Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region IV-A CALABARZON
City Schools Division of Dasmariñas
PALIPARAN II INTEGRATED HIGH SCHOOL

Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

Quarter 1 – Module1
Doing Philosophy

I. The Nature and Functions of Philosophy

What is Philosophy?
There is no best definition of Philosophy as a discipline. Hence, for the sake of our
understanding, we will looked into its etymological and technical definition.
.
a. Etymological definition
Philosophy comes from the two Greek words philo meaning “love” or “friendship” and
sophia meaning “wisdom.” Thus, philosophy means “love of wisdom.” Love is an urge or a
drive of a will towards a particular object. As a drive, love always seeks unity with its object
and desires to possess its object. Thus, wisdom cannot be dissociated from knowledge.
Truth is the ultimate object of knowledge. Philosophy is absolutely committed to the truth,
“the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” Hence, truth is being shown and practiced by
a man of wisdom. Now, if philosophy means love of wisdom, to philosophize, therefore, is
to be in quest, or to have a desire towards loving and living the truth (Babor, 2007)

b. Technical definition

Philosophy is defined as “the science of beings in their ultimate reasons, causes, and
principles acquired by the aid of human reason alone (Bittle, 1984).”
To better understand Philosophy, let us break down the statement into the following:

1) Philosophy is a science.
- Science is about acquiring a certain kind of knowledge. Philosophy is a science because
the questioning is given more importance than the answers to the questions, since answers
can become questions themselves. (Babor,2007)

2) Philosophy is a science of beings.

- As a science of beings, it covers all the things that can be reached
by the human mind. This includes man, the world, God, everything that is, or becomes, or
is known.
3) Philosophy searches for the ultimate reasons, causes and principles of beings.
- This means that philosophy studies the ultimate “whys and wherefores” of beings.
To illustrate: Philosophy does not investigate plant life, but rather, it seeks an answer to
the question: “What does it mean to be a living thing as opposed to a non-living thing?”

4) Philosophy uses the power or natural light of reason.

- The study of philosophy help us acquired by the aid of human reason alone. Meaning,
philosophy doesn’t base its knowledge on authority, but solely on the reasoning power of
the human mind. Hence, divine revelation is formally excluded as a source of information
although it can and should assist the mind of man by pointing out the proper direction for
the philosophic solution of a problem along purely natural line.

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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. Philosophycangiveoneself-knowledge,foresight,andasenseofdirection in life.

Why is there a need to philosophize?

1. Menhavethetendencytowonder(Plato).
For example: we asked questions about our existence
2. Menalsohavethetendencytodoubt(RenedeCartes).
For example: Men have to test and verify information before accepting it.
3. Mendophilosophizebecauseofhis/herexperience(KarlJaspers).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.

BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY

A. 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?”

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?

C. 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?”

D. 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?”
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E. 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?”

ORIGIN OF PHILOSOPHY
Greece is the birthplace of philosophy in the West. To be more precise it is the ancient
Greek city of Miletus in the Western coast of what is now Turkey that gave birth to
philosophy. It is in this city that the first philosopher in the West, Thales, lived. Thales is
the Father of Philosophy in the Western civilization. He lived between 624 and 546 BCE a
contemporary of the Lydian king Croesus and the statesman Solon (Stumpf and
Fieser,2008).
What made Thales a philosopher is his desire to know the ultimate stuff that makes up the
different things we perceived. You see when we look at the world we encounter different
things: people, trees, clouds, mountains, rivers, etc. Now Thales believed that despite the
different things we encounter there is one underlying stuff or substance in which
everything is composed. He believes that there is One in the Many. Thales was the first
individual who tried to reduce the multiplicity in to a unity (Jones, 1969).
But his explanation of natural phenomena is devoid of gods and goddesses of the old
religion of Greece. It is completely rational. It represents a departure from the mythological
religion of Greece. Thales approach highlights the difference between religion and
philosophy. Religion rests on faith while philosophy rests on reason.

Is holistic and partial thinking the same?

Partial thinking
A way of thinking that focuses on the specific aspects of the situation. The partial view is
an important component of analytical thinking, on certain areas or aspects of the problem
in order to understand it.

Holistic thinking
Refers to a perspective that considers large-scale patterns in systems. This is often
described as looking at the “big picture” when describing and analyzing a situation or a
problem. A holistic perspective requires an individual to have an open mindset and an
ability to get a general sense or impression regarding a situation. Look at how these two
concepts are differentiated.

