OPENING PRAYER

Leader: When we live in unity,

Response: How good and how pleasant it is.
Leader: Pray for us Holy Father Augustine,
Response: That we may dwell together in peace.
Leader: Let us pray.
All: God our Father Your Son promised to be present in the midst
of all who come together in His Name. Help us recognize His
presence among us and experience in our hearts the abundance
of Your grace, Your mercy and Your peace, in truth and in love.
We ask these through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Leader: Our Lady of Grace
All: Pray for us.
At the end of the lesson, the
student will be able to:
 Define philosophy
 Enumerate and discuss the development
that brought about the emergence of
Western and Eastern Philosophy
 Discuss branches of Philosophy
Philosophy of the
Human Person
What Is the Best
Way to Gain
Knowledge?
 Meaning of Philosophy

“Philosophy” comes from the Greek words

Philos which means “to love”

Sophia which means “wisdom”

The Ancient Greeks used this term to refer to a “love of wisdom” and was soon
applied to as Science and discipline which uses human reason to investigate
the ultimate causes reasons, and principles which govern all things.
Pythagoras was the philosopho, term which
means “a lover of wisdom”
 Western Philosophy
What development brought about the
emergence of Western Philosophy?

Western Philosophy is primarily concerned

with uncovering the truth through systematic
argumentation and theory.
 GREECE
 Home to one of the great civilizations
during the Ancient Period
 Love of Learning
 First Philosopher of Ancient Greece were
primarily preoccupied with the study of
nature unifying principle of the world,
answering questions like “What is
permanent in existence? and “What is the
universe made up of?”
 Pre-Socratics first Philosopher
came before the time of Socrates
Thales-earliest philosopher to
inquire about the world and explain
the composition of things and the
changes in physical reality. FATHER
OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
 Sophist
 group of intellectuals emerged and they influenced
learning in Ancient Greece
 taught a way of argumentation called eristic
 aimed to win arguments rather than arrive at the truth
 Excellent public speakers and they travelled
throughout Greece and taught young people a wide
array of subjects such as grammar, mythology, political
virtue, and rhetoric.
 The following are
among the most
notable ancient Greek
Philosophers:
Thales (624 BCE TO
546BCE)
He believed that
the ultimate
composition of all
things is water
 
 What is the universe made of?
Arche- origin of everything
Arche had to explain 4 things:
1. It has to explain existence
2. It has to explain change
3. It has to explain life
4. It has to explain motion
 Anaximander (610 BCE to 546 BCE)

A student of Thales, Anaximander agreed with his

teacher that everything comes from a single, basic
material. He argued, however, that matter is not
composed or any other element. It is his view that
all things are created and emerged from an
indefinite and boundless realm called apeiron. When
things decay or are destroyed, they go back into the
apeiron.
 
Existence of opposites

APEIRON
boundless

limitless unlimited
 APEIRON

Opposites
When hot and cold met it disappear---
exchange of energy
 Anaximenes (586 BCE to 528 BCE)-
He was a young associate of
Anaximander who followed Thale’s
view of matter being created from a
single element. Anaximenes however,
believed that it is air that makes up all
things and that different elements and
substances are merely different phases
of air. Anaximenes also considered air
as the source of life.
 
Air transforms itself into all the different
things we observe in the world

Condensation is the process responsible for the

formation of clouds and thus rain and snow
ANAXIMENE’S Reasoned air can change into
mist and water, if condensed further it can also
change into earth and rock
mist water rock
Vaporization occurs when water
changes from a liquid to a gaseous state
Anaximene’s reasoned that if water turn back into
air, then it vaporized further it could also transform
into fire.
 Pythagoras
(570 BCE to 495 BCE)-
A mathematician and scientist,
he was credited with the
formulation of the Pythagorean
theorem. His work earned him
many followers, and he
established a community of
learners who were devoted to
the study of religion and
philosophy.
 Pythagoras
(570 BCE to 495 BCE)
Pythagoras(570 BCE to 495 BCE)
Numbers are everything because
everything is numbers.

