PHILO MOD 1

Philos

Love

Sophia

Wisdom

Philosophy

is not just an activity, but also a discipline. It is an overarching field of study which

investigates “anything under the sun.”

Philosophy as a science

similar to science in that it exhibits critical thinking

and open-mindedness

Philosophy as natural light of reason

investigates things, not by using any other laboratory

instrument and investigative tools, neither on the basis of

supernatural revelation, otherwise it becomes theology; instead,

the philosopher uses his natural capacity to think or simply, human

reason alone or the so-called unaided reason.

Philosophy as study of all things

This sets the distinction between philosophy from other sciences.

All other sciences, concern themselves with a particular object of

investigation. On the other hand, philosophy deals with questions

about everything and it tries to examine the principle or

judgement behind everything, including their existence

common sense

is sensible

and reasonable in countless areas. It’s what you hear about from

friends and neighbors, the stuff that’s just assumed to be true, the

stuff you take in without even thinking about it

philosopher

is a person who practices philosophy or engages in answering philosophical questions

school of thought

is a set of ideas, opinions or beliefs shared by a group

of people with a common perspective

Ionia

The earliest

records of western philosophy are generally in Ancient Greece. However, philosophy did not

start in the main parts of Greece, such as Athens and Sparta, but in its colony called

Thales

lived in Miletus (city of Ionia), first proper philosopher because he

investigated the natural world through observation and reason, not through supernatural or

mythological explanations

“Ionian Awakening.”

This event in history is called the. This is where we start our

discussion on how western philosophy developed through time

philosophers of nature

They investigated the single

underlying substance that make up everything. They also philosophized whether change

exists or is just an illusion

The Milesians

Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes

Thales

Coined the term arche, which means the ultimate substance of everything. Believed that the arche is water because it can be found in many places

Anaximander

Younger contemporary and student of Thales.

• Believed that the ultimate substance of everything is apeiron, which is

translated as “the infinite” or “the boundless”.

Anaximenes

Believed that the ultimate substance of everything is air. In its stable

state, air is invisible, but when it is moved and condensed it becomes

first wind and then cloud and then water, and finally water

condensed becomes mud and stone

The Non-Milesians

Pythagoras, Xenophanes, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Empedocles, Democritus

Pythagoras

Said that everything in the world is governed by numbers, and it can

be understood through mathematics.

• Proponent of Pythagorean theorem

Xenophanes

Believed that the ultimate substance of everything is earth and it interplays with water. Considered the first philosopher of religion. He criticized the representation of God found in the works of Homer and Hesiod

Heraclitus

Believed that everything in the world was in a state of constant change and flux

Parmenides

Rejected the idea of Heraclitus about change. He believed that

change is just an illusion

Empedocles

all four

of these substances (water, earth, fire, air) stood on equal terms

as the basic elements of the universe

Democritus

Introduced atomism.

• He believed that the everything is composed of tiny, indivisible

and indestructible things called atoms.

CLASSICAL OR SOCRATIC ERA

Socrates, Plato, Aristotle