Philosophical reflection.
According to Gabriel Marcel, philosophical reflection is the act of giving time to think about
the meaning and purpose of life. He mentioned two types, namely:

Primary Reflection- which is the ability to think logically. The ability of the mind to
construct and evaluate arguments. It examines its object by abstraction, by analytically
breaking it down into its constituent parts. It is concerned with definitions, essences and
technical solutions to problems.

Secondary reflection- According to Marcel this type of reflection enables us to look deeper
into our experiences and see the bigger picture of reality. It integrates the fragmented and
compartmentalized experience into a whole. It is the idea that various systems (e.g.
physical, biological, social) should be viewed as wholes, not merely as a collection of parts.

Our ability to engage in philosophical reflection helps us develop beneficial skills,

which are deemed important in our daily situations such as:
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1. Philosophy enables a person to develop a critical and analytical mindset in processing

information and addressing certain issues encountered in life.
2. Philosophy helps us develop problem solving and decision-making skills.
3. Philosophy trains us to become precise and clear in presenting our ideas and thoughts.
4. Philosophy contributes greatly to the self-development of a person.

DEVELOPMENT BROUGHT ABOUT THE EMERGENCE OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY

Western Philosophy is primarily concerned with uncovering the truth through systematic
argumentation and theory. There is greater emphasis on the use of reason rather than
faith, and an increased focus on man as an individual. This perspective has led to the
development of a more scientific, theory-based approach in philosophy, and a more
individualistic, self-oriented approach in analyzing the human condition.

The following are among the most notable ancient Greek philosophers:

Pythogoras (570 BCE to 495 BCE) a mathematician and scientist, he was credited with
the formulation of the Pythagoreans theorem. His work earned him many followers, and he
established a community of learners who were devoted to the study of religion and
philosophy.

Heraclitus (535 BCE to 475 BCE) he proposed the everything that exist is based on a
higher order or plan which called logos. For him, change is a permanent aspect of the
human condition and he was credited with the saying, “No man ever steps on the same
river twice”.

Democritus (460 BCE to 370 BCE) he devoted himself to studying the causes of natural
phenomena. He was among the first to propose that matter is composed of tiny particles
called atoms.

Epicurus (341 BCE to 270 BCE) he believed that philosophy could enable man to live A
life happiness. His views gave rise to Epicureanism –a school of philosophy which believes
that wisdom and simple living will result to a life free from fear and pain.

Socrates (470 BCE to 399 BCE) 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 live a life of virtue. He was credited with
formulating the Socratic Method.

Plato (427 BCE to 347 BCE) a student of Socrates, he wrote down his teacher’s writings
and incorporated some of his own ideas into them. His teaching 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 non-physical ideas are eternal and
unchanging. He also focused his studies on the ideal society and proposed an ideal model
of government and society which is ruled by wisdom and reason

Aristotle (384 BCE to 322 BCE) he attended the Academy, and was a prominent student
of Plato. Aristotle, disagreed with Plato’s theory of forms and took a different view 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. This view greatly influenced the study of physical
sciences. His studies in logic led to the formulation of a formal process of analyzing
reasoning which gave rise to deductive reasoning—the process by which specific
statements are analyzed to reach a conclusion or generalization.

The development of Western Philosophy is defined by the emergence of various schools

of thought in various periods in history.
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Historical School of Main features, Beliefs Notable

Period thought Philosophers

Ancient Rome Stoicism Emphasis on morality, virtue, Seneca

(1st century BCE calm, and emotional fortitude Epictetus
to 5th century Marcus Aurelius
BCE)
Medieval Period Scholasticism Application of philosophy to St. Thomas Aquinas
(5th to 15th define and explain religious St. Augustine
centuries) doctrines
Renaissance Humanism Emphasis on the human Petrarch
(14th to 17th person; use of philosophy to Desiderius Erasmus
centuries) understand society, nature and Niccolo Machiavelli
humanity Francois Rabelais
The Enlightment Rationalism Reason and logic considered the Rene Descartes
(17th to 18th basis of knowledge and belief; Immanuel Kantz
centuries ) man has innate knowledge that Gottfried Leibniz
can be accessed through
intuition or deduction
Empiricism Knowledge is gained through David Hume
the senses and experience; Francis Bacon
reliance on inductive reasoning John Locke
to arrive at generalizations
Social and Discussion on the ideal human Voltaire
Political situation and society; emphasis Jean Jacques
Philosophy on individual rights and liberties Rousseau
Thomas Hobbes
John Stuart Mill
Modern Period Existentialism Human experience is defined by Soren Kierkegaard
(19th to 20th the views, emotions and actions Friedrich Nietzsche
centuries of the individual. Martin Heidegger
Jean Paul Sartre
Simone de Beauvoir
Pragmatism Emphasis on the practical use Charles Pierce
of knowledge and ideas William James
John Dewey
Phenomenology Experience is studied based on Edmund Husserl
the subjective viewpoint of the
individual.
Absurdism Man will never understand the Albert Camus
human condition and the
meaning of life
Postmodernism, Analysis on how knowledge, Jacques Derrida
Post- ideas, and power relations are Michel Foucault
structuralism defined

What developments and characteristics define Eastern Philosophy?

