Chapter 1

Doing
philosophy
 The thinker, Auguste rodin
“What makes my Thinker think is that he
thinks not only with his brain, with his
knitted brow, his distended nostrils, and
compressed lips, but with every muscle
of his arms, back, and legs, with his
clenched fist and gripping toes.” (Looking
to write, writing to look. (n.d.)

Image Source: https://images.app.goo.gl/LN2FrG4WrhMqF68K8

MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCIES (melc’S)
1. Distinguish a holistic perspective from a
partial point of view;
2. Recognize human activities that
emanated from deliberate reflection; and
3. Realize the value of doing philosophy in
obtaining a broad perspective on life.
Game Time!
The meaning of philosophy
Philosophy
Comes from two Greek words,
philo, meaning “to love,” and
sophia, meaning “wisdom”
Love for wisdom
Philosophy (Ramos, 2016)
A science that by natural light of
reason studies the first causes and
highest principles of ALL things

01.
AS A SCIENCE Natural light of reason
The philosophical
investigations are
systematic. It follows certain
steps or it employs certain
procedures.
PHILOSOPHY (ramos, 2016)
02.
Study of all things
The philosopher uses his
natural capacity to think, that
is his capacity to use simply
human reason or in other
words unaided reason. .
03. 04.
First cause or highest
All other sciences concern principle
themselves with particular
objects of investigation, A principle is that from which
while philosophy derives something proceeds in any
ideas from any subjects to manner whatsoever.
explain and examine a
certain phenomenon.
 Highest Principles (ramos, 2016)
01. 02. 03. 04.
Identity Non-Contradiction Excluded Middle Sufficient Reason
Whatever is is; and whatever It is impossible for a thing to A thing is either is or is not; Nothing exist without a
is not is not; everything is be and not be at the same everything must be either be sufficient reason for its being
what it is. Everything is its time, and the same respect. or not be; between being, and existence.
own being, and not being is there is no middle ground
not being. possible.
 Branches of Philosophy
Metaphysics Ethics
being, reality and morality; good and
existence evil

Logic Aesthetics
correct reasoning beauty

Epistemology
knowledge
 METAPHYSICS LOGIC
studies the state of being and study of good reasoning, by
the nature of reality examining the validity of
arguments and documenting
✓ "What is the nature of their fallacies.
reality?", "How does the world
exist, and what is its origin or ✓ What is correct reasoning?“
source of creation?“ ✓ "What distinguishes a good
✓ Does the world exist outside argument from a bad one?",
the mind?“ ✓ "How can we detect a fallacy
✓ How can the incorporeal in reasoning?"
mind affect the physical
body?“
✓ "If things exist, what is their
objective nature?“
✓ “Is there a God (or many
gods, or no god at all)?"

Source: https://quizlet.com/2532261/branches-of-philosophy-flash-cards/
 EPISTEMOLOGY ETHICS
studies the nature and scope of study of the right, the good, and
knowledge and belief the valuable

✓ "What is knowledge?“ ✓ "How should people act?“

✓ "How is knowledge acquired?", “ ✓ "What do people think is
✓ What do people know?", right?" "
✓ "What are the necessary and ✓ How do we take moral
sufficient conditions of knowledge and put it into
knowledge?", practice?"
✓ "What is its structure, and what ✓ "What does 'right' even
are its limits?", mean?"
✓ "What makes justified beliefs
justified?",
✓ "How we are to understand the
concept of justification?",
✓ "Is justification internal or
external to one's own mind?"

Source: https://quizlet.com/2532261/branches-of-philosophy-flash-cards/
 AESTHETICS
study of beauty, judgments of sentiment, or taste

o What is a work of art?“

o "What makes a work of art successful?“
o "Why do we find certain things beautiful?“
o "How can things of very different categories be considered equally
beautiful?“
o "Is there a connection between art and morality?“
o "Can art be a vehicle of truth?“
o "Are aesthetic judgements objective statements or purely subjective
expressions of personal attitudes?“
o "Can aesthetic judgements be improved or trained?"

