What is Philosophy?

Reflection (Philosophy)
Greek words •Human self reflection is the capacity of
Philos: Love + Sophia: wisdom humans to exercise introspection and the
Philosophy means Love of wisdom willingness to learn more about their
fundamental nature, purpose and essence
•Love is a strong desire for a particular
object
•Wisdom is a correct application of PHILOSOPHY- science that studies beings
knowledge in their ultimate causes reasons and
Quotes: principles through the aid of human reason
"Life is not a bed of roses" alone
Hurt is Love
being /beings that exist:
Philosophical Reflection • material
- careful examination of life situation. • non-material
-weighing alternatives and using specific Philosophy is a science.
standards to evaluate one's action Science- is about acquiring a certain kind of
- An individual reflect philosophically when knowledge.
he builds on previous actions, event, and or Philosophy is science because the
decisions. questioning is given more importance than
the answers to the questions, since answers
2 kinds of Thinking can become questions themselves. (Babor,
>partial thinking 2007)
focuses on the specific aspects of the
situation. Philosophy is a science of beings. - As a
science of beings, It covers all the things
>Holistic thinking that can be reached by the human mind.
considers large-scale patterns in systems. This includes man, the world, God,
-"bigger picture- open mindset- general everything that is or becomes, or is known.
sense of impression regarding a situation. Philosophy searches for the ultimate
reasons, causes and principles of beings.
PHILOSOPHY • study "Whys and where fores"of beings
a reflection "what does it mean to be a living thing as
It is stepping back, listening to yourself and opposed to non living thing?
other people and trying to understand and Philosophy uses the power or natural light
evaluate what it is that you hear, and what it of reason
is that you believe. • aid of human reason alone
Quotes: •reasoning power of the human mind
wonder is the feeling of a philosopher
and philosophy begins in wonder- Socrates
"Life is only a reflection of what we allow Divisions of philosophy
ourselves to see >Practical division
not only to obtain knowledge and wisdom
Reflection (Merriam-Webster) but also to use that knowledge and wisdom
•It is consideration of some subject matter, for practical purposes.
idea, or purpose
• It is a thought, idea on opinion >LOGIC (Questions related to Reasoning)
formed or a remark made as a result of Logic studies the laws of thought. It is the
meditation. science of correct reasoning
"What makes good arguments good and "What is knowledge?!"what is fact? "What is
bad arguments bad?" truth ?
>ETHICS (Questions related to Morality)
Ethics studies moral character. It is the › THEODICY (Questions related to God)
science of the morality of human acts as Theodicy is the science of God - His nature,
ordained to the end. existence, essence, attributes and
""What makes my actions right or wrong, operations.
and how could I know it? "Is there a norm "Does God exist? ""Why God allows evil?"
good and evil?
>COSMOLOGY (Questions related to
>AXIOLOGY (Questions related to Values) universe) Cosmology is the science of the
It is the science of value. It is the study of universe - it's origin, parts, elements,
the origin, nature, functions, types and laws,characteristics with regard to space,
interrelation time, causality and freedom.
of values. how did the world begin and where will it
How are values experienced? What are the end??
kinds of values?"

>AESTHETICS ( Questions related to >PSYCHOLOGY (Questions related to

Beauty and Style) It is the science of beauty Soul).
and art. Beauty means the quality attributed Psychology is science of soul. Man being
to whatever pleases the beholder such as composed of body and soul.
form, color and behavior. "What are the "Is there really a soul?"
essential characteristics of beauty "What is
aesthetic value?Do the arts provide >METAPHYSICS (Questions related to
knowledge? Being and Existence).
It nature of the mind, the self, and
consciousness. nature of being, its
>SEMANTICS (Questions related to attributes, constituent principles, and
Meaning) It is the science of meaning. It causes.
studies the natural and artificial languages, "What is being?""Why is there being rather
in symbolic logic, the formal relations of than non-being?""What is existence?""What
signs to one another ( syntax) what sorts of is essence?
meanings do human grammars yield?, and
by what rules are these meanings
assembled ?""How does grammatical
knowlodge develop in Children ?" Why is the study of Philosophy important?
According to Zunjic (2011) studying or doing
>Speculative division philosophy could be beneficial in many
acquisition of knowledge without any regards such as:
thought of applying it for any practical use. 1. Philosophy enlarges our understanding of
the world.
>EPISTEMOLOGY (Questions related to 2. Philosophy raises public awareness and
truth. and knowledge) helps in forming engaged and responsible
Epistemology is the science of knowledge. citizens.
This include the statement and solution to 3. Philosophy can increase our sensitivity
the critical problem, nature, Origin, for universalistic moral values and stimulate
objectIvity, and validity of knowledge, truth our readiness to stand up for the principles
and certitude of justice and fairness.
  Philosophy can give one self- •Epicureanism - a school of philosophy
knowledge, foresight, and a sense of which believes that wisdom and simple
direction in life. living will result in a life free of fear and pain.

