Introduction to Doing Philosophy (Senior High School)

Administrative and Module Information

• Subject Title: Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person.
• Grade Level: Senior High School (Grade $11/12$).
• Quarter and Module: Quarter $1$ – Module $1$: Doing Philosophy.
• Edition: First Edition, $2020$.
• Legal Statement: Republic Act $8293$, section $176$ states that no copyright shall subsist in any work of the Government of the Philippines. Profit exploitation requires prior approval and potential royalties.
• Department of Education Personnel:
  • Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones.
  • Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio.
• Development Team:
  • Writers: Michael S. Bernal, Paciano B. Ferrer, Alejandrino C. Alac.
  • Editors: Amalia Solis (Education Program Supervisor).
  • Content Reviewers: Michael S. Bernal, Paciano B. Ferrer, Gener C. Irinco, Nastasia V. Besin, Ernie Ronel Tirol Mabahague.
  • Language Reviewer: Marianne Carol Rodia Esteban.
  • Management Team: Malcom S. Gama (Regional Director), Genia V. Santos (CLMD Chief), Dennis M. Mendoza (Regional EPS In Charge of LRMS), Maria Magdalena M. Lim (Schools Division Superintendent), Aida H. Rondilla (CID Chief), Lucky S. Carpio (EPS In Charge of LRMS).

Learning Competencies and Objectives

• Primary Goal: The module is designed to help students master the nature of Philosophy and obtain a broad perspective on life.
• Core Learning Competencies:
  1. Distinguish a holistic perspective from a partial point of view.
  2. Realize the value of doing philosophy in obtaining a broad perspective on life.
  3. Do a philosophical reflection on a concrete situation from a holistic perspective.
• Module Structure:
  • Part $1$: The Nature and Functions of Philosophy.
  • Part $2$: Philosophical Tools and Processes.
  • Part $3$: Philosophical Reflection.

The Philosophical Journey

• Life as a Hurdles Race: More than $2500$ years ago, Gautama Buddha declared in the first of his Four Noble Truths that "Life is suffering." Life is described as a series of challenges and hurdles to overcome to survive. Each challenge presents questions involving cause, process, and consequence.
• Philosophy as Questioning: Philosophy is fundamentally about asking and answering questions. Prior life experiences in problem-solving prepare individuals for the philosophical journey.
• The Scenario of Being Lost: A hypothetical scenario posits that after the lifting of a Covid-$19$ quarantine, a traveler becomes lost. To find their way, they must answer three primary philosophical questions:
  1. Where am I?
  2. How do I know it? (Requires a method of knowing, as knowledge is not automatic).
  3. What should I do? (Requires action based on knowledge to reach a destination).

The Nature and Origin of Philosophy

• Verbatim Definition: Traditionally, philosophy is defined as the "love of wisdom." It is derived from two Greek words: $philos$ (love) and $Sophia$ (wisdom).
• Philosophical Passion: While often viewed as a purely intellectual discipline, philosophy can be pursued passionately. For example, Socrates died for the truth. Practitioners are called philosophers (lovers of wisdom).
• Origin in the West:
  • Birthplace: The ancient Greek city of Miletus on the Western coast of modern-day Turkey.
  • Father of Western Philosophy: Thales ($624$–$546$ BCE), a contemporary of the Lydian king Croesus and the statesman Solon.
• The Philosophy of Thales:
  • Thales sought the "ultimate stuff" composing all perceived things (people, trees, clouds, etc.).
  • He believed in "One in the Many," attempting to reduce multiplicity into a unity.
  • His approach was completely rational, devoid of gods and goddesses, marking a departure from mythological religion.
  • Difference between Religion and Philosophy: Religion rests on faith; philosophy rests on reason.

Characteristics of Philosophical Activity

• Wide Scope: Philosophy involves the widest generalizations. While other disciplines focus on specifics (economics on supply/demand, history on the past), philosophers deal with universal issues of truth, good, justice, beauty, and existence.
• Fundamental Concerns: Philosophy focuses on the "root cause" that explains things in a given context. Knowledge is likened to a building where philosophical ideas provide the supporting lower floors. Without existence (something to know) and consciousness (someone to know), knowledge would collapse.
• Integration: Philosophy is driven by the desire to integrate things into one coherent whole. As Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel stated, "The true is the Whole."

The Branches of Philosophy

• Cognitive Branches (Foundational):
  • Metaphysics: The study of the universe as a whole and the laws governing it. It includes Ontology (study of existence as such) and Philosophical Anthropology (study of essential human nature).
  • Epistemology: The branch that studies the nature and means of human knowledge. It addresses how we obtain knowledge (reason, intuition, revelation) and the possibility of certainty.
• Normative Branches (Standards of Potentiality):
  • Ethics (Morality): Defined by Ayn Rand as a "code of values to guide man’s choices and actions." It functions as the "technology of philosophy," telling human beings how they ought to function.
  • Politics: The application of ethics in a social context. It defines the principles of a proper social system. Its foundation rests on metaphysics and epistemology, as one must know what a human being is to design a system for them.
  • Aesthetics: The study of the nature of art and the objective judgment of beauty.

