Introduction to Philosophy Quiz

Introduction to Philosophy

• Philosophy translates to "Love of Wisdom," originating from the Greek words "Philein" (love) and "Sophia" (wisdom).
• Pythagoras is credited with coining the term "philosopher" to describe lovers of wisdom.

Doing Philosophy

• A conditional statement illustrates logical reasoning: "If it rains today, then the road is wet." Confirmation follows with "It rains today. Therefore, the road is wet."
• An example of reasoning: "The professor will be absent only if he/she is sick." This leads to "The professor is sick, therefore he/she will be absent."

Historical Meaning of Philosophy

• Pythagoras observed three types of spectators at the Olympic Games who embody different motivations:
  • Lovers of Gain: Attendees focused on profit and selling goods.
  • Lovers of Fame: Competitors, including athletes and politicians, seeking honor and recognition.
  • Lovers of Spectacle: Observers enjoying the events for entertainment.

Value of Philosophy

• Encourages self-examination and reflection on one's life experiences.
• Promotes critical thinking, challenging personal views and beliefs to pursue truth.

Marcelian’s Philosophical Reflection

• Primary Reflection: Dissects an object into its components, analyzing its meaning and function.
• Secondary Reflection: Synthesizes various components into a unified understanding, adding personal significance.

Being/Beings

• Refers to all entities that exist, categorized into two types:
  • Material Beings: Tangible, physical objects.
  • Immaterial Beings: Non-physical entities.

Major Branches of Philosophy

• Metaphysics: Studies concepts beyond physical experience, such as existence and reality.
  • Central metaphysical questions include the existence of God, control over destiny, and the nature of the soul.

The Husserlian Phenomenological Method

• Epoche: The practice of setting aside biases about an object to experience it more fully.
  • Key questions to identify natural attitudes towards an experience include:
    • What preconceptions exist towards an object or experience?