountains, the
river, the ocean and its inhabitants are carefully and wonderfully created to suit the purpose intended by the
Creator. Again, this shows that there must be a Creator out there who exists before the existence of the universe.
To believe that God does not exist, atheist should then find evidences to debunk these observations.
Learning Activity 5.1
As a university student who have gone through 11 years of formal education, how have you developed according to
the key elements stipulated in the NEP?

For example, are you emotionally strong? Do you consider yourself a knowledgeable and competent citizen? Do you
have high personal well-being?

Write a 350 words reflection on the topic above.

Self-check 5.1
Identify three (3) social problems in Malaysia. Explain briefly how the knowledge of philosophy can help to alleviate
these social problems.
Suggested answers to learning activities and self-checks
Learning Activity 5.1
As a university student who have gone through 11 years of formal education, how
have you developed according to the key elements stipulated in the NEP?

For example, are you emotionally strong? Do you consider yourself a

knowledgeable and competent citizen? Do you have high personal well-being?

Write a 350 words reflection on the topic above.

[Submit your answer to your tutor for evaluation and comments.]
Self-check 5.1
Identify three (3) social problems in Malaysia. Explain briefly how the knowledge of
philosophy can help to alleviate these social problems.

Example of social problems:

Drug abuse
Prostitution
Suicide
Mat rempit

[Submit your answer to your tutor for evaluation and comments.]

5.2 Selected Case Studies on Global Philosophy and Current Issues
With information sharing and the fact that we are all global citizens, we cannot deny the importance of applying
philosophy in the global context. Through philosophy, it is hoped that we would be able to have more critical view on
the issues happening in the world.

There are many issues happening in world that can be view from the perspective of philosophy.
Learning Activity 5.2
Watch the following video to learn more about SDG 17.
https://youtu.be/0XTBYMfZyrM

Explain the 17 goals of SDG in your own words.

GOAL 1: No Poverty -
GOAL 2: Zero Hunger
GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being
GOAL 4: Quality Education
GOAL 5: Gender Equality
GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.
GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
GOAL 10: Reduced Inequalities
GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
GOAL 13: Climate Action
GOAL 14: Life Below Water
GOAL 15: Life on Land
GOAL 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
GOAL 17: Partnership for the Goals

Read the following explanations for each goal here: https://sdg-tracker.org/

[Submit your answer to your tutor for evaluation and comments.]
Self-check 5.2
Choose any one of the goals and explain how the National Education
Policy can help in fulfilling the goal.
[Submit your answer to your tutor for evaluation and comments.]
Case 1
Technology enables information to be disseminated to every part of the world in a short period of time. This also leads
to the issue of false information spread via social media. However, as there are millions of information transmitted
daily, this phenomenon cannot be curbed easily. When Covid-19 plagued the world, false information brought fear and
caused chaos. There was very little known of the virus so various conspiracy theories were formed and spread. Some
claimed that Covid-19 is a bioweapon designed in the Chinese laboratory while others believed that it was planted in
China by United States of America. This caused division among the people of the world. False videos were also viral on
the social media depicting people collapsing on the roadside. Netizens also took upon themselves to report on the
empty shelves in the supermarkets which caused people also panic buy and hoard items. The stress, uncertainty and
fear caused many others to develop mental illnesses. This causes instability in the world. The rapid sharing on the
internet made it impossible to curb or control the spread of news regardless whether they are true or false. Hence, it is
important to equip netizens with skills to differentiate true and false information. Netizens should be taught to analyse
information received logical reasoning and theories of truth. Each theory should be analysed using the justified true
belief concept.
Theory Belief Truth Justification
Conspiracy theory that Believed Coherence and There is no justification
Covid-19 is a bioweapon correspondence cannot that is supported with
designed in the Chinese be proven empirical evidence. Hence,
laboratory the conspiracy theory is
rejected.

Theory that Covid-19 is Believed Coherence and There is no justification

planted in China by the correspondence cannot that is supported with
Americans. be proven empirical evidence. Hence,
the theory that it is done
by the Americans is
rejected.
Case 2
Teenage pregnancy is a problem that plagues adolescents all over the world. This leads to serious consequences that affect
not only the adolescents’ and the infants’ physical and mental health but also their economical and social standing.
However, this problem is still prevalent in many countries due to various factors such as insufficient exposure to sexual and
reproductive health and their rights, societal pressure, sexual violence, and even cultural beliefs such as forced or child
marriages (Plan International, n.d.). In fact, it is as an accepted norm in some countries and not as a violation of human
rights. This is also seen acceptable from the postmodernism perspectives as they believe that truth depends on the cultural
constructs. Different culture has their own truths. What we understand as truths are created based on the system and
rituals of our society. Therefore, if it is accepted as the norm in the culture and society then it is accepted. How do we
relate this issue from the aspect of ideology involving issues such as human rights and religious values?
Case 3
The 2022 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (2022) shows that 1.2 billion people in 111 developing countries are
living in acute multidimensional poverty which means they are living on less than $1.90 per day. This multidimensional
poverty index is measured using indicators such as the health condition, education, and standard of living. Those living in
poverty have higher child mortality rate, lower attendance in school and less likely to have proper access to necessities
such as clean drinking water, sanitation, electricity and housing. Education plays an important role to help these people
out of poverty. The lack of access to education is one of the main predictors that poverty will be passed down from
generation to generation. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) have 17 goals as shown in the diagram below.
The Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 (2019) was introduced to eradicate poverty in Malaysia. In his article on 18th
October 2019 in the New Straits Times, Professor Dr Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, wrote about the role of Sejahtera in
eliminating poverty. In all these, education is the heart of all development and the tool to bring the poor out of
poverty. It promotes economic growth because it equips citizens with skills that will increase their employment
opportunities and income (Global Citizen Organisation, 2020).

Reflect how we can combat poverty through the Rukun Negara, National Education Policy, concept of Sejahtera or
the various education policy all around the world.
Learning Activity 5.2
Watch the following video to learn more about SDG 17.
https://youtu.be/0XTBYMfZyrM

Explain the 17 goals of SDG in your own words.

Self-check 5.2
Choose any one of the goals and explain how the National Education Policy can help in fulfilling the goal.
Summary of Unit 5
In summary, this unit discusses the current issues in Malaysia and the world and how they are related to the concepts
we have learnt in Unit 1 to Unit 4. The first part of this unit covers the current issues in Malaysia. You are introduced to
how current issues are viewed from the perspective of philosophy.

The second part of this unit talks about the current issues globally. In this section, several current issues are raised to
encourage students to see and analyse these issues from the lense of philosophy. This final unit incorporates all the
various concepts learnt in this course and how you can apply the knowledge learnt to the issues around you.
References/Glossary

Plan International (n.d.). Teenage Pregnancy. Plan International. https://plan-international.org/srhr/teenage-pregnancy/

2022 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index. (2022). Human Development Reports. https://hdr.undp.org/content/2022-
global-multidimensional-poverty-index-mpi#/indicies/MPI

Shared Prosperity Vision 2030. (2019). Economy Planning Unit. Malaysia. https://www.epu.gov.my/sites/default/files/2020-
02/Shared%20Prosperity%20Vision%202030.pdf

Dzulkifli Abdul Razak (18 October 2019). Role of Sejahtera in eliminating poverty. New Straits Times.
https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2019/10/531240/role-sejahtera-eliminating-poverty

Global Citizen Organisation. (2020). Understanding How Poverty is the Main Barrier to Education.
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/poverty-education-satistics-facts/