REVIEWER: PHILOSOPHY thinking in making sense of problems and issues related to the human

experience.

4. Doing philosophy can be applied in day-to-day activities and life

perspectives. Because it involves an evaluative process, doing
philosophy allows a person to make better decisions and act accordingly
to situations with the help of various philosophical skills.

METHODS OF PHILOSOPHY

1. SOCRATIC METHOD- the Socratic method uses questions to stimulate

the dialectic. “Art of questioning.”- asking a series of questions to
4 MAIN TOPIC
seek the truth.
1. Doing Philosophy
2. Methods of Philosophizing
2. DIALECTIC METHOD- is just a debate or class of ideas. the method of
3. The Human person as an Embodied Spirit
4. The Human person in their environment discussion that refers to coming up with answers through the medium of
the logical and reasonable discourse of arguments.
WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
3. THE HISTORICAL METHOD is the collection of techniques and
Philosophy comes from two Greek words: philos (love) and sophia guidelines that historians use to research and write histories of the
(wisdom). The ancient Greeks used this term to refer to “love of past.
wisdom” and they soon applied it to the study or discipline that uses
human reason to investigate the ultimate causes, reasons, and principles 4. THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD is the process of objectively establishing
which govern all things. facts through testing and experimentation.

Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental questions about DIVISION OF PHILOSOPHY
existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy in
THE DIVISIONS OF PHILOSOPHY. Philosophy is classified into practical
simple words is a way of thinking about the world, the universe, and
and speculative. Man’s philosophical questions tend to fall into any of the
society. It works by asking very basic questions about the nature of human
following fields:
thought, the nature of the universe, and the connections between them.
1. Practical Philosophy is composed of philosophical fields which study
FATHER/S OF PHILOSOPHY
not only to obtain knowledge and wisdom but to use that knowledge
1. Thales of Miletus- Thales is considered the first Greek philosopher and wisdom for practical purposes (Ardales,1998).
because he was the first to give a purely natural explanation of the origin
a) Logic (Questions related to Reasoning). The name logic comes from
of the world, free from mythological ingredients.
the Greek word logike meaning “thought”. Thus, logic studies the laws of
2. Socrates- Socrates is considered by many to be the founding father thought. It is the science and art of correct thinking.
of Western philosophy—as well as one of the most enigmatic figures of
Logic attempts to resolve the following questions: “What makes good
ancient history.
arguments good and bad arguments bad?” “How can one tell whether an
3. René Descartes- is often credited with being the “Father of Modern argument is justified, believable, or convincing?”
Philosophy.” This title is justified due both to his break with the traditional
b) Ethics (Questions related to Morality). The name ethics is derived
Scholastic-Aristotelian philosophy prevalent at his time and to his
from the Greek word ethos meaning “character.” Thus, ethics deals with
development and promotion of the new, mechanistic sciences.
development of a virtuous and moral character.
Statement of Rene Descartes: I think, therefore I am
Ethics attempts to resolve the following questions: “What makes my action
cogito, ergo sum, (Latin: “I think, therefore I am) dictum coined by the right or wrong, and how could I know it?” “How should I determine whether
French mathematician and philosopher René Descartes in his Discourse I am acting rightly or wrongly?” “How should I live my life?” “How should I
on Method (1637) as a first step in demonstrating the attainability of certain treat other human beings and how should I be treated in return?” “Is there
knowledge. It is the only statement to survive the test of his methodical a norm good and evil?
doubt. It is our first instance of a truth that cannot possibly be doubted,
c. Axiology (Questions related to Values). The name axiology is derived
THINKING from the Greek word axios meaning “worth,” as well as logos meaning
“science.” Thus, it is the science of value. It is the study of the origin,
1. Holistic thinking refers to a perspective that considers large-scale
nature, functions, types, and interrelations of values.
patterns in systems. A holistic perspective requires an individual to have
an open mindset and ability to get a general sense or impression regarding This covers the study of all forms of value, including aesthetic values,
a situation. ethical values, and epistemic values. Axiology attempts to resolve the
following questions: “How are values experienced?” “What are the kinds
The term "holistic thinking" refers to a big-picture mentality in which
of value?” “In what sense can values be said to exist?” “Is value in the
a person recognizes the interconnectedness of various elements that form
quality of an object or an act, or is it in the mind?”
larger systems, patterns and objects. Thinking holistically is the opposite
of analyzing something, which involves breaking down a larger system into d. Aesthetics (Questions related to Beauty and Taste). The name
its details aesthetics is derived from the Greek aisthetikos meaning “of sense
perception.” Thus, it is the science of beauty and art. Beauty means the
2. Partial thinking focuses on specific aspects of a situation. The
quality attributed to whatever pleases the beholder such as form, color,
partial view is an important component of analytical thinking, as an
and behavior.
individual focuses on certain areas or aspects of a problem in order to
understand it. Aesthetics attempts to resolve the following questions: “What are the
essential characteristics of beauty?” “Is beauty in the eye of the beholder
3. Point of view often is shaped by an individual's beliefs or
or in the object?” “What is aesthetic value?” “Do the arts provide
experiences. Though partial thinking is useful, philosophy utilizes holistic
knowledge?” “Is there a special kind of aesthetic experience or aesthetic
perception?” “What makes something beautiful, sublime, disgusting, fun,
cute, silly, entertaining, pretentious, discordant, harmonious, boring, - “POSTERIORI KNOWLEDGE- KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM
humorous, or tragic?” EXPERIENCE.”

