Introduction to Philosophy Quiz

Introduction to Philosophy

• Human beings are naturally inquisitive, and philosophy starts with wonder, which leads to questioning and critical thinking.
• Philosophy is about questioning and seeking answers, not just finding answers.

Philia and Sophia

• Philia means love, which seeks unity with the object and desires to possess it.
• Sophia means wisdom, which is the good exercise or application of knowledge.
• Philosophy is the love of wisdom, seeking truth and unity with the object of knowledge.

Different Forms of Knowledge

• Doxa or Opinion: common understanding or common sense, lacks proper justification.
• Episteme or Scientific Knowledge: grounded or justified assertions, proven by scientific method.
• Techne or Technical Knowledge: practical expertise or skill.
• Sophia or Wisdom: good exercise or application of knowledge.

Ancient Greek Philosophers

• Pythagoras coined the term "philosophy".
• Leucippus and Democritus: atomists who believed matter is composed of tiny, imperceptible, indivisible, eternal, and uncreated atoms.
• Ancient Greeks understood man in the context of the world, as a microcosm.

Branches of Philosophy

Metaphysics

• Investigates the fundamental nature of reality, being, and existence.
• Deals with questions about the non-physical world and reality.

Cosmology

• Study of the universe, its origin, dynamics, and laws that govern its order.
• Known as the "theory of the universe".

Theodicy

• Studies the nature, being, goodness, and justice of God in the light of reason alone.
• Examines God and man's relationship and other doctrines related to divinity.

Aristotle's Four Causes

• Material Cause: the material out of which the thing exists.
• Efficient Cause: the mover that causes the thing to be or happen.
• Formal Cause: the form in which the thing is arranged.
• Final Cause: the purpose for which the thing exists.

Definition of Philosophy

• Philosophy is the science of all things or beings in their ultimate causes or principles acquired by the natural light of reason alone.

Brief History of Philosophy

• Ancient Period (600-300AD): Cosmo-centric, thinkers like Thales, Pythagoras, and Socratic philosophers.
• Medieval Period (300-1400AD): Theo-centric, thinkers like St. Anselm, Aquinas, and St. Augustine.
• Modern Period (1500-1800AD): Anthropocentric, thinkers like René Descartes, John Locke, and Karl Marx.
• Contemporary Period (1900-present): Analytic Philosophy, focusing on language and natural sciences, with thinkers like Leo Tolstoy, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Edmund Husserl.