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Notes Philo Lecture 1

Philosophy aims to find true knowledge through pure reason rather than just senses. It seeks truths that may not be perceived by senses, like God or ideas. While reality can be sensed, truth includes things beyond senses. Being refers to anything that presently exists, from fully developed things to those with potential like eggs or fetuses. Philosophy can view life as either non-physical truth found beyond this world or physical life experienced on Earth through our bodies.

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39 views

Notes Philo Lecture 1

Philosophy aims to find true knowledge through pure reason rather than just senses. It seeks truths that may not be perceived by senses, like God or ideas. While reality can be sensed, truth includes things beyond senses. Being refers to anything that presently exists, from fully developed things to those with potential like eggs or fetuses. Philosophy can view life as either non-physical truth found beyond this world or physical life experienced on Earth through our bodies.

Uploaded by

Keisha Pearl Jaime Silla
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Notes

Introduction

Philosophy is “love of wisdom” because it is not merely a search for knowledge but a search for
“true knowledge” or knowledge that represents the Truth.

Distinction between knowledge and wisdom:

Knowledge is shallow knowing or learning of something while Wisdom is the deep knowledge
of such thing.

Similarity between Ordinary or Empirical Science and Philosophy:

Both are vehicles of our mind to find the Truth. We use both to find Truth.

Distinction between Ordinary or Empirical Science and Philosophy:

Ordinary or Empirical Science uses our senses to find Truth while Philosophy uses Pure Reason
to help us find Truth.

Maxim of Empirical Science: Nothing enters our mind unless it passes through the senses.

Maxim of Philosophy: Not all Truth can be perceived by the senses.

Truth and Reality:

While Reality only refers to things which can be perceived by the senses, Truth includes those
that can or cannot be perceived by the senses like God, spirits, ideas, idealisms, virtues, etc.

The problem if we rely purely on our senses is, not all that we see are true. We experience
illusions, for example, but they are not true. One can tell you he or she loves you, but it might
not be true.

The problem with Truth is, it requires more effort to prove than reality.

Being:

The word ‘Being’ is the present participle of the verb ‘To Be’. This verb is used to indicate or
express that something is there or present or ‘is’. If we conjugate this verb in the present tense
indicative, it goes:

I - first person singular


You - second person singular
He or she or it is - third person singular
We
You
They

Hence, if you want to show yourself or somebody or something, you say, “I am”, “you are” or
“he/she is” or “it is”.

With the present participle ‘being’, you use it when you are trying to show something or
somebody of it’s or his/her present state. Just as when you say, “being a student is fun” or
“being a student, you should study your lesson.”

So, Being refers to anything that exists, or is presently there. However, there are things which
are already existing but have not yet reached the finality of its nature or, not yet in the state of
perfection. Example is egg which in the future is supposed to become a chicken, because no
chicken does not start being an egg. Hence, we call these things such as egg, or fetus, or plans,
or intentions as “beings in potency” or being which are on the process of perfection. Those
beings which have already reached their perfection such as chicken from egg, human being
from fetus, doctor from medical student, etc., are “beings in act.”

Meanwhile, those which are purely in our minds which may not be represented by reality or
even are also beings. We call them “beings which are reachable by the thinking intellect or
“pure ideas.”

Philosophy can be applied in 2 ways:

As a view of life or existence or Truth or Reality

1. Oriental view of life

Life, or existence or Truth or Reality is not found in this physical world.

Truth and Reality are No-thing.

If material life were true or real then no one will suffer, feel pain of be sad in this life.

Attachment to material things is false living.

2. Western view of life

Life is here on earth, tangible, physical and can be experienced by our bodily nature.

To live is to be, to have and to be able to do something.

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