Chapter 1 - Understanding Reality In A Bigger Picture PDF

UNIT 1 Philosophy: The Discipline and Its Methods Mr. John Cristopher Atienza Gamboa Note Do not confuse the forest for the trees. Reflect How do you make your pizza?  Chapter 1 - Understanding Reality in Bigger Picture PHILOSOPHY IS NOT ONLY FOR PHILOSOPHERS. Ever...

UNIT 1 Philosophy: The Discipline and Its Methods Mr. John Cristopher Atienza Gamboa Note Do not confuse the forest for the trees. Reflect How do you make your pizza?  Chapter 1 - Understanding Reality in Bigger Picture PHILOSOPHY IS NOT ONLY FOR PHILOSOPHERS. Every person has the capacity to find the value of philosophy in his/her own life. Without a formal introduction to the discipline, you may not be aware that you have been engaging in philosophy. For example, the favorite household conversation that we invoke against anything and anyone whom we disagree about: “ Pilosopo ka!” Objectives A c q u a i n t a n c e w i t h s o me b a s i c philosophical concepts Identify philosophical questions that are p e r s o n a l l y me a n i n g f u l t o y o u a s a person Di s c o v e r p h i l o s o p h i c a l r e f l e c t i o n Di s t i n g u i s h t h e u n i v e r s a l a n d t h e particular Know the relation between truth and dialectics Fa mi l i a r i z a t i o n w i t h t h e n a t u r e o f philosophy as fueled by wonder and the pursuit of truth Chapter 1 - Understanding Reality in Bigger Picture LESSON 01 Revealing the Whole LESSON 02 The Philosophical Entreprise  LESSON 01 Revealing the Whole A. D i s c o v e r i n g Ph i l o s o p h i c a l R e fl e c ti o n Have you ever asked these questions before? Why am I Here? Why was I even born? What am I here for? What is the purpose of my existence? Why love when you only get hurt? What if there is no after-life? Bakit walang forever??? Philosophical Reflection To r e fl e c t p h i l o s o p h i c a l i s to th i n k a b o u t a n i m p o rta n t q u e s ti o n th a t d o e s n o t h a v e a d e fi n i te o r re a d y a n s w e r. T h e s o l u ti o n to p h i l o s o p h i c a l q u e s ti o n s i s to a s k th e m. The search for answers only begins the moment we ask philosophical questions. The answer one finds will determine his/her choices in life. B.THE UNIVERSAL AND THE PARTICULAR A c c ordi ng t o G erm an phi l os opher M art i n He i d e g g e r ( 1 8 8 9 - 1 9 7 6 ) To p h i l o so p h i z e i s t o l ook at l i f e f rom t he holistic perspective. T hat m ak es i t di ff erent f rom s c i enc e. S c i ent i f i c q u e s t i o n i s al way s c onf i n e d t o part i c ul ar. W hi l e p hi l os o phi c al qu e s t i o n l ea ds i nt o t h e t o t al i t y o f b ei n gs an d i nq ui r es i nt o t he whol e.  Particular Universal Part of To t a l i t y the whole or whole  Essence of Human Freedom Pe “ H E R ME NE oU p Tl eI Ci S n t e r p r et t h i n g s a s t h e y e n c o un t er t h e m i n O F FAdCiTf fI e CrI T e Y”nt w a y s. Beginning with a particular question that unavoidably goes to the roots, philosophical q u e s t i o n e v e n t u a l l y b e c o m e s a r e v e l a t io n a b o u t t h e w h o l e r e a l i t y. Essence of human freedom is not limited to human and freedom. It also involves essence of man, essence of the world and essence of God. Not simply question of freedom to do or to become but what he is free from.  Plato - 427-347 B.C.E H O W TO F I N D A N S W E R S TO HAccording P H I LO S O P ICAL to Plato, there were things that QUESTIONS? can deceive, confuse or misled in this world if we are not careful in finding the answers. God gave us intellect or mind to figure things out on our own. This faculty of reason or rational capacity allows us to pursue our questions so we can come nearer to the truth. How are humans different from other animals? 