INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF
HUMAN PERSON
PHILOSOPHY
(FROM Greek philos, meaning “lover” and sophia,
meaning “wisdom”)
The great virtue of philosophy is that it teaches not
what to think, but how to think. It is the study of
meaning, of the principles underlying conduct,
thought and knowledge.
Philosophy
 Is a study that seeks to understand the
mysteries of existence and reality.
 It is a way of thinking about the world, the
universe and society.
 It works by very basic questions about the
nature of human, nature of thought, nature
of universe and connection between them.
Introduction to the Five Branches of
Philosophy
Philosophy can be divided into five branches
which address the following questions
The main branches of philosophy:
1. Metaphysics: branch of philosophy
responsible for the study of existence and of
the essences of things. It is the foundation of
a worldview. It answers the question "What
is?" It encompasses everything that exists, as
well as the nature of existence itself.
Two areas of metaphysics:
 Ontology is the study of being.
 Cosmology is the study of the physical
universe, or the cosmos. It is the study of
the organization, history, and future of the
universe.
2. Epistemology: is the study of our method of
acquiring knowledge. It answers the question,
"How do we know?" It encompasses the
nature of concepts, the constructing of
concepts, the validity of the senses, logical
reasoning, as well as thoughts, ideas,
memories, emotions, and all things mental. It
is concerned with how our minds are related
to reality, and whether these relationships are
valid or invalid.
3. Ethics: is the branch of study dealing with
what is the proper course of action for man. It
is the study of right and wrong in human
endeavors. Ethics concerns human conduct,
character, and values. It studies the nature of
right and wrong and the distinction between
good and evil. Ethics explores the nature of
justice and of a just society, and also one's
obligations to oneself, to others, and to
society.
4. Politics: ethics applied to a group of people.
5. Aesthetics: is the study of art. It includes
what art consists of, as well as the purpose
behind it. Does art consist of music, literature,
and painting? Or does it include a good
engineering solution, or a beautiful sunset?
These are the questions that aimed at in
esthetics. It also studies methods of
evaluating art, and allows judgments of the
art. Is art in the eye of the beholder?
6. Logic: is the study of the principles and
methods of reasoning. It explores how we
distinguish between good (or sound)
reasoning and bad (or unsound) reasoning.
An instance of reasoning is called an
argument or an inference.
Philosophy: Where did it originate?
 In the west, the first philosophical schools
emerged in ancient Greece around the 6th
century BCE.
 These first schools of thought gave rise to
changes and developments which brought
about the emergence of philosophy as we know
it at present.
 Western Philosophy
 Is primarily concerned with uncovering the
truth through systematic argumentation and
theory.
 Has greater emphasis on the use of reason
rather than faith, and increased focus on the
man as an individual.
Greece was home to one of the great civilizations
during the Ancient Period.
 SOPHIST, teachers who traveled
throughout Greece and taught people who
wished to learn.
 PHILOSOPHOS – a term which means
“lovers of wisdom”, believed that teaching is
more than just training people to win
arguments. Arguments and discussion must
be based on sound reasoning.
 Their central belief was that man need not
know all things in the world, but one must
continue to inquire and seek to understand
and learn about the human condition.
The questions mainly concerned on
one and multiplicity
reality and appearance
being and non-being
Greek philosophers:
 Philosophers – “lovers of wisdom”
 Sophists – “workers of wisdom”
– Teachers
 phileo = love
 sophia = wisdom
1. Thales of Miletus:
 636-546 B.C.
 Earliest known philosopher
 Studied Egyptian and Babylonian astronomy
and mathematics
 Believed that the universe was controlled by
fixed laws
 Basic element – water.
2. Pythagoras: 582-500 B.C.
 The universe could only be understood
through numbers.
 Sun, moon, and earth revolved around a
central fire.
 Each planet produces a tone!
 Famous for the Pythagorean Theorem: a2 +
b2 = c2
3. Protagoras: 485 - 410 B.C.
 Most famous of the Sophists
 Believed that reason and knowledge should
be used to achieve a comfortable, safe, and
happy life.
 Teachings to equip citizens for life in the
polis:
1. Public speaking – oratory and rhetoric
2. Politics
3. Grammar – language
4. The art of being respectable
 Plato named one of his dialogues after him.
4. Hippocrates: 460-377 B.C.
 Founded a school of medicine
 Rejected that sickness comes from the
gods
 Careful observations of symptoms: Acute &
Chronic.
 “Holistic” healing: Hygiene, Diet, Curative
powers of nature.
 The Hippocratic Oath
5. Democritus: 460? - 360 B.C.
 Developed the atomic theory.
 Taught that the universe was formed out of
chaos through the joining of atoms of like
shape and size.
 Atoma = indivisible particles.
 “the laughing philosopher”
 6. 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 permanent aspect of the
human condition and he was credited with
the saying, “No man ever steps on the same
river twice.”
7. Diogenes of Sinope: (412 BCE to 323 BCE)
 He was a known advocate of a simple and
virtuous life.
 He was also known to be a vocal critic of
well- known philosophers such as Plato and
Aristotle.
8. 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 to a life
free from fear and pain.
9. Archimedes: 287 - 212 B.C.
 Greek mathematician – Geometry
 War machines and other devices
 Theory of buoyancy - “Eureka!”
 Law of the lever
 Archimedean screw
The Three Most Famous Philosophers
1. Socrates: 469 - 399 B.C.:
 Critic of the Sophists
 Encouraged students to think
 Left no writings – skeptical
 Dialectic method: Conversational, Based upon
reason and logic.
 Popular among the youth
 Placed on trial for impiety and corrupting the
youth
 Was executed in 399 – drank poison hemlock
Socratic Method:
I. Admit ignorance.
II. Never rely on tradition.
III. Continuously question.
IV. Formulate your own opinions.
V. Test your opinions with others.
 Socrates’ dialectic method was a departure
from earlier philosophers.
 Earlier philosophers were interested in the
nature of the universe and basic elements.
 Socrates’ approach was more rigorous and was
the forerunner of logic.
 Most famous student: Plato
2. Plato: 427 - 347 B.C.
 Preserved and perpetuated the work of
Socrates
 Most important source of info on Socrates
 Founded the Academy
 Wrote dialogues: Universal Forms was a
recurring theme, The Republic – most important
dialogue
3. Aristotle: 384 - 322 B.C.
 Most famous student of Plato
 Most famous teacher of Alexander the Great
 Developed Logic as a field of study
 Devised a complex system of classification:
Used in biology
 Views on Government
 “All things in moderation”
 “Man is by nature a political animal.”