As the ancient Greeks were laying the foundation of western philosophy in Europe, several
belief system and philosophies were already prevalent in many communities in Asia.
Eastern Philosophy consist of school of thought which are often closely tied with religious
beliefs eastern philosophies are often described as “wisdom” literature, where stories,
sayings and text encourage people to adopt an ethical and harmonious way of life. There
is great emphasis on social relations, and the family and community are considered a
central aspect of life. The goal of philosophy is to achieve a balanced life and find one’s role
in society.

Eastern philosophy are classified according to theistic (belief in Supreme Being deities)
and nontheistic philosophies.
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School of
Historical Thought, Main features, Beliefs Proponents,
Period Belief Major Text
System
(Region or
Area)
ca. 2000 Judaism Belief in one God (monotheism), who Abraham, Moses,
BCE (Israel, The has a role in the ultimate destiny of various prophets
Levant) mankind; the Jewish people are
God’s chosen people Tanakh, Torah, and
various scriptures
ca 1500 Hinduism Belief in a pantheon of gods, with
BCE (India, Souththree main gods—Brahma,Shiva,
Asia) and Vishnu
Belief in a cycle of birth and rebirth
(samsara), which is broken when a
person achieves ultimate union with
the Divine(Moksha)
Shinto The material and spiritual worlds are
closely connected; rituals and
traditions are way to connect with
the spiritual world
ca. 600-500 Jainism Rejects the idea of Creator and Mahavira
BCE (India) considers the universe as eternal
and unceasing; time is a wheel which Jain Agamas
goes through cycles of prosperity and
suffering.
ca. 400 Buddhism Shares a number of main beliefs Siddharta Gautama
BCE (South Asia, (samsara, dharma, moksha) with (Buddha)
East Asia, Hinduism Tripitaka
Southeast Four Noble Truths
Asia) Eight-fold Path
Confucianism The contemplation of the order of Confucius
(East Asia) things can led to self-transformation.
Self-transformation can lead to the The five classic
betterment of the family and society
ca. 200 Taoism Emphasis on the unity and harmony Lao Tzu
BCE (East Asia) among opposing elements (yin and
yang); individuals must seek to I Ching, Tao Te Ching,
understand and act in accordance and Zhuangzi
with the natural order.
ca. 610 CE Islam Belief in one God (Allah) commitment Muhammad
(West Asia) to the faith is shown through the
practice of the Five pillars. Quran
religion and society are closely
intertwined; all Muslim are members
of a community
ca 1440 CE Sikhism God believed to have created the Guru Nanal
universe and is present everywhere
and in everything Guru Granth Sahib
Man communicates with God
through meditation, and his ultimate
destiny is union with Divine.

PREPARED BY:

MARIVIN R. CAGUIOA
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References:

Abella, Roberto M.Div., D. Min. Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. C&
E Publishing, Inc., Quezon City, 2016.

Cornejo et al. Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Mindshapers

Publishing, Inc.

Brenda B. Corpuz, Corpuz, R.A., Paclibar, M.L.C.,Paclibar, S.O., Introduction of the

Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City: Loremar Publishing Inc.:2016,1-7

Christine Carmela R. Ramos, Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person: Quezon
City.Rex Bookstore, Inc.1-12

DepEd-Philosophy – Grade 11/12 Alternative Delivery Mode First Edition, 2020, Regional
Office 10

HOMEWORK NO. 1 – 1 WHOLE SHEET OF PAPER

1. Explain and identify the branches of philosophy. Cite an example of each.

2. Complete the table with the following statement:

WESTERN PHILOSOPHY

School of
Notable
Thought,
Philosopher/
Belief System Main features, Example
Historical Period Proponents,
Beliefs
(Region or Area)

EASTERN PHILOSOPHY

School of Notable
Thought, Philosopher/

Belief System Main features, Proponents, Example

Historical Period
Beliefs
(Region or Area) Major Text

3. Compare and contrast western and eastern philosophy using a Venn diagram. Explain.