d. Semantics (Questions related to Meaning). The name semantics is -

derived from the Greek verb sēmainō meaning “to mean” or “to signify”.
Thus, it is the science of meaning. It is the philosophical and scientific METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIZING
study of meaning in natural and artificial languages.
FACT is something concrete that can be proven. You can find facts in legal
Semantics attempts to resolve the following questions: “What sorts of records, scientific findings, encyclopedias, atlases, etc.
meanings do human grammars yield, and by what rules are these
OPINION is less concrete. It's a view formed in the mind of a person about
meanings assembled?” “How do the meanings of expressions relate to
a particular issue. In other words it is what someone believes or thinks,
acts of using expressions, and to various aspects of cognition, especially
and is not necessarily the truth.
those deployed immediately in communication?” “How does grammatical
knowledge develop in children?” TRUTH- absolute reality

2. Speculative 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 (Ardales,1998). It is a philosophy that enriches the
mind by principles to be speculated upon or to be known. It does not
directly imply laws or norms for the guidance of thought.

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

name epistemology comes from the two Greek words episteme meaning
“knowledge” and logos meaning “science”. Thus, epistemology is the
science of knowledge. It is the science of true and certain knowledge.

Epistemology attempts to resolve the following questions: “What is

knowledge?” “What is fact?” “What is truth?” “How do we know something
is true or false?” “Is there objective truth, or are all opinion relative?”

b) Theodicy (Questions related to God). The name theodicy is derived

from the Greek words theos meaning “God” and logos meaning “science”.
Thus, theodicy is the science of God. It is the science of nature, existence,
essence, attributes and operations of God.

Theodicy attempts to resolve the following questions: “Does God exist?”

“Why God allows evil?” “What are arguments or proofs of his existence?”
“Is there really God?” “Is God just?” “If He is, why does the morally upright
person suffer while evil men prosper?”

c) Cosmology (Questions related to Universe). The name cosmology

is derived from the Greek words kosmos meaning “universe,” as well as
logos meaning “science.” Thus, cosmology is the science of the universe.

Cosmology attempts to resolve the following questions: “How did the world
begin and where will it end?” “Is the world eternal, that is to say, has it no
beginning and no end?”

d) Psychology (Questions related to Soul). The name psychology is

derived from the Greek words psyche meaning “soul” as well as logos
meaning “science.” Thus, psychology is science of soul. It is the study that
deals not with man not only as a sensing or thinking subject but also as a
being composed of body and soul.

Psychology attempts to resolve the following questions: “Is there really a

soul?” “If a man has a soul, is it immortal?” “What argument is there to
show that man has or does not have a soul?”

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

metaphysics is derived from the Greek words meta meaning “after” as well
as physikon meaning “nature.” Thus, it studies the nature of the mind, the
self, and consciousness. It is the science which deals with the nature of Here are some examples of deductive reasoning:
being, its attributes, constituent principles, and causes.
Major premise: All mammals have backbones.
Metaphysics attempts to resolve the following questions: “What is being?” Minor premise: Humans are mammals.
“Why is there being rather than non-being?” “What is existence?” “What is Conclusion: Humans have backbones.
essence?”
Socrates is a man.
◦ Rationalism- “Reason before Experience”. All men are mortal.
Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
- “PRIORI KNOWLEDGE- PURE REASONING”

◦ Empiricism- “Experience before Reasoning”.

 LIMITATIONS:

Physical- state of body.

Emotional- state of mind and emotion.

Intellectual- state of thinking and mind.

Social- state of socialization.

ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY

Environment philosophy is the discipline that studies the moral relationship

of human beings with the environment and its non-human contents.
Philosophers believe that the human person has the ability to change the
environment to suit his purposes. This means that as human person, we
interact not only with our fellow human beings, but also with other living
and non-living elements in our environment.

FALLACIES SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT To put it simply, the idea of sustainable

development is any environmental, economic and social advances can be
1. Ad hominem means “against the man,” and this type of fallacy is realized within the carrying capacity of earth’s natural resources.
sometimes called name calling or the personal attack fallacy. This type
of fallacy occurs when someone attacks the person instead of attacking
his or her argument.

2. Appeal to Force (Argumentum Ad Baculum or the "Might-Makes-

Right" Fallacy): This argument uses force, the threat of force, or some
other unpleasant backlash to make the audience accept a conclusion.

3. Argumentum ad misericordiam (Latin for “argument from pity or

misery”) is another name for appeal to pity fallacy. It occurs when
someone evokes sympathy or guilt in an attempt to gain support for their
claim, without providing any logical reasons to support the claim itself.

4. The fallacy of composition is the mistake in reasoning that

assumes that if something is true for the individual parts of a whole,
then it must be true for the whole itself. It establishes a false relation
between the individual parts and the entity as a whole.

TABULA RASA was the theory that at birth the (human) mind is a "blank
slate" without rules for processing data, and that data is added and rules
for processing are formed solely by one's sensory experiences.

“Life is not a problem to be solved

but a reality to be experienced.”-
Soren Kierkegaard

HUMAN TRANSCENDENCE

This power is your ability to surpass your limits. This is the definition of
Transcendence. You are able to transcend your limits through your
physical and mental abilities.

EMBODIED SPIRIT

Embodied spirit is an animating core living within each of us. It is known

to be the driving force behind what we actually think, do and say. It is
indeed the reflections of our total being by which our sensations lead to
our human feelings, emotions and decision.

In the context and views of Christian philosophy, the embodiment of the

spirit particularly refers to the inseparable union of human body and
soul.