WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

Mr. Weldann Lester A. Panganiban

HOW DO YOU
DEFINE
PHILOSOPHY?
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OBJECTIVES
• Define philosophy through how
it is done.
• Understand the nature of
philosophical inquiry.
• Explain the branches of
philosophy

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 Human reason has the peculiar fate in
one species of its cognitions that it is
burdened with questions which it
cannot dismiss, since they are given to
it as problems by the nature of reason
itself, but which it also cannot answer,
since they transcend every capacity of
human reason.
Immanuel Kant

Introduction
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WHAT IS
PHILOSOPHY?
WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
Etymologically speaking, the
term philosophy is a
combination of the Greek
words philos (love) and Sophia
(wisdom). Thus, philosophy
(φῐλοσοφῐ́ᾱ) means love of
wisdom.
WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
The word philosophy was first used
(apparently) by Pythagoras when he
differentiated the three classes of
people who attended the ancient
Olympic games:
- Lovers of gain;
- Lovers of honor; and
- Lovers of wisdom.
Those who love wisdom do not seek
profit nor compete in the games for
honor. Their purpose was simple: to
seek the truth.
WE HAVE OUR
PHILOSOPHY
IN LIFE.
 THE ACTIVITY OF
REFLECTING AND
ANALYZING ONE’S
ACTIONS COULD BE A
KIND OF PHILOSOPHY
AS WELL.
 PHILOSOPHY COULD ALSO BE A
RECONSTRUCTED BELIEF OR A
VALUE SYSTEM WHICH SHOWS A
UNIVERSAL AND COMPREHENSIVE
CHARACTER AS A RESULT OF
REFLECTION AND ANALYSIS IN A
MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND
SYSTEMATIC MANNER.
TALKING ABOUT
SUBJECTS

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TALKING ABOUT SUBJECTS
• Investigating the meaning of concepts or proposals of new terms in
order to advance some area of philosophical inquiry;
• Critiquing the use of these terms; or
• A combination of both.

When we talk about subjects, we ask the question

WHAT SUBJECTS CAN BE TALKED ABOUT?

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TALKING ABOUT SUBJECTS
• PHILOSOPHICAL SUBJECTS deal with matters that a
reflective person believes and counts as real, and matters that he or
she thinks that shape his or her life. Since one’s appreciation of a
particular subject may differ from another, there is a possibility
that problems posed may have differing answers.
• NON-PHILOSOPHICAL SUBJECTS deal with matters that
have specific answers, thus having a lessened chance to reflect and
ponder on.

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MAJOR BRANCHES OF
PHILOSOPHY

• ETHICS (ethos, custom) is concerned about human conduct. It

deals with norms and standards of right and wrong applicable to
human behavior. Ethics helps people prioritize their values.

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MAJOR BRANCHES OF
PHILOSOPHY

• AESTHETHICS (aistetikos, sensitive or perceptive) is concerned

with the analysis of aesthetic experience and the idea of what is
beautiful. Philosophers analyze whether beauty is based on utility,
experience, form, pleasure or expression.

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MAJOR BRANCHES OF
PHILOSOPHY

• EPISTEMOLOGY (episteme, knowledge) is concerned about various

problems surrounding knowledge. Among the major concerns of
epistemology are:
• The origin of knowledge whether it is from experience (empiricism) or
from the mind (rationalism)
• Verification and confirmation of knowledge
• Distinction of belief and knowledge
• Nature of truth
• Problems of perception the external world, and meaning and other minds.
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MAJOR BRANCHES OF
PHILOSOPHY

• LOGIC looks whether there are rules or principles that govern

reasoning. It incorporates the analysis of methods of deduction and
induction to provide the rules on how people ought to think
logically. It also increases one’s ability to reason correctly and
distinguish irrational reasoning (fallacies).

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MAJOR BRANCHES OF
PHILOSOPHY

• METAPHYSICS (after physics) is the study of the nature of

reality. It analyzes whether everything is material, and if life,
energy and mind are different manifestations. It focuses on the
subject of appearances (how something looks by how it appears –
the world of forms) and reality (that which actually is – the real
world).

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