Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person PDF

INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON A.Y. ‘24 - ‘25 | Prof. GIL MANAHAN LESSONS 1-4: REVEALING THE WHOLE, THE PHILOSOPHICAL ENTERPRISE, THE VALUE OF PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION, AN EXERCISE OF TRUTH-MAKING 1.0 REVEALING THE...

INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON A.Y. ‘24 - ‘25 | Prof. GIL MANAHAN LESSONS 1-4: REVEALING THE WHOLE, THE PHILOSOPHICAL ENTERPRISE, THE VALUE OF PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION, AN EXERCISE OF TRUTH-MAKING 1.0 REVEALING THE WHOLE A philosophical question begins with a particular question that unavoidably goes to the roots, but eventually becomes a revelation Philosophical Reflection is thinking about about the whole reality. important questions that do not have a definite answer to them. When we ponder on a Heidegger is also responsible for the term philosophical question, we are engaging in “hermeneutics of facticity,” which simply philosophical reflection. means that people interpret things as they encounter them in different ways. Philosophical Questions are difficult questions that do not have definite answers. They are questions that matter to us for they 1.2 WHAT MAN IS FREE FROM reflect our desire to understand or at least make sense of our experiences. It always When we ask about the essence of human contains a bigger problem, and the only freedom, the problem is not limited to human solution is to just ask them. freedom. Instead, we find that we cannot avoid asking about the essence of man, the world, Philosophy requires adequate justification. and of God. 1.1 It is not simply a question of what man is free THE UNIVERSAL AND THE to do or become, but it also asks what man is PARTICULAR free from. The particular refers to a part of the whole, 1.3 DECEPTION OF THINGS while the universal pertains to the whole. According to German philosopher Martin Plato warned us of the deceptions of this Heidegger, a scientific question is always world. Everyone who engages in philosophical confined to the particular, whereas a reflection must recognize that possible philosophical question “leads into the totality answers to philosophical questions require of beings” and “inquires into the whole.” adequate justification or a rational basis. A person is responsible for the answers he/she holds on to. Grade 12 | SEMESTER 1 | QUARTER 1 | PHILOSOPHY | Prof. GIL MANAHAN 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON A.Y. ‘24 - ‘25 | Prof. GIL MANAHAN LESSONS 1-4: REVEALING THE WHOLE, THE PHILOSOPHICAL ENTERPRISE, THE VALUE OF PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION, AN EXERCISE OF TRUTH-MAKING How do we guard against deceptions? God 2.0 THE PHILOSOPHICAL ENTERPRISE gifted us with the faculty of reason — the best tools humans have in their pursuit of truth and meaning. The etymology of philosophy: philo = love, sophia = wisdom. We can consider A rational activity that teaches us to search for philosophers as lovers of wisdom. Philosophy truth and hold on to beliefs we can defend is may be understood as an activity in pursuit of debating. wisdom. It is carried out through the use of reason. 1.4 TRUTH AND DIALECTICS For Aristotle, there are two kinds of wisdom: Dialectics is a technique to resolve philosophical questions. It is a technique of Theoretical Wisdom - to know necessary arriving at truth through the systematic truths and their logical consequences change of opinions dating back to the ancient Greeks. Practical Wisdom - deals with knowledge in the realm of action. This later developed in the modern era into thesis, antithesis, and synthesis (Georg Philosophers believe that to be wise is the best Wilhem Friedrich Hegel’s dialectical that we can be. They devote their time in materialism). examining their intuitions — their held truths and opinions — to arrive at the truth. Karl Marx later introduced historical materialism — which embodies his theory that Philosophy is carried out because many things societies rise and fall as a result of class in this world are uncertain. To love wisdom is to struggle. acknowledge that we do not possess the answers to difficult questions — that we are Thus, the interplay of opposing views is not yet wise. necessary for progress to occur. Grade 12 | SEMESTER 1 | QUARTER 1 | PHILOSOPHY | Prof. GIL MANAHAN 2 INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON A.Y. ‘24 - ‘25 | Prof. GIL MANAHAN LESSONS 1-4: REVEALING THE WHOLE, THE PHILOSOPHICAL ENTERPRISE, THE VALUE OF PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION, AN EXERCISE OF TRUTH-MAKING Locke claimed that the human mind at 2.1 THREE VIEWS OF birth is a blank slate (tabula rasa) that PHILOSOPHIC THOUGHT is then filled by sense experience. Cosmocentric view (Ancient period, 3.0 THE VALUE OF PHILOSOPHICAL 600 BC to 600 AD) - philosophers REFLECTION wondered about the world (kosmos in Greek). They were concerned about 3.1 THE SOCRATIC LEGACY the origin or starting point (arche in Greek) of the universe. Where did all things come from? These three claims from Socrates from Plato’s dialogues in Apology and Protagoras highlight Theocentric view (Medieval period, the value of philosophical reflection: 600 to 1500 AD) - They were concerned about the existence of God (1) “Know thyself” and (2) “the unexamined (theos in Greek). life is not worth living” - we need to be compelled to reflect on what we believe or Anthropocentric view (Modern claim to think because we are responsible for period, 1500 to 1900) - characterized our thoughts. What we believe to be true by subjectivity and individualism, becomes the basis of our actions. centered on man (anthropos in Greek). Philosophical reflection is indispensable It was a result of the rise of modern because we do not realize what we truly science and the diminished authority believe in until we are challenged to defend of the church. Rationalism and them. empiricism emerged during this period. The Socratic method was the series of Rationalism - knowledge is gained questioning and answering that Socrates through reason. This view was held by employed in engaging philosophical reflection. Rene Descartes and Plato. (3) “Virtue is knowledge of good and bad” - Empiricism - all knowledge is gained when what we say and what we do are not in through the senses. This view was held sync with each other, what we claim to know is by John Locke, George Berkeley, and doubtful. Philosophical questions provide us David Hume. insights into what is truly good and bad for us. Grade 12 | SEMESTER 1 | QUARTER 1 | PHILOSOPHY | Prof. GIL MANAHAN 3 INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON A.Y. ‘24 - ‘25 | Prof. GIL MANAHAN LESSONS 1-4: REVEALING THE WHOLE, THE PHILOSOPHICAL ENTERPRISE, THE VALUE OF PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION, AN EXERCISE OF TRUTH-MAKING Philosophical reflection enlightens us and Philosophical reflection always investigates a makes us better persons. phenomenon; the world is constituted as lived, experienced, thought of, understood, and 3.2 “PILOSOPO” AS A SOCIAL CRITIC investigated as a phenomenon. The term “pilosopo” is used to refer to Immanuel Kant claimed that what we get from someone who has faulty or poor reasoning. sensory experience (empiricism) are This erroneous kind of reasoning is called a 🆇 not things-in-themselves or things as they fallacy. really are, 🗹 but are instead things-as-they-appear to KINDS OF FALLACIES: us. 1. Equivocation - using two meanings of ⬇ a word within an argument Our mind then uses its categories (rationalism) to understand phenomena. 2. Argumentum ad passiones (Emotional appeal / Appeal to Kant taught that noumena (things as they Emotion) - manipulation of emotions really are) is not accessible to us. We can only in order to win an argument know things as they appear to us. 3. Argumentum ad hominem (Personal There is always a gap filled by the human mind attack) - attacking the person instead as we perceive data. This gap may be filled with of their argument. science, philosophy, arts, religion, society, etc. They are the reasons why information itself In Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, the term “pilosopo” cannot have value. is a social critic. Pilosopo Tasyo is a character who is quite similar to Socrates. Who we are is never fixed. Searching for truths about ourselves is meant to be a lifetime 4.0 AN EXERCISE OF TRUTH-MAKING endeavor. It is always in our nature to find truth and meaning. When we philosophize, we think about reality. What makes up reality are the things that appear to us in this world. They are objects we try to figure out — they can be physical or nonphysical. Grade 12 | SEMESTER 1 | QUARTER 1 | PHILOSOPHY | Prof. GIL MANAHAN 4