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INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

CHAPTER 1: DOING PHILOSOPHY

PHILOSOPHY (Greek word PHILO- love and SOPHIA- wisdom)

 phílosophía, meaning ‘the love of wisdom’) is the study of knowledge, or "thinking about
thinking“

 investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on

logical reasoning rather than empirical methods (American Heritage Dictionary)

 the study of the ultimate nature of existence, reality, knowledge and goodness, as
discoverable by human reasoning (Penguin English Dictionary)

 the rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and

ethics (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia)

KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM

 Knowledge is the accumulation of facts and information. Wisdom is the synthesis
of knowledge and experiences into insights that deepen one's understanding of
relationships and the meaning of life. In other words, knowledge is a tool, and wisdom is
the craft in which the tool is used.

 Once you begin to gain wisdom, two remarkable things can occur: 1) you begin to
understand your purpose and how to achieve it, and 2) you begin to connect your wisdom
to that of other people across space and time.

NOTABLE GREEK PHILOSOPHERS

1. MILETIANS

THALES (630 B.C.)

 Father of Western Philosophy

 Regarded as one of the seven sages (a wise Man) of Ancient greece

 Primary constituent of reality is water

 the earth is flat

ANAXIMANDER (610-540 B.C.)

 Fundamental substance of reality is infinite, it is ageless

and eternal that it encompasses all the worlds.

 earth is cylindrical and first philosopher to draw a map

ANAXIMENES (588-524 B.C.)

 air is the fundamental substance and air hold our soul together

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 earth is flat: earth and other heavenly bodies are like saucers

 floating in the air.

2. PYTHAGORAS (531 B.C.)

 Coined the word PHILOSOPHY

 Proponent of Pythagorean Theorem

 primary constituents of reality are numbers

 philosophy and mathematics are good for the

purification of the soul.

 give importance to contemplative life

3. HERACLITUS (500 B.C.)

 There is nothing permanent except CHANGE.

 “You cannot step twice into the same rivers, for fresh waters

are ever flowing in upon you. We step and do not step into same

rivers, we are and are not.”

 world as always changing like the ever-living fire.

4. DEMOCRITUS (460 B.C.)

 Study the causes of natural phenomena. He was among of the

first to propose that matter is composed of tiny particles

called ATOMS.

5. SOCRATES (470 B.C.)

 “midwife”-helped inquiring minds achieve wisdom

 DOCTA IGNORANTIA (to know that you do not know)

 Formulated 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.

 “ The unexamined life is not worth living”

6. PLATO (427 B.C.)

 Theory of Forms- everything that exist is based on an idea

or temple that can only be perceived in the mind.

 proposed an ideal society and ideal form of government

 DIALECTIC- a method of inquiry where two opposing ideas

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are discussed in an attempt to arrive at new knowledge.

 ACADEMY- an institution in higher learning which was the first of its kind in the Western
World.

7. ARISTOTLE (384 B.C.)

 Ideas and views are based on perception and our reality

is based on what we can sense and perceive.

 Involved in the disciplines such as zoology, psychology,

ethics, and politics.

 “ALL MEN BY NATURE DESIRE TO KNOW”

 DEDUCTIVE REASONING- the process by which specific

statements are analyzed to reach a conclusion or generalization.

Example of syllogism:

 P1. All men are mortal.

 P2. Socrates is a man.

1. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
1. Epistemology

 Greek word episteme “knowledge”, inquiry into the nature of knowledge itself

 concerns on origin of knowledge “empirical or rational”?

 “what is” for instance what is life?

 How we know. What we claim to know.

 How we can find out what we wish to know.

2. Metaphysics

 literally means “after physics” what is space, the shape of the earth etc. Metaphysics
study of reality, visible and invisible.

 What does it mean to BE...

 What is REAL?

 Is there a God?

3. Logic and Reason

 Deals with correct reasoning

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 Looks whether there are rules or principles that govern principles.

 Analysis of methods of induction and deduction

4. Ethics & Morality

 from greek word “ethos” means moral philosohpy.

 study about what is right and wrong, what is good and bad and so on.

 inquiry into human actions

 ex: A teacher beats a student who did not get good marks, tell me the teacher is good or
bad?

5. Aesthetics

 -greek word “aisthetikos” means “sensitive or perceptive”

 -helps in understanding the value of arts, evaluating feelings, judging the beauty and
measuring the human emotions.

Why is there a need to philosophize?

WONDER PHILOSOPHIZING

To wonder means to realize that there is something strange behind the things that we ordinarily
perceive.

(For the love of wisdom by Chris John-Terry)

HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE vs. PARTIAL POINT OF VIEW

PARTIAL POINT OF VIEW

 In philosophy, a point of view is defined as a way or a method how one sees or perceives
the reality or a phenomenon. that --sees reality or certain phenomenon is based on a
single factor or causal agency or looks at reality based on a single or partial component of
a system

 Focuses on specific aspects of a situation.

HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE

 Holism- Greek word “holos which literally means all, entire, totality”

 a school of thought that maintains the interdependence of factors to another agencies of

causalities. In other words, properties of a given phenomenon or system (e.g.
philosophical, biological, psychological, emotional, spiritual, social, political, linguistic)
cannot be determined by a certain structure or component alone.

 Aims to determine and explain the whole or totality of a given system by examining the
behaviors and activities of certain component parts

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