Chapter 1.

Philosophy as a Field of Study

What is Philosophy?
Philo = Greek Word – Philla = Love
Sophy = Greek Word – Sophia = Wisdom
Therefore PHILOSOPHY means love of wisdom

WISDOM = Knowledge – valid information – Brain

Brain = parts of physical body that has the power to
Think
• Knowledge are information = ideas, concepts, principles, theories
• These are pick up and transmitted to the Brain for storage by
means of our SENSES.
1. Seeing – Eyes – Visual = light & dark; colors
2. Hearing – Ears – Audio = soft & loud; pitch
3. Smelling – Nose – Olfactory = good & bad odor
4. Tasting – Tongue – Gustatory = sweet & bitter; taste buds
5. Touching – Skin – Tactile = smooth & rough; hot & cold; soft &
hard
• Philosophy may be considered the “parent science”; it has given
birth to Natural, Physical and Social sciences.
• Philosophy may be finding Truth which is true for me.
• Philosophers essentially asked questions like:
What is Reality?
Does God exists?
How can we know the something is true?
What is Virtue?
Is what is “right” or “wrong” the same for all people
• Philosophy and Science
Philosophy has been describe as a science because it deals
with the study of the processes governing thought and conduct.
It investigates the principles and laws that regulate the universe
and underlie all knowledge.
Science has been defined as a body of systematized
knowledge derived from observation, study and experiments. Its
main concern is the discovery of truth.
The difference between the two fields of knowledge lies in
the scope and nature of their interest and in their approach.
• Philosophy as a Science carefully examines and criticizes the
premises and conclusions of all sciences: physical, natural and
social.
• Philosophy synthesizes and compares the assumptions or
hypotheses and conclusions of the difficult findings of the
different sciences when they appear to be contradictory.
• Major Fields of Philosophy
Epistemology – study of the origin, structure, methods,
nature, limit and veracity (truth, reliability, validity) of human
knowledge.
Metaphysics – deals with questions of reality its nature,
meaning and existence.
It is concerned about the nature of mind, self and
consciousness, the nature of religion, such as existence of
God, the universe and the immortality of the soul.
Axiology – deals with the study of values. It analyzes the
origin, type and characteristics, criteria and knowledge of
values.
Some questions arises in this field:
What makes an individual, thing, place, or event valuable or
desirable?
Is value a product of the mind, or is it in the quality of an object or
in an act?
Are things valuable only because of the way one feels toward
them, or does he feel a certain way toward them because of what
they are?
The philosophical enterprise is an active imaginative process of
formulating proper questions and resolving then by rigorous and
persistent analysis.
• Various Perceptions About Philosophy
Rodin’s Statue of the Thinker – somebody who sits pondering
questions of the ultimate significance of human life.
Bertrande Russel – devoted his life to the contemplation of the
problems of the world in a most abstract manner.
Karl Marx; Friedrich Engels – Communism ideology
John Locke; John Stuart Mill – developed the political theories
which prevail in democratic societies today.
•Who are Philosophers?
Some have been teachers, university professors giving lectures in Philosophy like:
St. Thomas Aquinas – taught in University of Paris
John Dewey – taught in University of Columbia
Rene Descartes – attempted to interpret the meaning and importance of various
scientific discoveries and theories.
A philosopher thinks about certain matters in certain ways, to find out what various
basic or concepts that we have mean, what we base our knowledge on.
Philosopher does not want to find the right answers, those that a rational man can
feel are warranted, after most thoughtful consideration.
• The Importance of Philosophy
General Education Requirement
Provide student’s total development leading to worthy life
Exposed the philosophical thoughts and develop his personal
philosophy
Recognized man’s essential worth as a member of society
Socrates, an eminent Athenian philosopher, said “The
unexamined life is not worth living”.
• PHILOSOPHY CONTRASTED WITH OTHER FIELDS OF
KNOWLEDGE:
SCIENCE PHILOSOPY
- Knowledge of facts - ultimate knowledge
- Determines facts - begins its work with facts
- Methods: observation - methods: interpretation
experimentation explanation
- Outlook: partial, detailed - outlook: comprehensive, ultimate
Philosophy Art
- Interprets, appreciates - interprets, appreciates
- Concerned with interpreting - limited to authentic experiences
- Values, reality, knowledge - inclusive
- Beauty is theoretically - beauty is actually treated
treated - enjoys and appreciates
- Intellectualizes aesthetic - actual expression of beauty
experiences - free from consciousness
- Highly conscious of himself
Religion
Truth
Knowledge: dependable
authoritative
Personal commitment
For practice of way of life
Social Responsibility
Philosophy
truth
intellectual
Philosophy is not religion
Worship: intellectual love of God
Fellowship: common ground of
honest search
Practical social endeavor
Education Philosophy
Practical Theoretical & Speculative
Actual Process of Educating Ask questions, examines facts
Teaching, organizing, of reality & experience
Administering organizations Philosophy yields comprehensive
Building curricula understanding of reality
While Philosophy is a guide to
Educational practices & judgement