🏵️Module 1: What is PHILOSOPHY?

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PHILOSOPHY
– Philosophy is the discipline that looks for reasoned answers to certain very abstract questions,
usually left unasked in everyday life, about the nature of the universe and the place in it of humans
and everything distinctively human.

PHILOSOPHY
– comes from two Greek words: philos (LOVE) and sophia (WISDOM). The ancient Greek used this
term to refer to “love of wisdom” and they soon applied it to the study or discipline that uses human
reason to investigate the ultimate causes, reason, and principles which govern all things. People
who engage in philosophy are called philosophers or “lovers of wisdom”.

The following are the most ancient Greek philosophers:

 PYTHAGORAS (570 BCE to 495 BCE)

– A mathematician and scientist, he was credited with formulating the Pythagoran theorem. His work
earned him many followers, and he established a community of learners who were devoted to the
study of religion and philosophy.
Example of religion:
1. CHRISTIANS
2. ISLAMS

 HERACLITUS (535 BCE to 475 BCE) (There is nothing permanent except change.)
– He proposed that everything that exists is based on a higher order or plan which he called logos.
For him, change is a 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) Father of the Atomic Theory (I prefer discovering a
new law of Physics than becoming the Great King of Persial”)
– He devoted himself to the study of the causes of natural phenomena. He was among the first to
propose that matter is composed of tiny particles called atoms.

 DIOGENES OF SINOPE (421 BCE to 323 BCE)

– He was known advocate of living a simple and virtuous life. For Diogenes, one should not only talk
of 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 lived like a beggar.

 EPICURUS (341 BCE to 270 BCE) (Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have
not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.)
– He believed that philosophy could enable man to live a life of happiness. He views gave to rise to
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) (I know you won’t believe me, but the highest form of
Human Excellence is to question oneself and others)
– He was considered the foremost philosopher of ancient times. He 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 a man to live a life of virtue.

 PLATO (427 BCE to 347 BCE) (GOOD ACTIONS GIVE STRENGTH TO OURSELVES
AND INSPIRE GOOD ACTIONS IN OTHERS.)
– A student of Socrates, he wrote down his mentor’s teachings and incorporated some of his own
ideas into them. His teachings and writings were considered the foundation of Western philosophy.
Plato’s most significant ideas included his Theory of Forms, which proposes that everything that
exists is based on an idea or template that can only be perceived in the mind; these nonphysical
ideas are eternal and unchanging.
  ARISTOTLE (385 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 stance 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.

WHY IS THERE A NEED TO PHILOSOPHIZE?

— Philosophers have often wondered and argued about the role of philosophy in man’s life.
One view is that each one of us is a philosopher, whether or not we have studied philosophy.
We all have the potential to philosophize since we have the tendency to wonder and doubt.
We possess the capacity to reflect on our experiences and we have a never- ending need to
learn and discover.

The Greek philosopher Plato traced:

Man’s need to philosophize to his SENSE OF WONDER. Whenever we are confronted with an experience,
we always wonder how it came about. Man’s over bounding curiosity drives him to questions, some of
which have no definite answer.

Some question are this examples:

1. WHERE DID I COME FROM?
2. WHY DO WE EXIST?
3. FOR WHAT PURPOSE WERE WE CREATED?

This perspective drives the need of a philosopher to question, examine, and learn more.

15th-century French philosopher Rene Descartes traced the need to philosophize to DOUBT. Descartes was
famous for rejecting or questioning established ideas, and he even went as far as doubting his own ideas.
His method of examining ideas and perspectives became the basis of critical thinking and analysis in the
sciences.

20th century Swiss-German philosopher Karl Jasper saw the need to philosophize because of
EXPERIENCE. 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 feelings of helplessness, anxiety, or dread. For Jaspers, philosophy provides us a means to understand
adverse or challenging conditions, and to rise above them and gain new knowledge and perspectives.

Philosophize is driven by LOVE FOR WISDOM. To love wisdom is to have an insatiable desire for truth. A
philosopher does not seek knowledge to claim ownership of it; and one 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. The philosopher who exemplified perspective was Socrates.
He gained fame for his curiosity and his constant debates with many of the intellectual elite in Greece.

HOW DO WE CHARACTERIZE THE STUDY OF PHILOSOPHY?

Just as there are many ways of looking at a problem, philosophers have employed varied means of looking
into the fundamental questions regarding the human condition. This has given rise to various viewpoints,
thoughts, and approaches in philosophy

One way of looking at philosophy is to consider it to as a WAY OF ANALYSING FRAMEWORKS. A

framework is defined as a way of thinking about the world and is composed of the views and beliefs of a
person. Whenever a person encounters a problem or question in life, he or she often goes back to his/her
own framework in order to make sense of the problem. Question dealing with our own correctness and
values are considered INTERNAL QUESTION which can be addressed using own personal frameworks.