01 02 03 I ns t i nc t I nt el l ec t Logi c Animals are incapable of reasoning and are simply motivated by their instincts.  Truth and Dialectics W e need to welcom e The dialectics Philosophical questions that of the ancients discovery is probe into the later seen as the core of what developed in result of we claim the m odern collaboration because it is era into with partners in the best way t hesis, dialogue or to reveal what antithesis and c o n v e rs a ti o n. is not obvious. synthesis. Dialectics is a Dialogues In the process, It is the t ec hnique t o illustrate how we learn more exchange or resolve dialectics is an about our conf rontation philosophical e ff e c t i v e m e a n s position or between questions. of examining view-what it diff ering It is an art of and evaluating a s s u m e s , wh a t positions(one ref utation that truth claims. it truly means, as thesis and dates back to Errors or and what it the other as inconsistencies entails. antithesis) the ancient of a claim are W h e n we culm inates to Greek s. demonstrated articulate these a synthesis using rational things, our that is a abilities. mind is resolution of sharpened. opposing views. Truth and Dialectics Truth and Dialectics D i a l e c ti c s i s i n d i s p e n s a b l e s i n c e i t l e a d s u s c l o s e r to tru th. F i n d i n g th e t r u th , i n a w a y, i n v o l v e s a k i n d o f “tru th - i n g ,” a n d d i a l e c t i c s i s o n e o f i t s e a rl i e s t a n d te s te d fo rm s. W h e n w e i n q u i re a b o u t p h i l o s o p h i c a l q u e s ti o n s i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h a n o th e r, i n s o m e f o r m o f d e b a t e , w e l e a r n m o re b e c a u s e w e a re c h a l l e n g e d to th i n k a b o u t th e q u e s ti o n ri g o ro u s l y a n d e x h a u s t i v e l y. A development or progress in thought thus occurs. T h e p h i l o s o p h i ca l q u e s t i o n i s c l a r i f i e d , a t t h e l e a s t , a n d s o i t c o n t r i b u te s t o a b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d in g o f t h e q u e s t i o n itself, or of the kind of answer that would qualify as plausible. Truth and Dialectics S O C R AT E S G.W.F H E G E L KAR L M AR X 469-399 B.C.E 1770 - 1831 1818 - 1883  The philosopher Socrates is most n o t e w o r t h y i n h i s u s e o f d i a l e ct i cs. His method of question and answer illustrates how views need to be d e f e n d e d w i t h c o n s i st e n c y a n d c l a r i t y. The series of questioning and a n s w e r i n g h e s u b j e ct e d A t h e n i a n s i n t o w a s e ff e c t i v e i n d r a w i n g o u t u n d e r l yi n g a s s u m p t i o n s. It is not enough to claim something as true. One has to give good reasons as SOCRATES basis for any claim and the claim must be able to withstand further scrutiny and examination.  The German philosophers G. W. F. H e g e l a n d C a r l M a r x claimed that there is a dialectical pattern even in history as reflected in r e s o l u t i o n s o f c o n t r a d ic t io n s through time. T h e i n t e r p l a y o f o p p o s in g views is necessary for p r o g r e s s. G.W.F HEGEL Confrontations of this kind must not be avoided at all. & KARL MARX We n e e d t h i s e x c h a n g e o f i d e a s s o w e c a n g r o w.  Philosophy..... T E A CHE S US TO B E O P E N A S W E S T RI V E TO K NO W B E T T E R. DEBAT I NG PO LI T ELY W I T H SO MEO NE ALLO W S US TO DI S CO V E R M A NY T HI NG S. I T REVEALS O UR BELI EF S AND CHALLENG ES US TO DE F E ND T HO S E B E LI E F S. T HI S RAT I O NAL ACT I VI T Y T EACHES US TO HO LD O N O NLY TO T HO S E B E LI E F S W E CA N DE F E ND A ND TO RE M A I N O P E N S O W E CA N RE V I S E O UR V I E W T HRO UG H T I M E A ND I N CO LLA B O RAT I O N W I T H O T HE RS. Chapter 1 - Understanding Reality in Bigger Picture LESSON 01 Revealing the Whole LESSON 02 The Philosophical Entreprise  The Philosophical LESSON 02 Entreprise " One thing I know is I know nothing." Socrates A. Wonder, Knowledge, Ignorance H u m a n b e i n g s w a n t to u n d e rs ta n d th e w o rl d a n d to k n o w th e tru th fo r th e re a re s o m a n y t h i n g s w e h a v e n o t fi g u re d o u t. P l a to c l a i m e d t h a t p h i l o s o p h y b e g i n s i n w o n d e r. Wo n d e r i s t h e b e g i n n i n g f o r i t stimulates us to venture into p h i l o s o p h y.  