Source: https://quizlet.com/2532261/branches-of-philosophy-flash-cards/
Holistic vs Partial thinking
 The Blind Men and the Elephant
It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the
Elephant (Though all of
them were blind), That each
by observation Might
satisfy his mind.
The First approached the
Elephant, And happening to
fall Against his broad and
sturdy side, At once began
to bawl: "God bless me! but
the Elephant Is very like a
WALL!"
John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887)
The Second, feeling of the
tusk, Cried, "Ho, what have
we here, So very round and
smooth and sharp? To me
'tis mighty clear This
wonder of an Elephant Is
very like a SPEAR!"
The Third approached the
animal, And happening to
take The squirming trunk
within his hands, Thus
boldly up and spake: "I see,"
quoth he, "the Elephant Is
very like a SNAKE!"
Image Source: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/288441551124424986/visual-search/
 The Blind Men and the Elephant
The Fourth reached out an
eager hand, And felt about
the knee "What most this
wondrous beast is like Is
mighty plain," quoth he:
"'Tis clear enough the
Elephant Is very like a
TREE!"
The Fifth, who chanced to
touch the ear, Said: "E'en
the blindest man Can tell
what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can, This
marvel of an Elephant Is
very like a FAN!"
John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887)
The Sixth no sooner had
begun About the beast to
grope, Than seizing on the
swinging tail That fell within
his scope, "I see," quoth he,
"the Elephant Is very like a
ROPE!"
And so these men of
Indostan Disputed loud and
long, Each in his own
opinion Exceeding stiff and
strong, Though each was
partly in the right, And all
were in the wrong!
Image Source: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/288441551124424986/visual-search/
 The Blind Men and the Elephant
MORAL,
So, oft in theologic wars
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean;
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!
John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887)
Discussion Questions:
1. Did anyone among the blind men
give the correct answer? Why and
Why not?
2. In the context of the Elephant
story, what do you think is a
holistic perspective? And what is a
partial point of view?
3. What is the importance of a
holistic perspective as pointed out
by the poet John Godfrey Saxe?
Image Source: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/288441551124424986/visual-search/
Holistic thinking
VS PARTIAL THINKING
Holistic Thinking (Abella, 2016)
✓ described as looking at the “big picture” when
describing and analyzing a situation or problem
✓ means that one does not confine one’s
understanding of the world to one’s own
perspective, but also include the perspective of
others to better appreciate experiences which
give meaning to life
Holistic thinking
VS PARTIAL THINKING
Partial Thinking (Abella, 2016)
✓ focuses on specific aspects of a situation
✓ important component of analytical thinking
where an individual focuses on certain areas or
aspects of a problem in order to understand it
Exercise
 What simple, serious, and deep questions you would
ask yourself in these situations? (abella, 2016)
1. Deciding what food to order in a
restaurant
2. Deciding on a “fun” thing to do while at
the mall
3. Deciding what to do with the P100 in
your wallet
4. Deciding what to do with a bad haircut
5. Flash floods in remote village kill a
hundred people
6. Abused child kept chained in basement
five years finally rescued
7. Man sentenced to ten years for stealing
milk to feed his baby
8. Lottery winner donates half of winnings
to local orphanage
references
✓ Abella, Roberto. Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City: C & E
Publishing, Inc. 2016.
✓ Blind men and the elephant. (n.d.). AllAboutPhilosophy.Org. Retrieved September 19, 2021,
from https://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/blind-men-and-the-elephant.htm
✓ Looking to write, writing to look. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2021, from
https://www.philamuseum.org/booklets/12_71_137_0.html
✓ Ramos, Christine Carmela. Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Manila: Rex
Book Store, Inc. 2016.
✓ TED-Ed.(2015, March 17). Plato’s Allegory of the Cave - Alex Gendler
[Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RWOpQXTltA&t=4s
✓ Zoomed in picture guessing game | zoom in game for at home or in class | part 3. (n.d.).
Retrieved September 10, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRbMAgOtZl4
 THANKS!
Does anyone have any questions?

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