Let’s Ponder:

Which of the following statements are TRUE?

1. The sun is the center of the solar system.
2. Asia is the largest continent in the world.
3. God made the world in seven days.
4. Man has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.
5. China’s continued presence in the Spratly’s is a
violation of international law.
6. A person must always consider the interests if his or
her Family before his or her own happiness.
7. Citizens have the right to take up arms and overthrow
an oppressive government.
8. The President has done very little to uphold democracy
and look after the interests of the Filipino people.
What is truth and
why is it important?
Knowledge – is the clear
awareness and understanding of
something. It is the product of
questions that allow for the clear
answers provided by facts. It is
through knowing that we can be
determine what is true
I know that...
I know why...
I know how…
 PROPOSITIONS are statements
which are observed to be real or
truthful are considered FACTS.

There are statements , however,

that are not evidently or
immediately known to be true. For
example, “I know that my school is
the best school in the city.”
 CLAIM further examination is
required to establish whether it is true
or false.

TRUTHFUL statements, therefore,

can be considered based on facts.
This means that any claim can be
How do we know if
something is TRUE?
Let’s investigate:
Things we know about ourselves:

I am alive.

I have a body.

I can breathe.
Let’s investigate:
Things we know about ourselves:

I am alive?

I have a body?

I can breathe?
Let’s investigate:
Things we know about ourselves:

I am alive!

I have a body!

I can breathe!
 This is one perspective
on TRUTH that: “a belief
is true if it can be
justified or proven
through the use of one’s
senses.”
Let's see how philosophy can
help us determine if it is TRUE

I am a Filipino.

Am I a Filipino?

I am a Filipino!
This is another basis for
determining the TRUTH:
that “a belief or
statement is true if it is
based on facts.”
“Getting a CONSENSUS or
having people agree on
common belief.”
Another way of determining
the TRUTH
Let us explore the following
statement about what you can do:

I can play basketball.

I can fry an egg.
I understand the
lesson.
Let’s revise the statement so
we can analyze them further:

Can i play basketball?

Can i fry an egg?
Do I understand the
lesson?
“Determining the truth in this
case require a person to
prove a statement through
an ACTION”.

Philosopher’s believe that,

CLAIMS and BELIEFS
should also be subjected to
test to determine truth
I Can play basketball.
I cannot play basketball.

I Can fry an egg.

I cannot fry an Egg.

I understand the lesson.

I do not understand the
lesson.
Activity: A belief or
statement is TRUE
if……

1 2 3
How can a Philosophy guide
us in distinguishing TRUTH
from OPINION
Have you ever
experienced…..
 A B
My brother is a
selfless person
because he My brother
gave me the last
piece of bread
gave me the
even though he last piece of
hasn’t eaten bread.
yet.
FACTS are statement or that can
be checked or backed up with
evidence it is verifiable from
observation and experience.
 The Philippines, as proven in
geographical and anthropological
properties is a country in the
Southeast Asia
OPINION is an expression based on facts, emotions,
beliefs, and views as such an opinion is usually not
based on a conclusive evidence but instead on an
inclination or an intuition which brings an individual to a
conclusion.

OPINION are also the basis for making an arguments

and convincing people that a certain claim is a FACT.
 Factual, undisputed,
objective, universal,
exact and constant are
manifestation of TRUTH.
It implies that it can be
proven as true.
Knowledge must be
truthful to gain validity
and acceptance
CONCLUSION judgement based on
a certain facts.

BELIEFS are statements that

express convictions that are not
easily and clearly explained by
facts.
Explanations are statements
that assume the claim to be true
and provides reasons why the
statement is true.

Arguments statements that

provides reasons to convince the
reader or a listener that a claim
or opinion is truthful.
ACTIVITY:
Identify whether the statement is an OPINION or a
FACT

1. Asia is the largest continent in the world.

2. Jose Rizal is the best hero in the Philippines.
3. According to Miss World Organization
records. Megan Young was the first Filipina to
be crowned Miss World.
4. Two plus two equals four (2+2=4).
5. Socrates was the most intelligent person
ever lived.
What should we
consider when
looking at
ARGUMENTS or
OPINIONS?
ARGUMENTS often take form of statements
that are either claims of facts and are phrased
in such a way that they seam reasonable