The answer to Life Universe

and Everything
Pythagoras(570 BCE to 495 BCE)
Transmigration of the soul:
He believed that after you die your soul
migrates to another body., this could be a body
of a fish, bird, or another human.

The goal: Life is not to transmigrated or

reincarnated continually but to escape the
endless cycle of rebirth and become truly free.
 Heraclitus (535 BCE to 475 BCE)
He proposed that everything that exist is based higher
order or plan which he called logos. For him, change is
permanent aspect of the human condition. HERACLITUS is
credited with the saying, “You cannot step twice into the
same river, for fresh waters are ever flowing upon you.
 Heraclitus (535 BCE to 475 BCE)

Fire- is the conductor of everything

“From all things originate and return to it again in a

process of eternal cycles.”

He believed fire gave rise to the other element

Logos- world rationale, Determining formula,

not just word that is logical but TRUE
Democritus (460 BCE to
370 BCE)- He devoted
himself to studying the
causes of natural
phenomena. He was
among the first to
propose that matter is
composed of tiny
particles called atoms.
  Abdera Greece
Atomism Democritus is most widely known
as the co- creator of the theory of atomism.
Along with his tutor Leucippus, Democritus
hypothesized that every physical object is
composed of different arrangements of
microscopic objects known as “atoms” .
 The Laughing Philosopher Democritus is
fondly known as “The Laughing
Philosopher” as he often preached of the
value of happiness .
 He hypothesized that the Milky Way is
composed of many distant stars. 
 Diogenes of Sinope (412 BCE to 323
BCE)-
He was known advocate of a simple and
virtuous life. For Diogenes, one should
not only talk virtue but should show it in
words and actions. His emphasis on
austerity and simplicity often went to
the extreme, and he was said to have
like a beggar. He was also known to be a Sinope, an Ionian colony
vocal critic of well-known philosophers on the Black Sea coast of
such as Plato and Aristotle. His teaching Anatolia 
and views were later developed by his Greek Cynic philosopher best
followers and influenced the known for holding a lantern (or
candle) to the faces of the citizens of
development of Cynicism. Athens claiming he was searching for
an honest man
 Founder and the most famous member of the philosophical movement
called Cynicism
Cynic Dog
Diogenes “the man from God”
“THE MAN FROM GOD WHO ACTED like a dog”

 Defied all convention lived in a tub-lived life as an

exemplum
 Cynic actually means “dog” which was nickname
given to him by Plato
 Diogenes didn’t write an expansive ethical system
 He primarily expressed his ideas through his
actions and conversations
Cynicism
is a school of philosophy from the Socratic
period of ancient Greece, which holds that the
purpose of life is to live a life of Virtue in
agreement with Nature (which calls for only
the bare necessities required for existence).
FREEDOM
 Epicurus (341 BCE to 270 BCE)
He was a practical philosopher and
believed that philosophy could enable
man to live a life of happiness. He
denounced certain pleasures of  the body
that were unnatural and stated that
 
continuous indulgence in bodily pleasure
often leads to dissatisfaction. Therefore,
one should indulge in the needs and
pleasures of the mind instead of the body.
His views gave rise to Epicureanism – a
school of philosophy which believes that
wisdom and simple living will result in a
life free from fear and pain.
 Socrates (470 BCE to 399 BCE)
He was considered the foremost
philosopher of ancient times and
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 man to live
a life of virtue.
Socrates (470 BCE to 399 BCE)
He was credited with formulating the
Socratic Method- a means of examining
a topic by devising a series of questions
that lets 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 teacher’s
writings and incorporated some of his
own ideas into them. His teachings and
writings are considered as the
foundation of Western Philosophy.
Plato’s most significant ideas include his
theory of forms, which proposes that
everything that exist is based on an idea
or template that can only be perceived
in mind; these nonphysical ideas are
eternal and unchanging.  Plato's Theory
of Forms asserts that the physical world
is not really the 'real' world.
He also focused on political theory and wrote
the Republic that discussed what he proposed
as ideal society and ideal form of government
ruled by wisdom and reason.
Plato is also known for his dialect- 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 West.
 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 view
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.
 Aristotle (384 BCE to 322 BCE)
His studies in logic led 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 reach a conclusion or
generalization. Aristotle, like Plato, founded
his own school called the Lyceum.
   
