Philosophy Notes

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Activity 1: Think and List!

Think of 3 simple, serious, and deep questions that you ever asked yourself. Were you able to give answers to those queries? Example: Why is there a night and a day? Why can't we see the air? Why is it that we cannot hold the water for so long? Do this in your activity notebook.

Questions: Day-day Encounter
1-
2-
3.

Possible answer:

Processing Question:

  1. Why did you come up with those questions?

  2. What did you feel in asking yourself those questions?

Learning Competency:

  1. 1 Distinguish a holistic perspective from a partial point of view. (PPT11/12-Ia-1.1) 1.2 Recognize human activities which emanated from deliberate reflection. (PPT11/1 2-Ib-1.2) Lesson 1: PHILOSOPHY IN GENERAL

Preliminary Questions Lesson 1: PHILOSOPHY IN GENERAL

  • What words come to your mind when you hear the word Philosophy?
    -Why do we need to study Philosophy?

What is Philosophy?

Etymological

What is Philosophy?

Philosophy:

Philos = Love

Etymological

What is Philosophy?

Philosophy:

Philos = Love

Sophia = Wisdom

Etymological

What is Philosophy?

Philosophy:

Philos = Love

Sophia = Wisdom

Love of Wisdom

Love= is a strong desire for a particular object
Wisdom- is a correct application of knowledge

Etymological

Philosophy

Philosophy = science that studies beings in their ultimate causes, reasons and principles through the aid of human reason alone.

Being/beings= all things that exist: material immaterial
God Soul Spirit Technical

Definition of Philosophy

Philosophy is defined as the science that studies beings in their ultimate causes, reasons, and principles through the aid of human reason alone.

Key Concepts:

  • Being/Beings: Refers to all things that exist, whether material or immaterial, including God, soul, and spirit.

Explanation:

  • Science: Philosophy is a science because questioning is more important than answers, as answers can become questions themselves.

  • Beings: As a science of beings, philosophy covers all things reachable by the human mind, including man, the world, and God.

  • Ultimate Reasons, Causes, and Principles: Philosophy studies the ultimate "whys and wherefores" of beings.

  • Natural Light of Reason: Philosophy relies on human reason alone, excluding divine revelation as a primary source of knowledge.

Example:

Philosophy seeks to answer the question: "What does it mean to be a living thing as opposed to a non-living thing?"

Four Key Ideas of Philosophy:

Philosophy is a science that emphasizes questioning over answers.
Philosophy covers all things reachable by the human mind, including man, the world, and God.
Philosophy seeks to understand the ultimate reasons, causes, and principles of beings.
Philosophy relies on the power of human reason alone.

Divisions of Philosophy

  1. Practical Divisions of Philosophy

Practical Divisions of Philosophy

Philosophical fields that study not only to obtain knowledge and wisdom but also to use that knowledge and wisdom for practical purposes. It includes logic, ethics, axiology, aesthetics, and semantics.

Practical Divisions of Philosophy

a) Logic (Questions related to Reasoning).

Logic studies the laws of thought. It is the science of correct reasoning. This covers the study of simple apprehension and ideas, judgment and proposition, reasoning and arguments.

Logic attempts to resolve the following questions: "What makes good arguments good and bad arguments bad?"

b) Ethics (Questions related to Morality).

Ethics deals with development of a virtuous and moral character. It is the science of the morality of human acts as ordained to the end.

Ethics attempts to resolve questions like: "What makes my action right or wrong, and how could I know it?". "Is there a norm good and evil?

Practical Divisions of Philosophy Continued

c) Axiology (Questions related to Values).

It is the science of value. It is the study of the origin, nature, functions, types, and interrelations of values.

Axiology attempts to resolve questions like: "How are values experienced?" "What are the kinds of value?"

d) Aesthetics (Questions related to Beauty and Taste).

It is the science of beauty and art. Beauty means the quality attributed to whatever pleases the beholder such as form, color, and behavior. Art is creativeness and skill in making or doing things that have form and beauty. It includes the concept of creativity, expression, representation, form, and style.

Aesthetics attempts to resolve questions like: "What are the essential characteristics of beauty?" "What is aesthetic value?" "Do the arts provide knowledge?"

e) Semantics (Questions related to Meaning).