SOCRATES
What is there a need to philosophize? (470 BCE to 399 BCE) -
•Men have the tendency to wonder(Plato). •foremost philosopher of ancient times.
•Men also have the tendency to doubt(Rene •Field of ethics.
de Cartes) •Socratic Method - a means of examining a
•People do philosophize because of his/her topic by devising a series of questions that
experience (Karl Jaspers). let the learner examine and analyze his
•love for wisdom(Socrates). knowledge and views regarding the topic.

PLATO
(427 to 347 BCE) -
Famous Philosophers •A student of Socrates, he wrote some of
his mentor's teachings and incorporated
PYTHAGORAS some of his own ideas.
570 BCE-495 BCE •Theory of Forms, which proposes that
• Greek Philosopher everything that exist is based on the idea
• Mathematician and Scientist that can only be perceived in mind.
• Pythagorean Theorem •Famous for his dialectic - a method of
inquiry where two opposing ideas are
HERACLITUS discussed in an attempt to arrive in a new
535 BCE-475 BCE knowledge.
• Pre Socratic Greek Philosopher
• Everything that exist is based of on a ARISTOTLE
higher order or plan which he called logos (384 BCE to 322 BCE) -
• Change is a permanent condition of •student of Plato.
human life •He go against the idea of Plato's theory of
forms and took a different stance in
DEMOCRITUS interpreting reality.
• Greek Philosopher • Student of Leucippus •, all ideas and views are based on
• Study cause of natural phenomena perception and our reality is based on what
• matter is composed of tiny particles called we can sense and perceive.
atoms • involved in zoology, psychology, ethics,
and politics.
DIOGENES OF SINOPE • deductive reasoning- the process by which
412 BCE-323 BCE specific statements are analyzed to reach a
• Greek Philosopher conclusion or generalization.
• Advocate simple and virtuous life
• Critic of Plato and Aristotle
• Cynicism and Stoicism, THREE INQUIRIES IN OUR LIFE

EPICURUS COMMON SENSE

(341 BCE to 270 BCE) - basic ability to perceive, understand and
• philosophy could enable man to live a life Judge things that are shared by (nearly all
of happiness. people without need for debate)

