INTRODUCTION TO THE

PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN

PERSON
Ronald H. Nacion
Objective:
Discuss Philosophy and its importance as
a discipline and a means for
understanding life
Teacher: Juan, what would you
like to be when you grow up?
Juan: Ma’am, I want to be
Happy!
Teacher: Juan, you did not
understand my question.
Juan: Ma’am, you do not
understand what life is all about!
Have you like Juan, come to realization of
what you want in life? Have you ever found
yourself wondering things, you
experienced or where your life is headed?
Have you ever encountered a situation
where you had to think about the “deeper”
questions in life?
Wonder– ask a lot of questions
Inquisitive
What is this? What does this do?
Why are trees fall?
Why is the sky so far away?
Grow Older Questions – influenced by our
experiences and circumstances.
Why do I have to study?
What do I need to do to get better grades?
Why can’t I have more friends?
What should I do to achieve my goals in
life?
Why did I fail?
What can I do to be better?
What is love?
Is love worth giving up everything?
Where can one find true happiness?
Does the end justify the means?
Why do good people suffer?
Why is there injustice in this world?
What can we do to make the world a
better place?
Why do I have to be a good person?
A big part of living is spent pondering many
questions, and our lives become more
meaningful because we search for answers
to these innumerable questions. This is the
essence of Philosophy- the search for
answers to life’s questions.
WHAT IS
PHILOSOPHY?
Philosophy
Philos –love
Sophia- wisdom
-”love of wisdom”
Philosophers- People who engage philosophy
-lovers of wisdom
 Philosophy
Is the study that uses human reason to
investigate the ultimate causes, reasons,
and principles which govern all things.
Origin of Philosophy
Greece birthplace of Philosophy
in the West
Greek City of Miletus- Turkey
Thales lived, father of philosophy in the
western civilization.(624-546 BCE)
Desire to know the ultimate stuff that makes up the
different things we perceived
Thales believed that despite the different things we
encounter there is one underlying stuff or substance
in which everything is composed. He believes that
there is One in the Many
MOST NOTABLE ANCIENT GREEK
PHILOSOPHERS
PYTHAGORAS (570 BCE TO 495 BCE)-
mathematician and scientist.
-formulates the Phythagorean Theorem.
-devoted to study of religion and philosophy.
HERACLITUS (535 BCE TO 475 BCE)- everything
that exist is based on a higher order or plan
called LOGOS.
-change is permanent aspect of the human
condition as he was credited with the saying
“No man ever steps in the same river twice”
DEMOCRITUS (460 BCE TO 370 BCE)- study of
causes of natural phenomena
-the first to propose that matter is compose of
tiny particles called ATOMS.
DIOGENES OF SINOPE (412 BCE TO 323 BCE)- advocate
of living a simple and virtuous life
-should not only talk of virtue but should show it in
words and actions
-austerity and simplicity, he lived as beggar
-vocal critic of Plato and Aristotle
-Cynicism and Stoicism
EPICURUS (341 BCE TO 270 BCE)- philosophy
could enable man to live a life of happiness
Epicureanism- 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)- the foremost
philosopher of ancient times.
-field of ethics
-critic of intellectuals but he himself did not claim to be
“wise” and merely considered himself a “midwife” that
help inquiring minds achieve wisdom.
-philosophy enable man to live a life of virtue.
-Socratic Method- 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)- student of Socrates, wrote down his
mentor’s teachings and incorporated some of his own ideas into
them.
-teachings and writings, foundation of Western philosophy
-Theory of Forms- everything that exist is based on idea or template
that can only be perceived in the mind; these non physical ideas are
eternal and unchanging.
-ideal society and proposed ideal model of government and society
which is ruled by wisdom and reason
-Dialectic- method of inquiry where two opposing ideas are
discussed in an attempt to arrive a new knowledge
-Academy- institution of higher learning which was the first of its kind
in the Western World
ARISTOTLE (384 BCE TO 322 BCE)-attended academy and
prominent student of Plato.
-disagreed plato theory of forms and talk different stance in
interpreting reality.
-All ideas and views are based on perception and our
reality is based on what we can sense and perceive thus
influence the study of Physical Sciences
-disciplines such as zoology, psychology, ethics and politics.
-Deductive Reasoning- the process by which specific
statements are analyzed to reach a conclusion or
generalization.
Activity 2
Essay
Why is there a need to philosophize?
What are the reasons that compel the person to
engage in philosophical thinking?
How can you as a person benefit from
philosophizing?
 Activity 3
Make a creative sketch or drawing of your
favorite Philosopher choose only one
Philosopher.