Archimedes (287 BCE
to 212 BCE )
He is known for the practical
aspects of the philosophical
inquiries and was considered a
leading scientist in ancient times.
Archimedes is especially
important for his discovery of the
relation between the surface and
volume of a sphere and its
circumscribing cylinder.
 Which ancient philosopher, in
your opinion, made the greatest
contribution to the development
of Philosophy?

Which ideas of ancient

philosopher do you find most
interesting?
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Main Features, Notable Philosophers
Thought Beliefs

Ancient Rome Stoicism Emphasis on Seneca

(1ST Century BCE to 5th century CE) morality Epictetus
Marcus Aurelius
DEVELOPMENT
OF SELF-
CONTROL
Medieval Period Scholasticisms Application of St. Thomas Aquinas
(5TH TO 15TH centuries) philosophy to define St. Augustine
and explain Meister Eckhart
religious doctrines

Renaissance (14th to 17th centuries) Humanism Emphasis on the Petrarch

human person; use Desiderius Erasmus, Nicollo
of philosophy to Machiavelli, Francois Rabelais
understand society,
nature, humanity
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of Main Features, Beliefs Notable Philosophers
Period Thought
The Enlightenment Rationalism Reason and logic is considered Rene Descartes
(17th to 18th   the basis of knowledge and belief; Immanuel Kantz
centuries)   man has innate knowledge that Gottfried Leibniz
  can be accesses through intuition  
  or deduction  
     
Empiricism Knowledge is gained through our David Hume
  senses and experience; reliance Francis Bacon
  on inductive reasoning to arrive at John Locke
  generalizations  
     
Social and Political Discussion on the ideal human Voltaire
Philosophy situation and society; emphasis on Jean Jacques
  individual rights and liberties Rousseau
  Thomas Hobbes
  John Stuart Mill
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of Main Features, Beliefs Notable Philosophers
Period Thought
Modern Positivism Studies and observe Auguste Comte
Period (19th
Century)   the relation between  
  things and laws of  
  science; knowledge is  
  based on observable  
phenomena
 
Utilitarianism An action is morally Jeremy Bentham
  right if it produces the John Stuart Mill
greatest good for the
greatest number of
people
 
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of Main Features, Beliefs Notable Philosophers
Period Thought
20th century Pragmatism Emphasis on the Charles Peirce
practical use of William James
knowledge and ideas John Dewey
 

Existentialism Human experience is Soren Kierkegaard

defined by the views, Friedrich
emotions, and actions of Niettzsche
the individual Martin Heidegger
  Jean Paul Sartre
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of Thought Main Features, Beliefs Notable
Period Philosophers
20th century Phenomenology Experience is studied Edmund
  based on the subjective Husserf
viewpoint of the  
individual.

Absurdism Man will never

understand the human Albert Camus
condition and the  
meaning of life

Postmodernism Analysis on how Jacques

Post-structuralism knowledge, ideas, and Derrida
  power relations are Michel
defined Foucault
 What development and characteristics
define Eastern Philosophy?
Eastern Philosophy
• East Asia
• Consist School of thought that closely tied with religious beliefs
• Describe as “wisdom” literature, where stories, sayings, and
texts, encourage people to adopt an ethical and harmonious
way of life

