Introduction to Philosophy PDF

INTRODUCTION TO THE of the Human Person  PHILOSOPHY Greek words philos (love) and sophia (wisdom) Philosophy means the love of reasoning making wisdom as its primary goal. Philosophy is defined as the science that by natural light of reason studies the highest principles o...

INTRODUCTION TO THE of the Human Person  PHILOSOPHY Greek words philos (love) and sophia (wisdom) Philosophy means the love of reasoning making wisdom as its primary goal. Philosophy is defined as the science that by natural light of reason studies the highest principles of things. Philosophy is defined as “the science of beings in their ultimate reasons, causes, and principles acquired by the aid of human reason alone (Bittle, 1984).” Philosophy is defined as “the science of beings in their ultimate reasons, causes, and principles acquired by the aid of human reason alone” (Bittle, 1984). LET’S ANALYZE  1 PHILOSOPHY IS A SCIENCE It is systematic and follows certain steps or procedures. It is an organized body of knowledge same as any other sciences.  2 PHILOSOPHY IS A SCIENCE OF BEINGS It covers all the things that can be reached by the human mind. This includes man, the world, God, everything that is, or becomes, or is known.  3 PHILOSOPHY SEARCHES FOR ULTIMATE REASONS OF BEINGS It searches for the ultimate reasons, causes and principles of beings. It studies the ultimate “whys and wherefores” of beings.  4 PHILOSOPHY USES THE NATURAL LIGHT OF REASON Philosophical investigation does not use any laboratory instrument nor supernatural approach. Philosophers use their natural thinking capacity (or unaided reason) Philosophy is defined as “the science of beings in their ultimate reasons, causes, and principles acquired by the aid of human reason alone” (Bittle, 1984). Philosophy is defined as “the science of beings in their ultimate REASONS, causes, and principles acquired by the aid of human REASON ALONE” (Bittle, 1984). Philosophy employs First Cause or Highest Principle. Note that principle means a reason (or an explanation) from which something proceeds in any manner whatsoever. First Cause or Highest Principle is composed of the following:  1 PRINCIPLE OF IDENTITY In simple terms, this principle means “everything is what it is”. What is not is not and what it is.  2 PRINCIPLE OF NON-CONTRADICTION This principle states that it is an impossibility for a particular thing to be and not to be at the same time at the same respect.  3 PRINCIPLE OF EXCLUDED MIDDLE This principle explains that everything must be “either be or not be” or “either is or is not”.  4 PRINCIPLE OF SUFFICIENT REASON This principle states that there is sufficient reason for the being and existence of everything. In fact some people like Socrates died for truth. It is this centrality of love to philosophy that we call people who engages in philosophy as philosophers (lovers of wisdom) Origin of Philosophy GREECE  THALES (Father of Philosophy) He believes that there is One in the Many.  tried to reduce the multiplicity in to a unity his explanation of natural phenomena is devoid of gods and goddesses of the old religion of Greece represents a departure from the mythological religion of Greece difference between religion and philosophy “Religion rests on faith while philosophy rests on reason.” Thales greatest contribution to philosophy is NOT his identification of water as the ultimate stuff of the universe. His greatest contribution is the problem he posed “What is the ultimate stuff of the universe?” and his approach in solving that problem. Studying Thales makes us realize that philosophical activity is characterized by three things:  Philosophy Involves 1 The Widest Generalizations Philosophers concern themselves with big issues pertaining to the truth, the good, the just, the beautiful, and the existence of practically all things.  Philosophy Is 2 ALL ABOUT FUNDAMENTALS A fundamental is the root cause that explains almost everything in a given context. A fundamental is like the lower floor that supports everything above it. That kind of support is exactly what philosophy provides. If somehow philosophical ideas like consciousness and existence disappear then knowledge of any kind will not make any sense because there will be nothing to know (existence) and no one to know (consciousness).  Philosophy Is Driven by 3 THE DESIRE TO INTEGRATE THINGS IN TO A ONE COHERENT WHOLE As the celebrated philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel said “The true is the Whole (Peikoff, 1991).” If you notice Thales wants to reduce the multiplicity of things into a single stuff. He desires to find the One in the many. BRANCHES OF  PHILOSOPHY Cognitive branches Normative branches Metaphysics Ethics Epistemology Politics Aesthetics Practical Speculative Logic Epistemology Ethics Theodicy Axiology Cosmology Aesthetics Psychology Semantics Metaphysics  LOGIC (Questions related to Reasoning) PRACTICAL ETHICS (Questions related to Morality) AXIOLOGY (Questions related to Values) AESTHETICS (Questions related to Beauty and Taste) SEMANTICS (Questions related to Meaning)  Practical Divisions of Philosophy Practical Divisions of Philosophy - is composed of philosophical fields, which study not only to obtain knowledge and wisdom but also to use that knowledge and wisdom for practical purposes. It includes logic, ethics, axiology, aesthetics, and semantics.  Epistemology (Questions related to Truth SPECULATIVE and Knowledge) Theodicy (Questions related to God) Cosmology (Questions related to Universe) Psychology (Questions related to Soul) Metaphysics (Questions related to Being and Existence)  Speculative Divisions of Philosophy Speculative Division of Philosophy - is made up of philosophical fields whose main concern is the acquisition of knowledge without any thought of applying it for any practical use. It includes epistemology, theodicy, cosmology, philosophical psychology, and metaphysics. PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY What makes good Study of correct LOGIC reasoning arguments good and bad arguments bad? Study of morality of What makes my ETHICS human acts action right or wrong? What are the kinds of AXIOLOGY Study of value value? Study of beauty and What is aesthetic AESTHETICS art value? What sorts of meanings do SEMANTICS Study of meaning human grammars yield?  SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY EPISTEMOLOG Study of knowledge What is truth? Y THEODICY Study of God Does God exist? How did the world begin COSMOLOGY Study of the universe and where will it end? PSYCHOLOGY Study of soul Is there really a soul? Study of being and METAPHYSICS existence What is existence?