Introduction to Philosophy PDF

FIVE GENERAL TYPES In this lesson, we shall adopt a certain way of presenting the scope of philosophy.  1. THE THEMATIC TYPES - under this classification are the kinds a philosophy that are distinguished from one another according to the topic of the issues being addressed. ...

FIVE GENERAL TYPES In this lesson, we shall adopt a certain way of presenting the scope of philosophy.  1. THE THEMATIC TYPES - under this classification are the kinds a philosophy that are distinguished from one another according to the topic of the issues being addressed.  2. THE POSITIONAL TYPES -under this classification are the kinds of philosophy that are distinguished form one another according to the solution that is being proposed for a certain issue.  3. THE METHODOLOGICAL TYPES - under this classification are the kinds of philosophy that are distinguished from one another according to method used to resolve a certain issue.  4. THE REGIONAL (OR GEOGRAPHICAL) TYPES - under this classification are the kinds of philosophies that are distinguished from one another according to the geographical l ocation i n w h i c h philosophizing transpires or flourishes.  5. THE HISTORICAL TYPES - under this classification are the kinds of philosophies that are distinguished from one another according to the historical period in which philosophizing occurred. SOME SPECIFIC TYPES In this section we shall identify some specific types of philosophy that belong to the five general types of philosophy that we have identified above.  1. THE THEMATIC TYPES - under this group are what are called branches of philosophy and what we shall call disciplinal philosophies. The branches of philosophy are classified according to the major topics of philosophical investigations; and they are what are usually referred to when we speak of areas of philosophy.  Branch of Topic of Some main Concerns Philosophy Philosophical Investigation 1. Logic reasoning the distinction between correct and incorrect forms or reasoning 2. Epistemology knowledge the kinds, sources, and conditions of knowledge 3. Metaphysics reality, existence whether reality consists of physical objects only, of nonphysical objects only, or of both physical and nonphysical objects 4. Ethics morality the appropriate moral principles, meaning of moral judgments 5. Aesthetics beauty criteria for judgments about beauty 6. Social and the state Legitimizing the state, Political limits of the state’s Philosophy political power, social and distributive justice 7. Philosophy of science Difference between Science scientific and nonscientific statements, induction 8. Philosophy of religious beliefs Meaning of religious Religion statements, existence of God, problem of evil 9. Philosophy of meaning of meaning of proper Language linguistic names, definite expressions descriptions, and psychological statements 10. Philosophy of mind Whether the mind is Mind physical or not, properties of the mind, possibility of artificial intelligence.  2. THE POSITIONAL TYPES The positional types correspond to what are called philosophical schools of thought or philosophical views. For every branch of philosophy there are competing philosophical views or positions. Some of names of these positional types directly indicate what the positions. Good examples are materialism, which claims that reality consists of material objects, and dualism, which claims that reality has a dual nature, consisting of both material and nonmaterial objects. Some of names, however, are patterned after their originators or the philosopher who advance the philosophical views. Good examples are Epicureanism (named after Epicurus) - says that the absence of pain is the greatest pleasure; it also advocates a simple life.  Platonism (named after Plato) the view that there exist such things as abstract objects — where an abstract object is an object that does not exist in space or time and which is therefore entirely non- physical and non-mental.  Confucianism (named after Confucius) believes in ancestor worship and human-centered virtues for living a peaceful life.  The golden rule of Confucianism is “Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you.”  Thomism (named after St. Thomas Aquinas) the comprehensive system of philosophy and theology developed by Saint Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century, and since taught and maintained by his followers, esp in the Dominican order.  Cartesianism (named after Rene Descartes) a form of rationalism because it holds that scientific knowledge can be derived a priori from 'innate ideas' through deductive reasoning. 3. THE METHODOLOGICAL TYPES Philosophies are also classified according to the kind of philosophical method that they use. We call these philosophies the methodological types and they correspond to what are sometimes called p h i l o s o p h i c a l movements, approaches, and traditions.  Some influential methodological types of philosophy, along with some of their associated methods of philosophical investigation, are the following:  Analytic Philosophy which uses the methods of linguistic analysis, logical analysis, and conceptual analysis;  Phenomenology which uses the methods of bracketing of presuppositions or suspension of judgments and direct experiential analysis;  Hermeneutics which uses different forms of textual analysis as methods of interpretation;  Marxism which uses the methods of historical and dialectical materialism;  Existentialism which uses the method of existential analysis or analysis that relates the question of life's meaning;  Feminism which uses the method of gender analysis or analysis that considers the issue of gender inequality, and  Postmodernism which uses the methods of deconstruction and power analysis (or analysis of power structures).  4. THE REGIONAL TYPES At the most general level, the regional (or geographical) types of philosophy are often divided into two major kinds:  Western Philosophy and Eastern Philosophy Under each of these two major kinds are what can be called national philosophies, referring to philosophical activities happening in particular countries or nations.  Examples of national philosophies in the West are: German philosophy, French philosophy, Greek philosophy, British philosophy, and American philosophy  while examples of national philosophies in the East are: Indian philosophy, Chinese philosophy, Japanese philosophy, and our very own, Filipino philosophy.  5. THE HISTORICAL TYPES The history of philosophy, especially in the West, is conveniently divided into four periods, namely, the Ancient period, the Medieval period, the Modern period, and the Contemporary period.  Ancient Philosophy refers to philosophies that flourished during the Ancient period,  Medieval Philosophy to philosophies that flourished during the Medieval period,  Modern philosophy to philosophies that flourished during the Modern period, and  Contemporary philosophy to philosophies that flourished during the Contemporary period. kto12lrm kto12lrm kto12lrm kto12lrm  A. Among these elements, which has a largest number of examples? ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ B. Which has the least number? ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ C. Why do we need to see the relationship of these elements with all other things? ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ kto12lrm