How do wondering differs from curiosity ? CURI O SI T Y i s d i rect ed to a si n g l e , f l eet i n g o r mo men t ary o b j ect t h at cap t u res o u r i n t erest F O R E X A M P LE : W E A RE CURI O US O N HO W A G ADG ET W O RKS, BUT W E M AY W O NDER W HE T HE R O NE CA N LI V E W I T HO UT US I NG T HE NEW G ADG ET. I N W O NDERI NG , W E ARE CO NCERNED BEY O ND T HE I NF O RM AT I O N W E CA N READI LY G ET ABO UT T HE NEW G ADG ET  Can we call philosophers as lover of wisdom? W h y d o th e y e n g a g e d w i t h p h i l o s o p h y ? TO B E C O M E To be wise is to know the truth P h i l o s o p h y m a y b e u n d e rs to o d a s a n a c ti v i ty i n p u rs u i t o f w i s d o m. ( E ty m o l o g y : G re e k w o rd P H IL O S m e a n s "l o v e " a n d S O P H IA m e a n s "w i s d o m " ) P h i l o s o p h e rs a re fa r a b o v e th e u s u a l p e o p l e w e e n c o u n te r d a i l y – th e y a re n o t s w a y e d b y p o p u l a r v i e w s a n d a re not easily deceived. They are the best people to seek counsel for they see things c l e a r l y. T h e y k n o w t r u t h s o r d i n a r y p e o p l e d o n o t k n o w.  For Aristotle, there are two kinds of wisdom: Theoretical Practical wisdom Wisdom is to know necessary deals with knowledge truths and their logical in the realm of action. consequences To have practical wisdom is to know truths that to do with our dealings with fellow human being Reflect Are theoretical and practical wisdom both desirable and valuable?  Philosophers believe that to be wise is the best we can be. For this reason, they devote their time to examining their held beliefs and opinions that are also called intuitions to arrive at truth.  The answers they seek are not d e p e nd e nt o n a u t h o r i t y o r t h e i r emotion. Vi e w s a r e s c r u t i n i z e d b y t h e f a c u l t y o f r e a s on - t h a t w h i c h a c c o r d i n g t o Aristotle, separates us from plants and animals. He claimed that our rational faculty is the best element in us, a divine quality that we share with gods. T h i s l e d h i m t o t h e c o n c l u si o n t h a t t h e best life for man is one that is ARISTOTLE d e v o t e d t o p h i l o s o p hy. B. PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT IN THREE VIEWS 01 02 03 Cos m oc e n t r i c T heoc e nt r i c A nt hr o p oc e n t r i c v i ew v i ew view 01 Co smo centric view wondering about the world or questions that concerned the universe as the starting point of everything Cosmology is a branch of philosophy concerned on the universe. Thales, the first person to wonder about the origin of the universe where his view says that water is the underlying principle of all things. Anaximander , thought that water could not simply explain the hot, the cold, and dry so he believe that it would be “ boundless” Pythagoreans, identified as numbers as the first principle because they observed how the world is governed by mathematical ratio. Atomists, says that the starting point of everything is “atoms ” 02 Theocentric view believes that all things existed from God Avicenna, the first muslim philosopher who argued that in this world, the existence of beings can be traced to another being responsible for its existence. Christianity greatly influenced philosophy. Because a holistic account of reality is demanded by philosophy, highly trained and educated theologians turned to religious texts and doctrines. There were a number of medieval philosophers who philosophized using the theocentric view. Among them are Avicenna, St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Aquinas. 