Introduction to the

Philosophy of the
Human Person
The Meaning and Process of
Philosophy
 Chapter I
The Meaning, Characteristics and Branches of Philosophy
What is Philosophy? What is the connection of Philosophy to human experience? What is the
significance of Philosophy with the existence of everything around us? What does Philosophy
say about one’s personal experiences? Is Philosophy still significant in the event of post-
modernism and globalization?
Doing Philosophy is not something new to every individual. Philosophizing is innate to everyone.
It is giving birth to knowledge and wisdom using the things around us and the things we
experience.
Who and what is a philosopher? A philosopher is a lover of wisdom. He/she puts meaning to what
is out there, is open to changes and discovery. He/she does not stop knowing, wondering and
asking questions, hungers for truth, meaning and of sense. He/she goes beyond and experiences
transcendence. A philosopher possesses a beautiful mind.

Activity
What words come to your mind when you hear the word Philosophy? Copy the graphic organizer
and write the words in the blank circles.

Philosophy

A. Definition:
1. The word Philosophy comes from the two Greek words philos (love) and Sophia
(Wisdom), (Abella 2016). Thus, Philosophy is the love of wisdom. This is the most
common and simplest definition of Philosophy. Philosophy may also be defined as a
science of thinking that deals with the study of processes governing thoughts and conduct,
(Garcia 2016).
 2. Philosophy is the study that uses human reason to investigate the ultimate causes, reasons,
and principles which govern all things. (Abella 2016)
B. Characteristics:
1. Just as there are many ways of looking at things, like, experiences, situations, problems,
Philosophy can also be seen and treated in different ways. Philosophy can be seen as a
framework, as an examination of knowledge and as a discipline. (Abella 2016)

PHILOSOPHY

FRAMEWORK DISCIPLINE

EXAMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE

Whenever a person encounters a problem, situation or a question life, he or she often goes back to
his or her framework in order to make sense of the problem. A framework is defined as a way of
thinking about the world and is composed of views and beliefs of a person. (Abella 2016).
Philosophy then as a framework could lead the person to come up with something that may pave
the way for solutions or answer. The framework of Philosophy aids the personal framework of the
person.

Philosophy can also be treated as an examination of a particular area of knowledge. This means
that the principles of philosophy can be used as an examination of other disciplines or areas of
knowledge. In the long run, other areas of specialization may benefit from the very nature of
philosophy, (Abella 2016).

Lastly, Philosophy in itself is a distinct area of knowledge. It has its own goals, concerns and ways
of doing things, (Abella 2016). Definitely, philosophy is a discipline in itself.

Let us ponder:

