Introduction tothe Philosophy of the Human Person What is philosophy? The word philosophy comes from two Greek words: philos (love) and sophia (wisdom). The ancient Greeks used this term to refer to “love of wisdom” and they soon applied it to the study or discipline that uses human reason to investigate the ultimate causes, reasons, and principles which govern all things. People who engage in philosophy are called philosophers or “lovers of wisdom.” Among the ancient Greeks, the philosophers became pioneers in various fields of knowledge such as history, biology, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, and even physics. It was quite common to hear of ancient philosophers who were “experts” in various fields of learning.Epicurus (341 BCE to 270 BCE) ~ He believed that philosophy could enable man to live a life of happiness. His views gave rise to Epleureanism ~ a school of philosophy which believes that wisdom and simple living will result in a life free of fear and pain. Socrates (470 BCE to 399 BCE) ~ He was considered the foremost philosopher of ancient times. He made great contributions to the field of ethics. Socrates was a known critic of intellectuals during his time, but he himself did not claim to be “wise” and merely considered himself a “midwife” that helped inquiring minds achieve wisdom. He also believed that philosophy could enable a man to live a life of virtue, He was credited with formulating the 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. Plato (427 BCE to 347 BCE) — A student of Socrates, he wrote down his mentors teachings and incorporated some of his own ideas into them, His teachings and writings were considered the foundation of Western philosophy. Plato's most significant ideas included his Theory of Forms, which proposes that everything that exists is based on an idea or template that can only be perceived in the mind; these nonphysical ideas are eternal and unchanging. He also focused his studies on the Ideal society and proposed an ideal model of government and society which Is ruled by wisdom and reason, Plato is also known for his dialectic — a method of inquiry where two opposing ideas are discussed in an attempt to arrive at new knowledge. Plato's lasting contribution to learning was his founding of the Academy, an institution of higher, learning which was the first of its kind in the Western World. Aristotle (384 BCE to 322 BCE) - He attended the Academy, and was a prominent student of Plato. Aristotle, however, disagreed with Plato's theory of forms and took a different stance in interpreting reality. For him, all ideas and views are based on perception and our reality is based on what we can sense and perceive. This view greatly influenced the study of the physical sciences. Aristotle was involved in a great variety of disciplines such as zoology, psychology, ethics, and politics. He also Proposed a system for the classification of plants and animals. His studies in logic \ed to the formulation of a formal process of analyzing reasoning which gave rise to deductive reasoning — the process by which specific statements are analyzed to Teach a conclusion or generalization.