03 Anthropocentric view was a result both of the rise of modern science and the diminished authority or Man itself. Bertrand Russell explained that progress in the scientific field made man realize the practical utility of science as a technique rather than a doctrine that explained the nature of the world. This idea sheds light on the philosophies characterized in the period---rationalism and empiricism. Rationalism I s c om m i t t ed t o t he v i ew t hat k nowl edge i s acq u i r ed th r o u g h r easo n i ndepende nt of s ens e ex peri enc e. Vi e w h e l d b y t h e f o r e m o s t m o d e r n phi l os opher Rene Des c art es. According to him, clear and distinct i deas are t he f oundat i on of k n o wl e d g e P l at o was al s o a rat i onal i s t s i nc e he claimed that ideas alone are real whereas t hi ngs are i l l us ory. K n o wl e d g e f o r a l l r a t i o n a l i s t s i s bas ed on i deas or c onc ept s.  H o l d s t h a t a l l k n o w l ed ge i s u l t i m a t el y d e r i v e d Empiricism f r o m s e n s e e x p e r i enc e. T h e m o d e r n p h i l os oph er s, J o h n L o c k e , G e o r g e B e r k e l ey, a n d D a v i d H u m e , a l l h e l d t h i s v i e w. J o h n L o c k e , c l a i m ed t h a t t h e h u m a n m i n d a t b i r t h i s l i k e a b l a n k s h e e t o f p a p e r ( t abu l a r a s a ) t h a t i s l a t e r f i l l e d t h r o u g h s e n s e e x p e r i enc e. T h e d i a l ec t i c s b e t w e e n t h e s e v i e w s c o n t i n ue t o this time. N o t h i ng i s e v e r c o n c l ude d w h e n o n e e n g a g es i n p h i l o sop hy. The inquiries we make are always fruitful b e c a u s e t h e y p r o d u c e v a r i o u s p e r s p e c t i v es t h a t e n r i c h o u r u n d e r s t and i ng o f t h e c o m p l ex i t i e s o f this world.  Philosophy..... PHILOSOPHY IS CARRIED OUT THROUGH THE USE OF REASON. The proper exercise of our rational faculty allows us to answer our questions and overcome our ignorance. BY BEING ENGAGED WITH PHILOSOPHY, WE CAN IMPROVE OUR MIND AND BE FREED FROM NARROW VIEWS AN EXPERIENCE THE BEST SORT OF EXISTENCE. THE DISCIPLINE ITSELF DOES NOT OFFER DEFINITE ANSWERS TO PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS BECAUSE IN IS THE NATURE OF SUCH QUESTIONS THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE DEFINITE ANSWER..  Philosophy..... OUR ATTEMPTS TO ANSWER PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS PROVIDE US WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO ARRIVE AT GOOD ANSWERS---ANSWERS THAT MAKE US UNDERSTAND GREAT THINGS OR ENABLE US TO SEE OUR LIFE AS MEANINGFUL. IT BECOMES A SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGE THAT COMPELS US TO SEEK THE TRUTH BECAUSE IT MATTERS TO US PERSONALLY AND WE FIND ANSWERS THAT GREATLY INFLUENCE OUR LIFE.  Philosophy..... IT IS OUR IGNORANCE THAT MAKES PHILOSOPHY POSSIBLE. Arrogance or the belief that one has figured out everything, impede our search for truth. A person does not search for something that he/she thinks to have already found. Those in search of truth are conscious of their own ignorance. We engage in philosophy so that we can find answers and become wise. To gain wisdom one has to admit that he is not yet wise. We need to be reflective persons, to take time to introspect, to carefully examine our beliefs and other ’s opinions, while at the same time being open so that we can rethink views presented to us and those views we ourselves hold to be true.  THANK YOU B y: M r. J o h n C r i s t o p h e r G a m b o a