Based on the characteristics of philosophy, would it be possible

for any person to engage in philosophical discussion? Why or
Why not?
(Abella 2016)
Branches of Philosophy
Logic
• A branch of philosophy that deals with the nature
of thinking and reasoning using empirical support
and information which are reliable, valid and
objective.
• It is the science of correct thinking.
Two Types of Logic
a. Deductive Reasoning – from a general truth to specific truth, from universal truth to
particular.
b. Inductive Reasoning – from a specific truth to general truth, particular to universal.
Epistemology
• A branch of Philosophy that concerns the definition of knowledge and related concepts
such as the sources and criteria of knowledge.
Two Contending Schools of Thought
a. Rational School – the main source of knowledge is deductive reasoning based on self-
evident principles or actions.
b. Empirical School – the source of knowledge is sense-perception.
Ethics
• It comes from the Greek word “ethos” which means character.
• It is the science of correct doing.
• It is the study of what is right and what is wrong in human behavior in the pursuit of beauty
and goodness of life.
Metaphysics
• It comes from the Greek words “meta” which means beyond and “physikon” which means
nature.
• It is a branch of philosophy which is concerned with the nature of ultimate reality.
Aesthetics
• It is derived from the Greek word “aesthetikos” which means one who is perceptive of
things through his sensations, feelings and intuitions.
• It is concerned with the essence of perception of beauty and ugliness.
Political Philosophy
• It refers to a body of knowledge that looks up on society, politics and the people that
make it whole.
• It is believed that society is inseparable from politics.
General Questions in Philosophy
Philosophy is concerned with the deepest and widest questions in life.
A. Epistemology –Theory of Knowledge
• What is knowledge? • What is to know?
• Can we know? • How can we know?
 B. Ethics – Moral Philosophy
• What is freedom? • What is human act?
• Do we have free will? • Are our actions already determined?
C. Philosophy of Art – Aesthetics
• What is beauty?
• What does it mean to be beautiful?
D. Philosophy of Religion
• Does God exist?
• Can we prove the existence of God?
• What reasons are there to believe in God?
E. Rational Psychology/Philosophy of Man/ Philosophical Anthropology
• What is the essence and meaning of • What is happiness?
life? • What is man? Who is man?
• Does life make sense? • Is man only his body, or man is his
• What is good life? soul?
Philosophy is reflective and reflections arise from our experiences. Man is rich with experiences
both good and evil. These experiences are the starting point of wonder and awe. Reason leads to
reflection and that’s what makes us human. We are capable of becoming aware of our
consciousness and daily activities. Man, by essence is reflective. However, people nowadays have
less time to think and reflect on their experiences. Man is simply now becoming a contradiction of
his own. (Garcia 2016)

Activity
Give examples of scientific and philosophical questions.
Philosophical Questions Scientific Questions

1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.

Ayn Rand
- “Philosophy studies the fundamental nature of existence, of man, and of man’s relationship
to existence. As against the special science, which deals only with particular aspect,
philosophy deals with those aspects of the universe which pertain to everything that exists.
In the realm of cognition, the special sciences are the trees but philosophy is the soil which
makes the forest possible.”
Content of the Lesson
1. The word Philosophy comes from two Geek words philos (love) and Sophia (wisdom).
2. Philosophy is the study that uses human reason to investigate the ultimate causes, reasons
and principles which governs all things.
3. Philosophy is a distinct area of knowledge with its own goals, concerns and ways of doing
things.
4. Philosophy is divided into several branches namely: Aesthetics, Logic, Epistemology,
Ethics, Metaphysics and Political Philosophy.
5. Philosophy can be seen as a framework, as an examination of knowledge and as a
discipline.
6. Philosophy is concerned with the deepest and widest questions in life.

Additional Activities
A. Answer the questions in the table below.
How does philosophy look at man? How does science look at a man?

1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.

B. Identify the significant periods of Philosophy. Give at least 2 prominent philosophers in

each period.
Periods Philosophers

1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.

Chapter II
Let us think about: The Story of the Five Blind Men and an
Elephant
One day five blind men agreed to analyze an elephant to find out what it was. Reaching out, each
touched it in a different spot. One man touched the side, one, an ear, one a leg, one a tusk, and one
the trunk. We now know that the elephant is like a wall, said the one who touched the side. I
believed you are mistaken, sir, said the one who touched an ear. The elephant I more like a large
fan. You are both wrong, said the leg man. The elephant is obviously being like a tree. A tree?
Questioned the tusk toucher. How can you mistake a spear for tree? What? Said the trunk feeler.
A spear is long and round, but anyone knows it doesn’t move. Couldn’t you feel the muscles? It is
definitely a type of snake. A blind man could see that said the fifth blind man. The argument grew
more heated for they had misunderstanding regarding the truth of an elephant.
(Discordia.loveshade.org n.d.)
Guide Questions
a. What is the story all about?
b. What is the source of argument among the five blind men?
c. How can the five blind men come up with a common understanding of an elephant?

Holistic thinking refers to a perspective that considers a large-scale pattern in a system.