Also there are EXTERNAL QUESTION that seek to question the very frameworks upon which people base
their own beliefs and view. For instance, a child who is going through the bitter experience of his or her
parents’ separation will be in a state of confusion as his or her experience does not conform to his or her
personal framework of what a family should be. In this case, the child begin to question the very framework
or concept of family that he or she has built based on previous experiences.
  Philosophy can also be thought of as an examination of a particular area of knowledge. The central
principle in philosophy is examination and questioning, and this is often applied in the analysis of
the frameworks of other areas or sciences.

 Philosophy goes hand in hand with other discipline in examining their fundamental purpose and
evaluating the changes they experiences.

 There is philosophy of education, political philosophy, philosophy of history-every aspect of

knowledge can benefit from the inquiring nature of philosophy.

 Philosophy itself is a distinct area of knowledge with its 30 n goals, concerns and ways of doing
things.

SEVERAL BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY

 AESTHETICS - this philosophy deals with beauty and what makes things “beautiful”.

 LOGIC - is the branch of philosophy which deals with correct reasoning.

 EPISTEMOLOGY - discuss the nature of knowledge and justified belief.

 ETHICS - is the branch which deals with moral questions and dilemmas.

 POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY - studies governments and deals with questions of justice, power and the
rights and obligations of citizens.

 METAPHYSICS - is a branch of philosophy which deals with questions regarding reality and existences.
Although not a branch itself.

 PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON - is an area in philosophy that understand the human
person from a philosophical perspective integrating and synthesizing the different branches of
philosophy and other field of study to know the truth about the human person.

There are two suggest important facts about philosophizing:

PHILOSOPHY IS A REFLECTIVE AND MEDITATIVE ACTIVITY, and it has no designated subject

matter of its own. It is also a method of mental exercise on any type of experiences.

🏵️Module 2: PURSUING WISDOM AND FACING CHALLENGES IN THE TWENTY-

FIRST CENTURY🍊

What is HOLISM?
– Holism is any approach that emphasises the whole system, the whole person, whole of behaviour or
whole experience rather than the component parts.
– Two examples in psychology are the Gestalt approach and the Humanistic approach.
– A machine is the sum of its parts. Individual parts summing up the whole is ‘Reductionism’.
– Gestalt psychology which looks at the human mind and behavior as a whole is an example of
‘Holism’.

PHILOSOPHY
– Comes from two Greek word (PHILO- meaning to love) (”SOPHIA meaning “wisdom”)
– Originally meant “love of wisdom
– Is also define as a attitude of the mind that by natural light of reason studies the first causes or the
highest principles of all things.
FOUR THINGS ARE TO BE CONSIDERED:

SCIENTIFIC APPROACH – IT USES SCIENTIFIC APPROACH BECAUSE THE INVESTIGATION IS

SYSTEMATIC. IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS AN ORGANIZED BODY OF KNOWLEGDE JUST LIKE ANY
OTHER SCIENCE

LINGUISTS – LIMITS THEMSELVES TO LANGUAGE

NATURAL LIGHT OF REASON — PHILOSOPHY INVESTIGATES THINGS, NEITHER BY USING ANY

LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS OR INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS, NOR ON THE BASIS OF SUPER
NATURAL REVELATION; OTHERWISE IT BECOMES THEOLOGY.

STUDY OF ALL THINGS – THIS SETS THE DISTINCTION OF PHILOSOPHY AND OTHER SCIENCES
Example:
1. ANTHROPOLOGY - STUDY HUMAN BEINGS IN RELATION TO THE SOCIETY
2. SOCIOLOGY - STUDY OF SOCIETY, ITS FORM, STRUCTURE, AND FUNCTION
3. BOTANY - FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION TO PLANTS
4. THEOLOGIANS - INVESTIGATES RELIGIOUS PRACTICES, FAITH AND EXPERIENCE.
5. PHILOSOPHER - STUDY OF HUMAN BEINGS, SOCIETY, RELIGION, LANGUAGE, GOD, AND
PLANTS, AMONG OTHER CONCERNS

FIRST CAUSE OR THE HIGHEST PRINCIPLE - AN IDEA WHICH MEANS SOMETHING IS THE MAIN
AND FIRST CAUSE WHY AN EVENT OR SITUATION TOOK PLACE. IT IS A PRINCIPLE BECAUSE
EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD AND EVERY SITUATION HAS A STARTING POINT OR A BEGINNING.