It is the science of meaning. It studies the natural and artificial language scientifically. This includes the study of the relations of words to the objects denoted by them, the relations of words to the interpreters of them, and, in symbolic logic, the formal relations of signs to one another (syntax).

Semantics attempts to resolve questions like: "What sorts of meanings do human grammars yield, and by what rules are these meanings assembled?" "How does grammatical knowledge develop in children?"

Speculative Division of Philosophy

Speculative Division of Philosophy is made up of philosophical fields whose main concern is the acquisition of knowledge without any thought of applying it for any practical use. It includes epistemology, theodicy, cosmology, philosophical psychology, and metaphysics.

a) Epistemology (Questions related to Truth and Knowledge).

Epistemology is the science of knowledge. This includes the statement and solution to the critical problem, nature, origin, objectivity, and validity of knowledge, truth and certitude.

Epistemology attempts to resolve questions like: "What is knowledge?" "What is fact?" "What is truth?"

Speculative Division of Philosophy Continued

b) Theodicy (Questions related to God).

Theodicy is the science of God His nature, existence, essence, attributes and operations.

Theodicy attempts to resolve questions like: "Does God exist?" "Why God allows evil?"

c) Cosmology (Questions related to Universe).

Cosmology is the science of the universe its origin and development with its parts, elements, laws, especially its characteristics with regard to space, time, causality and freedom.

Cosmology attempts to resolve question like: "How did the world begin and where will it end?"

Speculative Division of Philosophy Continued

d) Psychology (Questions related to Soul).

Psychology is science of soul. The study deals man not only as a sensing or thinking subject but also as a being composed of body and soul.

Psychology attempts to resolve question like: "Is there really a soul?"

e) Metaphysics (Questions related to Being and Existence).

It studies the nature of the mind, the self, and consciousness. It is the science which deals with the nature of being, its attributes, constituent principles, and causes.

Metaphysics attempts to resolve the following questions: "What is being?" "Why is there being rather than non-being?" "What is existence?" "What is essence?"

Why the study of Philosophy is important?

According to Zunjic (2011) studying or doing philosophy could be beneficial in many regards such as:

  1. Philosophy enlarges our understanding of the world. It expands our intellectual horizons and freedom of thought.

  2. Philosophy raises public awareness and helps in forming engaged and responsible citizens.

  3. Philosophy can increase our sensitivity for universalistic moral values and stimulate our readiness to stand up for the principles of justice and fairness.

  4. Philosophy can give one self-knowledge, foresight, and a sense of direction in life.

Why is there a need to philosophize?

  1. Men have the tendency to wonder (Plato). For example: we asked questions about our existence

  2. Men also have the tendency to doubt (Rene de Cartes).For example: Men have to test and verify information before accepting it.

  3. Men do philosophize because of his/her experience (Karl Jaspers). Our daily experience challenged our ideas and way of thinking. For example: Giving money to a beggar, and found out that he uses it for gambling.

  4. Men's love for wisdom (Socrates). Men's desire for truth or seeking of knowledge is not to claim ownership of it but to get the bottom of things.

Notable Ancient Greek Philosophers

The most notable ancient Greek Philosophers:

  1. Pythagoras (570 BCE to 495 BCE) - He is a mathematician and a scientist, and he was credited with formulating the Pythagorean theorem.

  2. Heraclitus (535 BCE to 475 BCE)- He proposed that everything that exist is based on a higher order or plan which he called logos.

  3. Democritus (460 BCE to 370 BCE) He primarily remembered today for his formulation of an atomic theory of the universe. He was the first to propose that matter is composed of tiny particles called atom.

  4. Diogenes of Sinope (412 BCE to 323 BCE)- He was known as advocate of living a simple and virtuous life. His teachings and views influenced the development of several schools of philosophy such as Cynicism and Stoicism.

Notable Ancient Greek Philosophers Continued

  1. Epicurus (341 BCE to 270 BCE) - He believed that philosophy could enable man to live a life of happiness. His perspective gave rise to Epicureanism - a school of philosophy which believes that wisdom and simple living will result in a life free of fear and pain.