PHILOSOPHICAL
relating or devoted to the study of the -the nature of the human person is seen in
fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, the metaphysical dichotomy between body
and existence and soul.
• Body is material = mutable and
SCIENTIFIC destructible
base on/or characterized by the methods or •Soul is immaterial = immutable and
principles of science indestructible
contends that in the context of the nature of
HUMAN PERSON AS AN EMBODIED the
SPIRIT human person the Body's existence is
dependent on the soul and the soul's
Embodied spirit existence is independent of the body
-realization •argues that the soul existed prior to the
does not necessarily refer to body
the incarnation or materialization of the spirit •writes- "the Gods made the soul prior to the
as an immaterial entity body and more venerable in birth and
excellence to the body's mistress and
Christian Philosophy governor!
-embodied spirit refers to the inseparable
union of body and soul. Metaphysical Approach-answers the
"what"of a person, what is made up of a
SPIRIT person or the Characteristics or Capabilities
>enables us to exercise our thought, of a person.
possess awareness, interiority, and the
capacity to reach out to the outside world 3 views under the metaphysical Approach
and other persons. >unspiritedbody view- human person is just
his/her body and nothing
PHILOSOPHER >disembodied spirit view -body and soul are
>Believe that a person cannot be simply separate from each other
reduced to their physical body. >embodied spirit view - body and soul are
>consider the human person as defined by inseparable (union)
the union of the body and the spirit
the person is able to Plato
3 parts of the Soul
EMBODIMENT >Rational-head -think, reflect, analyze,
-the human body stands as the mediator comprehend, draw conclusion and the
between the material world and the spiritual >Spiritual - chest- anger, abomination and
world. Being the embodied spirit, the person other emotional feelings
is able to encounter the world of objects(and >appetitive - abdomen -thirst, hunger, and
other personal subjects) in a manner that other physical wants (experience)
transcends the physical.
-This feature allows him to form intimate >Rational souls guide the spiritual and
relationship with those outside him. appetitive souls
-Human embodiment allows a person to >Spiritual and appetitive contribute to the
attach certain feelings or ideas not only to motion and activity of the whole perso>
but also to objects (pair of shoes from a
Loved one) Aristotle- NON DICHOTOMY
More on Scientific
2 famous Philosophers (environmentalist)
Plato- DICHOTOMY →Concept of "WORLDLINESS"
>In state of unity they are inseparable >Fare is increasing because the driver
hence unlike Plato wants to have a high income
>the general definition of the soul involves
the concept of life, thus
the soul for ARISTOTLE is the principle of
life -
>Believes that the soul is the form to the
body, while the body is the matter to the
soul >Proposition- is a statement about the world
>Anything that exists is composed of matter or reality. It may or may not carry
and form truth.
>Knowledge - is the clear awareness and
3 levels of soul understanding of something. It is the
* Plants -vegetative Product of questions that allow for clear
* Animals answers provided by facts.
* Humans- sensitive and >Facts- one propositions or statement
rational soul which
observe be real or truthful.
Truth >Claim- is a statement that is not evidently
-expresses only what actually happened or or immediately known to be true. This
what could be proven by objective means that any claim can be proven by
data. verification and experimentation
(TRUTH) • Therefore, truthful statements can be
• Can be verified Considered as based on facts
in books
• no author's feelings Ways on determining truth
1. A belief is true if it can be justified or
1. Truth is a statement that Can proven through the use of one's senses
be proven true or false 2. A belles or statement is true if it is based
2. Truth is objective on facts
3. Truth is discovered 3. Getting a consensus or having people
4. Truth states reality agree on a common belief
5. truth can be verified 4. Statement can also be through actions

Example How do you know if something is true?

>In 1946, the american Government
granted the full independence to the •You assumed that everything you know
philippines about in the world is true, through your
senses and beliefs. •But as philosophers,
OPINION you do not assume that every statement is
- expresses any attitude towards something. true.
It makes a judgement, view or conclusion •You need to analyze or investigate or have
•you can see the author's feeling your own investigation to better understand
1. An opinion is a statement that cannot be the means by which you gain Knowledge
proven true or false and determine the truth about everything.
2. An opinion is subjective •Doubt drives your desires to discover the
3. An opinion is created. truth. There should be Sufficient reason and
4. An opinion interprets reality. evidence taken to prove that it is true.
5. An opinion cannot be verified
Example: Sample Statement
- Ana is the only beautiful Classmate that I - Adjudicators: A panel of judges, also known as
have. Adjudicators, evaluate the teams' arguments,
-I am a Filipino
speaking style, and adherence to the rules.

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE

Parliamentary debate is a form of formal

argumentation where two teams (government
and opposition) present their perspectives on a
proposed motion, using structured arguments
and roles. Their arguments are evaluated by a
panel of Adjudicators.

Structure:

- Motion: The central topic or proposition being

debated. It sets the stage for the entire debate.

- Teams:

- Government: Proposes the motion and

presents arguments in favor.

- Opposition: Opposes the motion and presents

arguments against it.

- Roles: Within each team, members take on

specific roles like Prime Minister, Leader of the
Opposition, and various other positions (e.g.,
member of the government, government whip,
member of the opposition, opposition whip).
These roles bring distinct perspectives and
styles to the debate.

- Format: The debate follows a specific format

with time limits for each speaker and rounds of
arguments (e.g., opening speeches, rebuttals,
closing statements).