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 the general sense or impression regarding a situation. Partial thinking on the other hand,
focuses on the specific aspects of a situation. The partial view is an important component in
analytical thinking, as an individual focus on certain areas or aspects of a problem in order to
understand it. Though partial thinking is useful, Philosophy utilizes holistic thinking in making
sense of problems and issues related to the human experience. (Abella 2016)
Holistic point of view and partial point of view are two different views with different points
of references. Both views give us a reality that we can investigate and come up with a reflection
or wisdom. There are different and possible ways that may help us understand the dynamics of
holistic and partial of view. First, we may use the principles, theories, and findings of science in
contradistinction of the dictum and jargons of philosophy. Secondly, we may use Marcelian way
as presented by the philosopher Gabriel Marcel and lastly, the difference between the shadow and
reality from Plato’s masterpiece, the Allegory of the cave. (Garcia 2016)
A. Science
It is widely accepted that science is a good and reliable source of
knowledge, information and data. It uses a standard in identifying
whether a certain discovery is scientific or not through
experimentation and observation. Through science we can explain
and understand the natural world. Science is empirical. It uses the
senses in arriving into a truth or reality called sense knowledge.
Scientific knowledge covers a very small part of the world.
Science is investigative. This means, it must investigate to describe facts and events. Specifically,
it gives us knowledge of particular facts. The method of science in providing a data is basically
observation coupled with experimentation. The product of science is scientific truth. Thus, science
is very important and significant in man’s search of the meaning of life. However, science is
limited, it cannot answer everything in this world. Like for example, we cannot prove the existence
of God scientifically or through the use of scientific method of experimentation. God can never be
a specimen. The scientist cannot tell us what happiness is and how it is to be attained and what
must we do in order to achieve it (Mortimer Adler, Great Ideas). Science cannot tell us what is
moral and what is not, what is right what is wrong specially in the rules of behavior. The truth is,
science cannot solve everything particularly on ethical issues and problems. Science is definitely
limited and so therefore looks at reality partially. (Garcia, et.al. 2016).
Primary reflection 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. In contrast, secondary
reflection is synthetic; it unifies rather than divides. “Roughly, we can say
that where primary reflection tends to dissolve the unity of experience,
which is first put before it, the function of secondary reflection is essentially
recuperative; it reconquers that unity” (Marcel,
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/marcel/ 2016)

No. OBJECT OR PRIMARY REFLECTION SECONDARY REFLECTION

EXPERIENCE Analyzing the object Synthesizing the object
1 - Biological functioning of Having a “life.” Having a
life organs (Ex. Breathing, career, friends, loved ones,
beating of the heart) problems, happiness. etc.
2 - Structure, design, size of It is more of a structure. It is a
house a house home where relationships are
built in the context of a family.
3 - Brand new, classy Product of hard labor, or a gift
car
from parents.
4 - A natural occurrence Curse for a commuter,
Rain
blessing to a farmer.
5 - Expression of feelings It may mean giving oneself to
Love - Reduced as a chemical others.
- Reaction in the brain

B. ‘The Allegory of the Cave’ by Plato: Summary and Meaning September 21, 2012 by
Amy Trumpeter
 The ‘Allegory of The Cave’ is a theory put forward by Plato, concerning human
perception. Plato claimed that knowledge gained through the senses is no more than
opinion and that, to have real knowledge, we must gain it through philosophical reasoning.

‘The Allegory of the Cave’ by Plato

In the Allegory of the Cave, Plato distinguishes between people who mistake sensory
knowledge for the truth and people who really do see the truth. It goes like this:
The Cave
• Imagine a cave, in which there are three prisoners. The prisoners are tied to some
rocks, their arms and legs are bound and
their head is tied so that they cannot look
at anything but the stonewall in front of
them.
• These prisoners have been here since birth
and have never seen outside of the cave.
• Behind the prisoners is a fire, and between
them is a raised walkway.
• People outside the cave walk along this
walkway carrying things on their head including; animals, plants, wood and stone.
The Shadows
• So, imagine that you are one of the prisoners. You cannot look at anything behind
or to the side of you – you must look at the wall in front of you.
• When people walk along the walkway, you can see shadows of the objects they are
carrying cast on to the wall.
• If you had never seen the real objects ever before, you would believe that the
shadows of objects were ‘real.
The Game
• Plato suggests that the prisoners would begin a ‘game’ of guessing which shadow
would appear next.
• If one of the prisoners was to correctly guess, the others would praise him as clever
and say that he was a master of nature.
The Escape
• One of the prisoners then escapes from their bindings and leaves the cave.
• He is shocked at the world he discovers outside the cave and does not believe it can
be real.
• As he becomes used to his new surroundings, he realizes that his former view of
reality was wrong.
• He begins to understand his new world, and sees that the Sun is the source of life
and goes on an intellectual journey where he discovers beauty and meaning.
• He sees that his former life, and the guessing game they played is useless.