  2. Socrates (470 BCE to 399 BCE) – He was considered the foremost philosopher of ancient times. He contributed much to the field of ethics. He was known of developing Socratic Method - a means of examining a topic by devising a series of questions that let the learner examine and analyze his knowledge and views regarding the topic

  3. Plato (427 to 347 BCE) -A student of Socrates, he wrote some of his mentor's teachings and incorporated some of his own ideas.
    Plato's most significant ideas included his Theory of Forms, which proposes that everything that exist is based on the idea that can only be perceived in mind.
    He is famous for his dialectic - a method of inquiry where two opposing ideas are discussed in an attempt to arrive in a new knowledge.

  4. Aristotle (384 BCE to 322 BCE) – He attended the Academy and was a prominent student of Plato. He go against the idea of 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. Aristotle was involved in a great variety of discipline such as zoology, psychology, ethics, and politics.

    • He formulated a formal process of analyzing reasoning - deductive reasoning - the process by which specific statements are analyzed to reach a conclusion or generalization.

Essay

Write a short essay of the philosophy of your life as a student. Write your essay in your notebook.

Lesson 2: Philosophical Reflection

Learning Competencies: Realize the value of doing philosophy in obtaining a broad perspective life (PPT11/12-lb-1.3)
Do a philosophical reflection on a concrete situation from a holistic perspective. (PPT11/12-Ic-1.4)

Philosophical Reflection

The statement “life is not a bed of roses” implies that as human beings we live life confronted with issues, challenges, problems and concerns, big or small, that affects our way of thinking. It is in this premise that men are seeking ways on how to deal with life situations. In this lesson, you will be enlightened with the ways on how to view the issues, challenges, problems and concerns that is pressing on you.

Philosophical Reflection

What is Philosophical Reflection?
Refers to the careful examination of life situation. This involves the weighing of alternatives and using specific standards to evaluate one’s action. An individual reflects philosophically when he builds on previous actions, events and or decisions
According to the words of Socrates, the great Greek philosopher,” the unexamined life is not worth living.” One of the major things that distinguishes man from other animals is his ability to think, use his creativity and his critical thinking.

Basic Questions in Philosophy:

  • What is the origin of the world, of everything that exists?
    Why do these things exist, rather than not exist at all?

  • Is there God? If so, how can we justify the goodness of God in the face of evil?

  • What is the meaning and purpose of life? Why do we have to suffer?

  • If one is suffering from an unbearable pain such as cancer, is it morally right to resort to euthanasia or assisted suicide?

Questions are more
important than answers
because answers themselves
will in turn become
questions!

Scenario

A girl went to hospital because she experiencing on and off moderate-severe stomach pain for almost I week. The doctor keeps asking questions about the activities of the girl before the pain started. Why the doctor keeps asking questions?

Questions

  1. Do you think asking question to the patient helps the doctor?

  2. How do you say so?

Holistic Thinking

It refers to a perspective that considers large-scale patterns in systems. described as looking at the "big picture' when describing and analyzing a situation or problem. The word holistic comes from the Greek word holos which means whole.

Holistic Thinking Vocabulary

  • Holist

  • Whole

  • Total

  • All aspects

  • Big picture

  • Complete

Holistic Thinking Example

Doctors don't just provide patients with medications, instead they look at ways to improve life balance and eradicate health problems from the root source such as high stress or bad nutrition

Partial Thinking

It focuses on specific aspects of a situation.

Partial Thinking Vocabulary

  • Specific

  • Part of whole

  • Particular not complete

Partial Thinking Example

Doctors often focus on a specific set of symptoms to determine the cause of as patient's illness. Once a particular cause has been identified, the doctor then prescribes the appropriate medicine and other treatments to address the illness

Reflection

It requires a person to be willing to examine one's thoughts, feelings, and actions and to learn more about one's life and experiences. One can reflect on almost any subject.

Questions to consider

  1. What do you consider before buying things, choosing friends, or picking food?

  2. Is it helpful to think first about the things you consider before you make any actions?

  3. What are your realizations?

Activity

Let's Remember
Let's Apply

Quote

We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on our experience