Philosophical Tools and Processes

• Philosophical Questions: Born from ignorance. A philosopher maintains an inquisitive mind like a child. Socrates utilized this by posing questions to stimulate critical thinking.
• Dialectic Method:
  • Origin: Aristotle attributed the invention to Zeno of Elea. Plato's dialogues are primary examples.
  • Definition: A form of cooperative argumentative dialogue (Socratic Method/Elenchus) between individuals with different viewpoints to establish truth through reasoned arguments.
  • Evolution: Later expounded by Hegel and influenced Karl Marx.
• Logical Reasoning: The process of thinking logically to form conclusions.
  • Deductive Reasoning: Moving from universal premises to a particular conclusion.
    • Example: Premise $1$: All human beings are mortal; Premise $2$: The President is a human being; Conclusion: The President is mortal.
  • Inductive Reasoning: Moving from particular observations to a universal argument.
    • Example: Premise: Students A through F wear IDs; Conclusion: All students wear IDs.
• Logic: The science and art of correct thinking, involving the study of ideas, terms, propositions, and syllogisms.

Philosophical Reflection and Frameworks

• Defining Reflection: An activity requiring a person to examine thoughts, feelings, and actions to learn from experience. It separates the "essence" (substance/ultimate cause) from "accidentals."
• Gabriel Marcel's Two Types of Reflection:
  1. Primary Reflection: The ability to think logically and analytically. It breaks objects down into constituent parts and focuses on technical solutions and definitions.
  2. Secondary Reflection: Enables a deeper look at experiences to see the "bigger picture." It integrates fragmented experiences into a whole (Holism).
• The STOP Sign of Moral Theology:
  • S: Search out facts.
  • T: Think, reflect, and analyze facts/effects.
  • O: Others—consider the social dimension of actions.
  • P: Pray—consult the divine for enlightenment.
• The Relationship of Philosophy and Theology: St. Anselm described it as "faith seeking understanding." St. Thomas Aquinas famously used the phrase "philosophia ancilla theologiae" (philosophy is the handmaid of theology).
• The AQAL Framework: Developed by Ken Wilber ("All Quadrants All Levels").
  • The Vertical Line: Divides the Interior/Subjective (left side/"loob") from the Exterior/Objective (right side).
  • The Horizontal Line: Divides the Individual/Singular (above) from the Collective/Plural (below).
  • The Four Quadrants:
    1. Upper Left (UL): Mind (Interior Individual) - Includes values, dreams, emotions.
    2. Upper Right (UR): Body (Exterior Individual) - Physical objects, measurable physical state.
    3. Lower Left (LL): Culture (Interior Collective) - Shared meanings and values.
    4. Lower Right (LR): Society (Exterior Collective) - Financial, political, and technological systems.
  • Application to Poverty:
    • UL: Psychological aspects (self-pity).
    • UR: Physical aspects (malnutrition, immune system).
    • LL: Cultural aspects (religious motivations, collective aspirations).
    • LR: Social aspects (inflation, economic systems).

Literature and Practical Application

• Plato (Apology $38a$): "The unexamined life is not worth living."
• Roque Ferriols, S.J. (Sapagkat ang Pilosopiya ay Ginagawa): A metaphor about students taking notes on how to swim while standing by a pool but never jumping in. Ferriols emphasizes "praxis"—philosophy must be done/practiced, not just recorded.
• The Three Moments: Day-to-day life, Reflection, and Application.

Questions & Discussion

Pre-Assessment and Review Questions:

1. What is the science and art of correct thinking? (Answer: Logic).
2. Who pioneered the dialectic method? (Answer: Socrates/Zeno of Elea).
3. What is the term for viewing systems as wholes, not just parts? (Answer: Holism).
4. Which branch of philosophy studies the nature and means of human knowledge? (Answer: Epistemology).
5. What was the first of the Four Noble Truths declared by Gautama Buddha? (Answer: "Life is suffering").

Activity Prompts:

• Blind Men and the Elephant: Analysis of how individuals perceive parts of a reality without understanding the whole elephant.
• Lost in Travel: If you are lost, what are the three primary questions you must answer to recover your position and path?
• Plato's Quote: What does it mean for a life to be "unexamined"?
• Ferriols' Text: Why is the teacher keen on making the learners jump into the pool instead of just taking notes?
• COVID-19 Analysis: Perform a quadratic analysis (AQAL) on the pandemic considering the individual mind, the physical body, the culture, and social/economic systems.