The Return
• The prisoner returns to the cave, to inform the other prisoners of his findings.
• They do not believe him and threaten to kill him if he tries to set them free.
 ‘The Allegory of the Cave’ by Plato – The Meaning
The Allegory of the cave by Plato should not be taken at face value. In essays and
exams, whoever is marking it expects you to have a deeper understanding of the meaning
of the theory. You can then use these to think about criticisms and then to form your own
opinion.
The Cave

• In Plato’s theory, the cave represents people who believe that knowledge comes from what
we see and hear in the world – empirical evidence. The cave shows that believers of
empirical knowledge are trapped in a ‘cave’ of misunderstanding.
The Shadows
• The Shadows represent the perceptions of those who believe empirical evidence
ensures knowledge. If you believe that what you see should be taken as truth, then you
are merely seeing a shadow of the truth. In Plato’s opinion you are a ‘pleb’ if you
believe this (their insult for those who are not Philosophers)!
The Game
• The Game represents how people believe that one person can be a ‘master’ when they
have knowledge of the empirical world. Plato is demonstrating that this master does
not actually know any truth, and suggesting that it is ridiculous to admire someone like
this.
The Escape
• The escaped prisoner represents the Philosopher, who seeks knowledge outside of the
cave and outside of the senses.
• The Sun represents philosophical truth and knowledge
• His intellectual journey represents a philosopher’s journey when finding truth and
wisdom
The Return
• The other prisoner’s reaction to the escapee returning represents that people are scared
of knowing philosophical truths and do not trust philosophiers.

Activity
A. Differentiate Philosophy from Science using the given particular aspects.
 Philosophy Science
Meaning: Meaning:

Method: Method:

Area of Concern: Area of Concern:

B. Use the Marcelian way of Philosophical Reflection and come up with an example using
the table below.

OBJECT OR
No. PRIMARY REFLECTION SECONDARY REFLECTION
EXPERIENCE

Content of the Lesson

1. Holistic thinking refers to a perspective that considers a large-scale pattern in a system.
2. Partial thinking focuses on the specific aspects of a situation. The partial view is an
important component in analytical thinking, as an individual focuses on certain areas or
aspects of a problem in order to understand it.
3. There are different and possible ways that may help us understand the dynamics of holistic
and partial of view. First, we may use the principles, theories, and findings of science in
contradistinction of the dictum and jargons of philosophy. Secondly, we may use Marcelina
way as presented by the philosopher Gabriel Marcel and lastly, the difference between the
shadow and reality from Plato’s masterpiece, the Allegory of the cave.
4. Science is a good and reliable source of knowledge, information, and data. It uses a
standard in identifying whether a certain discovery is scientific or not through
experimentation and observation.
5. Primary and secondary reflection of Gabriel Marcel is a good way at looking at things.
 6. The Allegory of the Cave by Plato is a classic example of using the process of reflection in
philosophizing.

Additional Activities
I. In the space provided, answer the following questions:
1. What do you think are the reasons why people philosophize?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the practical uses of philosophy in our lives?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

II. Using the Primary and Secondary reflection of Gabriel Marcel, reflect on the meaning of
becoming a person and answer the following questions.
Guide Questions:

1. Partial perspective:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. Holistic perspective:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________