There is great emphasis on social relations, and the family and

community are considered a central aspect of life

The goal of Eastern Philosophy is to achieve balanced life and

find one’s role in society.
 Eastern Philosophy are
classified according to:
• Theistic- based on a belief of in a Supreme
Being or deities)
• Nontheistic-person who does not believe
that there is a god or gods 
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Thought, Main Features, Beliefs Proponents, Major Texts
Belief System
(Region or Area)
Ca. 2000 BCE Judaism Belief in one God (monotheism), who Abraham, Moses, various
(Israel, the Levant) has a role in the ultimate destiny of prophets
mankind; the Jewish people are  
God’s chosen people  
  Tanakh, Torah,and various
The observance of God’s scriptures
commandments will result in rewards.
A deeper study and understanding of
God’s law as revealed in the sacred
scriptures will lead to wisdom.

Male children circumcised eight days

after they are born in ritual called berit
mila.

Young children recite prayers from

the Torah in ceremony called Bar
Mitzvah
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of Thought, Main Features, Beliefs Proponents, Major
Period Belief System Texts
(Region or Area)

Ca. 1500 BCE Hinduism Belief Belief in pantheon of gods, with The Vedas
(India and South Asia) three main gods- Brahma- creator,
Shiva-destroys, and Vishna-
World oldest religion Preserves
 
Belief in a cycle of birth and rebirth
(samsara), which is broken when
a person achieves ultimate union
with the Divine (moksha)

Atman-soul

Dharma- roles in society

Nirvana- joy
 
Emphasis on dharma, the
fulfillment of duties and behavior in
accordance with the established
order in the world, individual
actions
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of Thought, Main Features, Beliefs Proponents, Major
Period Belief System Texts
(Region or Area)

Ca. 600 BCE Shinto (Japan) An animistic religion influenced by Kojiki

Japanese myth and traditions Nihon Shoki
   
The material and spiritual worlds
are closely connected; rituals and
traditions are a way to connect
with the spiritual world.
 
Mankind and the world are
essentially good and pure,
 
Harmony and balance are
essential in maintaining purity.
 
Buddha is one of the kami or gods
of nature
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of Thought, Main Features, Beliefs Proponents, Major
Period Belief System Texts
(Region or Area)

Ca. 600-500 BCE Jainism Rejects the idea of a Creator and Mahavira
(India) considers the universe as eternal  
and unceasing; time is a wheel  
which goes through cycles of Jain Agamas
prosperity and suffering.
 
Wisdom is developed through the
practice of the five main vows:
ahimsa (non-violence), satya
(truth), asteya (honesty),
brahmacharya (chastity)

 purpose of life purify your soul.

Meditation, discipline, and respect

for all life are emphasized.
Stayed away from farming and
slaughter of animals.
 
Historical
EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
School of Main Features, Proponents, Major Texts
Period Thought, Belief Beliefs
System
(Region or
Area)
Ca. 400 BCE Buddhism Shares a number of main Siddhartha Gautama
  (South Asia, East beliefs (samsara, dharma,
  Asia, SouthEast Asia) moksha) with Hinduism
   
  The four Noble Truths
  describe worldly existence
  as imperfect and influenced
  by earthly desires and
  suffering (dukkha); to rid to
  oneself of desire (reason for
  suffering is desire or tanha)
  and achieve liberation from
  suffering, one must follow
  the Eightfold Path
 
  Divided into two major
  branches: Theravada
  Buddhism –(The Way of the
  Elders) or Hinaya (Lesser
  Vehicle)
  and Mahayana Buddhism-
taught that Buddha had the
Historical
EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
School of Thought, Main Features, Beliefs Proponents,
Period Belief System Major Texts
(Region or Area)
Ca. 400 BCE Confucianism The contemplation of the order of things Confucius (K’ung
  can lead to self-transformation. Self- Fu Tze) Tteacher
transformation can lead to the betterment Kung
of the family and society.  
   
Human relationships are based on  
mutual obligations; individuals should The Five Classics,
perform their intended roles and The Four Books
contribute to social order.

