Introduction to

the Philosophy
of the Human
Person
QUARTER 1
WEEK 1 - 2
At the end of the
lesson, you should be
able to;
• Distinguish a holistic perspective
from a partial point of view.
• Realize the value of doing
Philosophy in obtaining a broad
perspective on
• Do a Philosophical reflection on
a concrete situation from a
holistic perspective.
 Week 1:
The Meaning and Process of
Doing Philosophy
PHILOSOPHY
Click icon to add picture
• The word philosophy comes • The origins of philosophizing
from two Greek words: philos can be traced back to when
individuals began to wonder
(love) and Sophia (wisdom).
"why" and sought answers.
Love of wisdom refers to the
strong desire of the human • Today, we know Philosophy as
person to acquire knowledge the study of general and
and use it properly. fundamental problems that has
something to do with our
• The ancient Greeks soon existence as human beings, the
applied it to the study or foundations of our knowledge,
discipline that uses human values that we hold on to,
reasons to investigate the reason, mind, and language.
ultimate causes, reasons, and Philosophy is reflective and
principles which govern all meditative in character, as it
things. Philosophers are draws on information from
individuals who study various branches of knowledge
philosophy. rather than relying solely on its
own conclusions.
Slide Title META
Click icon to add picture Click icon to add picture PHYSI
LOGI CS
C
AND
AESTHETI
CS
Click icon to add picture
EPISTEMOLO
GY ETHIC
S
 Click icon to add picture

Aesthetics

The philosophy which deals with beauty and

what makes things beautiful is called Aesthetics
Aestheticians ask questions like
"What is a work of art?“
"What makes a work of art successful?“
"Why do we find certain things
beautiful?“
"How can things of very different
categories be considered equally
beautiful?“
"Is there a connection between art and
morality?“
"Can art be a vehicle of truth?"
 LOGIC

Logic is the branch of philosophy which deals

with correct reasoning.
 TYPES OF LOGIC
FORMAL LOGIC
INFORMAL LOGIC
SYMBOLIC LOGIC
MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
 FOMAL LOGIC
In formal logic, you use deductive reasoning and the premises
must be true. You follow the premises to reach a formal
conclusion.

Premises: All spiders have eight legs. Black Widows are a type of
spider.
Conclusion: Black Widows have eight legs. 
Premises: Bicycles have two wheels. Jan is riding a bicycle.
Conclusion: Jan is riding on two wheels. 
 INFOMAL LOGIC
Informal logic is what’s typically used in daily reasoning. This is
the reasoning and arguments you make in your personal
exchanges with others.
Premises: Nikki saw a black cat on her way to work. At work, Nikki got fired.
Conclusion: Black cats are bad luck.

Premises: There is no evidence that penicillin is bad for you. I use penicillin
without any problems.
Conclusion: Penicillin is safe for everyone.
 SYMBOLIC LOGIC
Symbolic logic deals with how symbols relate to each other. It assigns symbols to
verbal reasoning in order to be able to check the veracity of the statements
through a mathematical process. You typically see this type of logic used in
calculus.
Propositions: If all mammals feed their babies milk from the mother (A). If all
cats feed their babies mother’s milk (B). All cats are mammals(C). The Ʌ means
“and,” and the ⇒ symbol means “implies.”
Conclusion: A Ʌ B ⇒ C
Explanation: Proposition A and proposition B lead to the conclusion, C. If all
mammals feed their babies milk from the mother and all cats feed their babies
mother’s milk, it implies all cats are mammals.
 MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
In mathematical logic, you apply formal logic to math. This type of logic is part of
the basis for the logic used in computer sciences. Mathematical logic and
symbolic logic are often used interchangeably.

1+1 = 2
5-2 = 3
4x8 = 32
10/5 = 2
EPISTEMOLOGY

Epistemology is a branch which discusses the nature of

knowledge and knowing. Ethics is the branch which deals
with moral questions and dilemmas.
 EPISTEMOLOGY

Belief: Someone cannot reasonably be said to know

something if they do not believe it to be true.

Truth: If someone believes something that is false,

they do not know it as a fact; they are mistaken.
 ETHICS

is the branch which deals with moral

questions and dilemmas
 ETHICS
Integrity in personal and professional matters
Honesty, truthfulness and sincerity
Loyalty and allegiance
Responsibility, reliability and dependability
Charity and kindness
Respect for others and their property
Self-discipline and acting with reasonable restraint
Knowing the distinction between right and wrong and good and bad
behavior
METAPHYSICS

– is a branch of philosophy which deals with

questions regarding reality and existence.
 METAPHYSICS
What is existence and reality?
What is the nature of space and time?
How was the universe created?
Is human behavior subject to freewill or determined by causes beyond our
control?
What does it mean to exist?
What is identity?
What is change?
What is the nature of mind and matter? How do they relate?
Do humans operate from rules of necessity or possibility or both?
Philosophy of
the Human
Person
 Philosophy of the Human
Person
is an area in philosophy that understands the human
person from philosophical perspective – integrating
and synthesizing the different branches of philosophy
and other fields of study to know the truth about the
human person.
 
Why is there a need to philosophize?

Philosophers have often argued

about the role of Philosophy in
man’s life. We all have the potential
to philosophize since we have the
tendency to wonder and doubt, to
reflect on our experiences and we
have a never-ending need to learn
and discover.
 Why is there a need to philosophize?

How do we value and cherish

wisdom? This is by understanding the
world around us and by attempting to
solve the philosophical questions that
we are faced with. Being able to
understand things in a critical and
logical manner is an important goal in
Philosophy.
 What is the difference between
Holistic Thinking and Partial Thinking?

A holistic point of view or holistic perspective is

looking at all aspects of a situation first before
making a conclusion.

A holistic perspective requires an individual to have

an open mind set.
 What is the difference between
Holistic Thinking and Partial Thinking?

Partial thinking on the other hand focuses on specific

aspects of a situation.
Though partial thinking is useful, philosophy utilizes
holistic thinking in making sense of problems and
issues related to the human experience.
 What is the difference between
Holistic Thinking and Partial Thinking?

People tend to apply an analytical perspective when

looking at problems or situations. For instance, doctors
often focus on a specific set of symptoms to determine the
cause of a patient’s illness. Once a particular cause has
been identified, the doctor then prescribes the
appropriate medicine and other treatments to address the
illness.
 What is the difference between
Holistic Thinking and Partial Thinking?

A holistic perspective, however, requires the doctor to

look at the “big picture” and consider the patient’s lifestyle
and personal circumstances in looking at the patient’s
illness. When using this perspective, a doctor may be able
to identify other underlying causes of the illness and
he/she could describe a better medicine or treatment to
the patient.
 What Is Reflection?
• Reflection is an important aspect
of Philosophy. One can engage in
reflection by examining one’s
thoughts, feelings, actions, and
learning from experiences.
• Reflecting on situations,
activities, actions and decisions
enables a person to gain insights
that will help in effective
decision-making.
 What Is Reflection?
• Consequently, philosophical reflection will pave way for
gaining wisdom and truth. Not only do we gain a better
perspective but a lot of human activities are brought about
by reflection.
• Examples of these activities include making wise choices
out of different options or alternatives, learning from past
mistakes and avoiding in committing the same mistakes
again and before making any conclusion or action, getting
all sides of the story and gathering all relevant information.
 What Is Reflection?

• When we are doing philosophical reflections

and we are engaged in finding ways or
methodologies to eliminate any practical
problem or abstract idea, we are already “doing
philosophy”.
Click icon to add picture

END of Week 1