The Nature of Philosophy Principles of causality

✓ Principle of Identity (whatever is is; and

Nominal Definition: whatever is not is not; everything is what it is.)
Philosophy comes from the Greek words philo or ✓ Principle of Non – contradiction (it is impossible
philia meaning friend or love and sophia, meaning wisdom. It for a thing to be and not to be at the same time,
means “the friend of wisdom” or “love of wisdom”. It aims to and at the same respect.)
gain understanding of the whole… the ALL… It has also been ✓ Principle of Excluded Middle (a thing is either is
described as the unquenchable thirst for truth and meaning. or is not; everything must be either be or not be;
between being and non-being, there is no middle
It really connotes a never-ending search until it is able ground possible)
to find the satisfying answers to the question at hand. But, we ✓ Principle of Sufficient Reason (nothing exists
can know that the study of philosophy most of the times, does without a sufficient reason for its being and
not result to the increase of knowledge but it surely opens up existence)
new horizons and broadens up mans’ understanding of the
world and himself. It is basically thinking what you are thinking • Through the aid of the human intellect alone
of. It is therefore, not simply knowing the “what” but more so, because philosophy uses natural reason and not
understanding the “why”. Divine Revelation of the recourse to the Bible; it is the
product of ones’ own thinking and not of imagination
Real Definition: or fantasy.
Philosophy is the science of all that exist (of beings) in
their ultimate cause through the aid of the human intellect Philosophy and Science are alike. They are both
alone. interested in knowledge. Both of them are fields of inquiry and
investigation. Both seek to ask questions and determine
Elements in the Definition of Philosophy answer to these questions. However, a difference lies between
• It is a science, a systematic body of knowledge which the two in the kind of knowledge they seek. Science seeks
is not only based on opinions, hypothesis and knowledge of facts, while Philosophy seeks ultimate
theories, but on ideal knowledge. knowledge. Philosophy infers the facts of human experience,
• Of beings, i.e., of all, everything that exists, or may meaning and purposes of living.
exist, of everything knowable. Philosophy is the
highest synthesis of all sciences dealing with man, Oriental Definition
nature and God. It is also considered as the mother of Some people would define Philosophy as the search
all sciences because of its very vast scope and subject for the meaning and value of life. Its’ seen as a personal
matter. attitude toward life by reflectively thinking and critically
• In their ultimate cause because it asks and answers examining problems, theories and possible solutions to life’s
not only facts and proximate causes but also the enigmas. That’s why many easterners would insist that
deepest causes of things. Its task is to give answers philosophy is itself, life. It is a guide to life.
not only to the question “what” but most importantly
to the question “why”. Western Definition
o Philosophy studies the causes and the Bertrand Russell, a philosopher, defines philosophy as
principles of things by the aid of human “no mans’ world between science and theology”. But this
reason. Everything has a reason. definition is too broad and vague, that is why, many
Everything has its causes. Hence, the four academicians would accept more essential definition of
kinds of causes. philosophy as the science of all beings by their ultimate causes
1. Material cause (matter) – tells about and principles known through the use of natural reason alone.
the material components by which a
thing is made of. The Western vis –a-vis the Eastern: Definition of Philosophy
2. Formal cause (form/principle) – is “that
by which the thing is” or external Western Philosophy
appearance, condition, structure or ▪ Technical and theoretical. Philosophers are charged
principle by which the thing is (bakit to be dwelling in the ivory towers. It does not serve
kaya tinawag na tao ang TAO?, bakit ordinary people. It is not considered as a public
tinawag na lobo ang LOBO?). enterprise.
3. Efficient cause (agent of the thing) – is ▪ Too abstract and very academic. Thinking is somehow
the producer of a thing, agent or doer of apart from living.
an action. ▪ It sees divisions of philosophical studies.
4. Final cause (end of the thing) – is the ▪ Linear thought.
specific purpose for which a thing is ▪ Religion and philosophy are two different things.
intended or made of. ▪ More logical in their approach.
Eastern Philosophy • Hermeneutics – is the philosophical study of
▪ Simple and practical. Philosophy is the reflection of interpretation or text interpretation and the like. It
life. Life is the source of knowledge must be comes from the Greek word “hermes” who is the
experience. well-known messenger of Gods and Goddesses in
▪ It returns to the touchtone of human experience. Greek mythology.
▪ It insists the wholeness of life. It tends to avoid cutting
up and compartmentalizing life and knowledge. Applied Philosophy or Practical Philosophy
▪ Cyclical life. ➢ When “being” is considered in relation to
▪ Religion and philosophy are one and the same. man.
▪ More mythical in its inquiry. ➢ Results are applied to specials topics and
problems in the different aspects of mans’
Task of Philosophy life.