Do not do to others what you do not want

them to do to you

Teaching and beliefs: Five important

relationships in society
-leader and follower
-husband and wife
-elder and younger sibling
-friend-friend
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of Thought, Main Features, Beliefs Proponents, Major
Period Belief System Texts
(Region or Area)

Ca. 200 BCE Taoism Emphasis on the unity and Lao Tzu (old teacher)
(East Asia) harmony among opposing Zhuangzi
elements (yin and yang);-  
opposites  
Individuals must seek to I Ching, Tao Te Ching
understand and act in accordance
with the natural order

Tao- path or way

According to Taoism, social chaos

happens because of the absence
of connection and oneness in the
consciousness of the people
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of Thought, Main Features, Beliefs Proponents,
Period Belief System Major Texts
(Region or Area)

Ca. 1440 CE Sikhism God is believed to have created the Guru Nanak
(India)- The Union of universe and is present everywhere and  
Hinduism and I slam in everything.  
   
Man communicates with God through Guru Granth Sahib
meditiation, and his ultimate destiny is
union with the Divine.
 
Apart from mediation, believers must
devote themselves to selfless service
and action.

Sikhs can unite with god by reflecting

on his name(nam) or by serenading to
his will.

Prohibits vices- alcohol and smoking

consumption
 How do we characterize the study of
Philosophy?

One way of looking at Philosophy is to consider

it a way of analyzing frameworks.
A framework is defined as a way of thinking
about the world and is composed of the views
and beliefs of a person.
Internal Questions which can be addressed using
our own reasoning from our personal frameworks.
Persons dealing with our own correctness and
values.
External Questions that seek to question the very
frameworks upon which people base their own
beliefs and views.
Example: Child going through bitter experiences of
his parents’ separation will be in state of confusion.
The child began to question! Questioning his or her
ideas.
Philosophy can also be thought of as an
examination of a particular area of knowledge.
 Branches of Philosophy
Philosophy of the Human Person- Nature of man
Aesthetics- beauty and what makes things “beautiful”
Logic- Correct Reasoning
Epistemology- discusses the Nature of knowledge and
knowing
Ethics- moral questions, dilemmas, and standard for
human behavior
Political Philosophy- studies governments and deals
with questions of justice, power and the rights and
obligations of citizens, and right governance.
Metaphysics- branch of philosophy which deals with
question regarding the nature of reality and existence
 
How can philosophizing
benefit you as person?
 Why is there a man to
philosophize?
The Greek philosopher Plato traced man’s need
to philosophize to his sense of wonder.
Man’s over-abounding curiosity drives him to ask
questions, some which have no definite
answers.
Where did we come from?
Why do we exist?
For what purpose were we created?
 15 –century Rene
tH

Descartes
 Traced the need to philosophize to doubt.
 Descartes is famous for rejecting or questioning
traditional or dogmatic ideas, and he event went as
far as doubting his own ideas.
 In the sciences, there is need to verify an information
or explanation before it is accepted as truth.
 20th –century Swiss German Karl Japers

 Saw the need to philosophize because of

experience.
 Jaspers believed that man is often confronted by
experiences which challenge his ideas and
frameworks. Jaspers believed that man is often
confronted by experiences which challenge his
ideas and frameworks. Jaspers called these
experiences limit situations, and these are often
accompanied by feeling of helplessness, anxiety, or
dread.
Finally the need to philosophize is driven by
the love of wisdom.
A philosopher does not seek knowledge to
claim ownership of it; and who engages in
philosophy is not satisfied with figuring out
the answer to a question. He seeks to
continue to question, to probe, and to
discuss in order to get to the bottom of
things.
SOCRATES- “I only know that I know nothing”
It is in accepting this state of ignorance that
one can begin to learn and understand.

Socrates is also recognized for his motto:

“ The unexamined life is not worth living”
And nowhere it is more appropriate to
embark on philosophy than in examination of
life”
THANK YOU!