FALLACIES number of arguments maybe

based on faulty reasoning.
Defect in argument other that its having false
premises. To detect fallacies, it is required to
examine the content
 Commonly Heard Fallacies
FALLACIES CHARACTERISTICS
Ad hominem (Against the person) Attacking the person, focus our attention on people rather
than on arguments or evidence
Ad Baculum (Appeal to Force) Using threat or force or an undesirable event to advance
an argument.
Ad Misericordiam (Appeal to Strong appeal to sympathy and pity.
Pity/Emotion)
Ad Populum (Appeal to the The idea presented must be true because many or most
People) people believe it.
Ad Verecundiam (Appeal to Insisting that a claim is true simply because a valid
Authority) authority or expert on the issue said it was true, without
any other supporting evidence offered.
Appeal to Tradition It is assumed that the idea is acceptable because
something has been done a certain way for a long time, or
traditionally, so, it is necessarily the right way of doing it.
 Commonly Heard Fallacies
FALLACIES CHARACTERISTICS
Begging the Question Simply accepts the conclusion without providing the real
evidence; the arguments either relies on a premise that says
the same thing as the conclusion (Circular Arguments) or
(Circular Reasoning) or simply ignores an important(but
questionable) assumption that the argument rests on.
Fallacy of Composition Assuming that what is true of a part, is true for the whole.
Fallacy of Division Assumes that what is true for the whole is true for its parts.
Post Hoc (Cause-Effect) One event is said to be the cause of a later event simply
because it occurred earlier.
Slippery slope Assuming a very small action will lead to extreme outcomes.
BIAS the personal views of the person
presenting it. Biases are not necessarily
errors in reasonings but refer to the
tendencies or influences which affect the
vies of the people.
 Most Common Biases
BIAS CHARACTERISTICS
Correspondence bias or attribution tendency to judge a person's personality by his or
effect her actions, without regard external factors or
influences.
Confirmation bias Tendency to look for and readily accept information
which fits one's own beliefs or views and to reject
ideas or views that go against it.

Framing Focusing on a certain aspect of a problem while

ignoring other aspects.

Hindsight The tendency to see the past events as a

predictable, or to ascribe a pattern to historical
events.
Conflict of Interest A person or a group is connected to or has a vested
interest in the issue being discussed

Cultural Bias Analyzing an event or issue based on ones cultural

standards.
“ The eyes sees only what the
mind is prepared to
comprehend.”
-Robertson Davies
 How can an
understanding of the
difference between
TRUTH and OPINION
lead us to WISDOM
Mang Antonio – a citizen who lives in barangay where
the presence of drug addicts is a problem.
Atty. Macaraig – a lawyer and a citizen

Mrs. Lopez – a housewife whose family

lives in peaceful community
Father Gomez – a priest
Mr. Tolentino – a father whose daughter
was raped and murdered by drug addicts.
Mrs. Alonzo – a mother whose son is
drug addict
Mang Antonio – drug addicts are criminals and “pieces
of trash”
Atty. Macaraig – “…drug addicts have the
rights too”
Mrs. Lopez – drug addicts are criminals and she
“couldn’t care less about what is happening” to
them
Father Gomez – drug addicts have human rights
and their lives are sacred
Mr. Tolentino – drug addicts are “pieces of
filth”
Mrs. Alonzo – “These drug addicts are
people too. My son is a drug addict.”
Mang Antonio – the killings have led to the
surrender of addicts or their
disappearance. “We should keep killing
themMacaraig
Atty. until none are left”killings are a
– “These
violations of human rights… these acts
are nothing but vigilantism, which has no
place in law-abiding society. These killings
Mrs.
mayLopez
lead –to
“I more
really do not care about the
crime”
issue… as along as the criminals are dealt with
and peace and order are maintained in our
community. I couldn’t careless about what is
happening to these addicts.”
Father Gomez – “The killing of suspected
addicts is a violation of God’s law and goes
against human rights and the rule of law”
Mr. Tolentino – “Its about time that these
pieces of filth get what they deserve. If I
had my way, I would kill them all my self”

Mrs. Alonzo – “I am very distress by this

news.. I am afraid that one day I will
hear news that one of these drug
addicts killed is my son.”
Do you consider drug addicts as human persons or as
criminals?
Do you know a drug addict or a drug user? Do you
consider that person a criminal or a person?

Have you ever been affected by problems related to

drug addiction? How did it make you feel?

Do you believe that killing drug addicts is an effective

way of solving the problem of drug addiction?
Do you believe that drug addicts deserve to die for being
drug addicts?
If a drug addict is a crime and drug addicts are criminals,
does this mean that any other form of addiction is also a
crime? Can addicted to coffee be considered a criminals?

If we get rid of the drug addicts but not the manufacturers

and pushers, do we solve the problem of drug addiction?
Are we just getting rid of the symptoms but not the
causes of the problem?
ACTIVITY:
1.How can philosophy help
identify things that are
truthful?
2.What traits and values can
help us in determining truth?
3.How will knowing truth help
us become more wise and
discerning individuals?