PRINCIPLE OF IDENTITY - WHATEVER IS; AND WHAT EVER IS NOT IS NOT EVERTHING IS WHAT IT
[Link] MEANS A THING, IDEA, PERSON, ALWAYS HAS A NAME, CONCEPT, AND A
CHARACTERISTICFOR THAT THING TO EXIST.

PRINCIPLE OF NONCONTRADICTION - IT IS IMPOSIBLE FOR A THING TO BE AND NOT TO BE AT

THE SAME TIME, AND AT THE SAME RESPECT

PRINCIPLE OF EXCLUDED MIDDLE - A THING EITHER IS OR IS NOT: EVERYTHING MUST BE

EITHER BE OR NOT TO BE; BETWEEN BEING AND NOT BEING, THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND
POSSIBLE.

PRINCIPLE OF SUFFICIENT REASON - NOTHING EXIST WITHOUT A SUFFICIENT REASON FOR ITS
BEING EXISTENCE

🏵️Module 3: ATTAINING A COMPREHENSIVE OUTLOOK IN LIFE🍊

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” -DALAI LAMA-

Expanding our Philosophical Frames: Western and Non-Western Tradition

THE WESTERN TRADITION

 The Great Original Centers of Philosophy GREEK (WESTERN)

 Tradition — an inherited, established pattern of thought, action, or behavior (such as religious

practice or social custom)
 Philosophical framework — involves the concepts of viewing the social world

TRADITION CHINESE NEW YEAR

QUITO (1991)
– Each society or culture has its own idea of itself, a def hition of what is important in life, and its own.
Notions of what the world is like in general terms; thus each society or culture can be said to have
its own “philosophy”

VELASQUEZ (1999)
– During the fist centuries, there was more philosophical activity in the east than in the west. Before
the Greek period, there was more. Philosophical activity in the east than the west. Greeks before
Thales did not have philosophy.

FILIPINO THINKING: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL

 Filipino must take consciousness of his own particular life and his world, his society and his
gods in the light and truth, and thereby realize his proper being (Reyes, 1990)

3 Dimensions of Filipino Thought:

1. Loob: Holistic and Interior Dimensions
2. Filipino Concept of Time
3. Bahala na

 Loob: Holistic and Interior Dimension

- Kagandahang-loob, kabutihang loob, and kalooban are terms that show sharing of one’s self
to others.
- The values of loyalty, hospitality, pakikisama (camaraderie, conformism) and respect to
authority are such values that relate to person.

 Filipino Philosophy of Time

- Life may be sorrowful, but precisely because suffering is ultimately salutary, there is hope
beyond suffering (Timbreza, 1996)
- Living in harmony with nature (Chinese and Japanese Philosophy)
- Filipino Time (mistakenly interpreted: committed time of arrival)
- A misleading notion (Fact: Filipino farmers are early risers; wasting no time for work).

 Bahala Na (Come What May)

- Literally means to leave everything to God (Bathala in the vernacular).
- One of most outstanding Filipino virtues
- The Filipino puts his entire trust in this Bathala who has evolved in to the Christian God
(Mercado, 2000).

Filipino Thought and Values: Positive and Negative Aspects

 Filipino philosophy in need to be used as positive motivation.

 Filipino (beyond family groups) sees himself belonging to a small primary group in a dyadic, pyramidal
function (distinguished. By wealth, power and age)
 He receives protection and other favors from above and should be ready to do the same toward his ties
below.

 Utang Na Loob (Indebtedness to Patrons)

- The Filipino gives great value to endurance and hard work as means to economic self- suf
fciency-refers not to individual self but to the family to which one owes a special debt of
graditude for having brought him life and nurtured him.
- Deep down in the Filipino psyche there exists the belief that whatever good one has done will
redound to one’s beneft because a will dispense just compensation. Whether in this life or the
next (Mercado, 2000)
Elan (Indigeneous Philosophy)
A spirit that permeates the Filipino as Filipino, and without which, he feels certain dissatisfaction
Asia
- The seat of the world’s oldest civilization.
- Does have a philosophical character all on its own but that it will not surface unless local philosophers
dig to the roots to their own indigenous culture (Gripaldo, 2000)

ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED ACCORDING TO GRIPALDO:

1. Replacing colonial consciousness with a nationalist consciousness thereby doing away with colonial
and crab mentality.
2. Super Industrial Society
3. Utilization of education as the means of realizing the image of the future as super industrial society.
4. Choosing not just for one’s self but for all humanity, for the nation as a whole.