• Seek and know the truth - the search for greater ➢ Its goal is not just finding the truth but acting
wisdom (paghahanap ng katotohanan). on it, applying the knowledge gained for the
• Speak about the truth - evangelization of truth benefit of mankind.
(pagsasabi ng katotohanan).
• Act on the truth – incarnation of truth (pagsasabuhay • Philosophy of man – the inquiry of man as a person.
ng katotohanan). • Social Philosophy – the study of the relationships
between man and society.
Two Kinds of knowledge • Philosophy of Religion – the study of mans’
• A priori - a knowledge by thinking, without appeal to relationship with God.
experience. • Political Philosophy, studies governments and deals
• Posteriori - an empirical knowledge from observation with questions of justice, power and the rights and
and experience. obligations of citizens.
• Axiology - the study of mans’ values. It comes from
the Greek words “axios” which means “worthy” and
Pure Philosophy or Theoretical Philosophy
“logos” which means “study”. It asks the question
➢ When “being” is considered in itself. like, “What makes a thing valuable?”.
➢ Directs itself to knowing things as they are
without thinking of application. Classification of Human Values
A. Lower Values
• Metaphysics - comes from the Greek words “meta” • Biological Values – food, drink, health, survival,
which means “beyond” and “physikon” which means sex
“nature”. It seeks to understand the nature of being • Economic Values – money, property, tools
and reality. It is the study of the fundamental nature • Affective Values – play, sex, delight, excitement,
of reality, existence and of the essence of things. comfort
Metaphysics deals with the questions like, “What is • Social Values – friendship, power, status,
the ultimate reality?” “What is the distinction reputation
between appearance and reality?”. B. Higher Values
• Epistemology – comes from the Greek word • Intellectual Values – knowledge, truth
“episteme” which means “knowledge”. Study the • Aesthetic Values – beauty, sublime, talent
nature, basis and extend of knowledge. It examines • Moral Values – character, good will, virtues
the nature of knowledge and attempts to determine • Religious Values – holiness, sacredness
the limits of human understanding. Epistemology ask
questions such as, “What is truth, and how can we • Ethics - is a term derived from the Greek word “ethos”
know what is true and what is false?”. which means “custom, character, manner or
• Cosmology – the study of material world with regards disposition”. It is the study of human conduct and the
to its order in the universe. It asks the questions like, nature of right and wrong. It asks questions as “What
“How is the world related to man?” “Is the world makes right action right and wrong actions wrong?”
created?” “Will it end?”. Relativity and Objectivity in Ethics
• Philosophical Psychology – is the study of the nature o A view called relativism maintains that what
of the soul and mind. It connotes the man as person is right or wrong depends on the particular
and man as being-in-the-world. It is commonly known culture concerned. What is right in one
as Philosophy of the Human Person or Rational society maybe wrong in another, this view
Psychology. argues, and so no basic standards exist by,
• Theodicy – is the study of God and the religious which a culture may be judged right or
phenomenon of people, its origin and nature. wrong.
Theodicy comes from the Greek words “theos” which o Objectivism claims that there are objective
means “God” and “dike” which means “just or right”. standards of right and wrong which can be
It deals with the questions as “Does God Exist?” “Why discovered and which apply to anyone.
does man suffer amidst of the presence of God?”. o Subjectivism states that all moral standards
are personal matters of taste or opinion.
 • Aesthetics - comes from the Greek word “aisthetikos”
which means “one who is perceptive to things
through his sensations, feelings and intuitions”. The
study of beauty and perfection.
• Logic – comes from the Greek word “logike or logikos”
which means “ordered, systematized, intelligible or
thought. It is the branch of philosophy that deals with
the principle of reasoning…Therefore, logic is the
science and art of correct inference.

Test of Truth
Philosophers have attempted to define criteria
(standards of judgment) for distinguishing between truth and
error. But they disagree about what truth means and how to
arrive at true ideas.
• Sense Perception defines truth as “reality is precisely
what are external senses depict them to be.” Without
sensation there can be no experience and without
experience there can be no thinking, for thinking has
to start with what is given by our senses to our
consciousness.
• Feelings and Intuition, Customs and Traditions,
Instinct, and the Authorities.
• Concensus Gentium or the majority. As people would
always say, majority wins.

Theories of Truth
• Correspondence theory holds that an idea is true if it
corresponds to the facts or agrees with the objective
reality.
• Pragmatic theory maintains that an idea is true if it
works or settles the problem it deals with.
• Coherence theory states that truth is a matter of
degree and that an idea is true to the extent to which
it coheres (fits together) with other ideas that one
hold.
• Consistency - ideas are considered to be true if their
meanings do not contain contradictions.
• Skepticism claims that knowledge is impossible to
attain and that truth is unknowable.