Introduction to Philosophy PDF

Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Course Description An initiation to the activity and process of philosophical reflection as a search for a synoptic vision of life. It introduces students to the methods of rigorous philosophical reasoning; introduces students to the philosophical...

Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Course Description An initiation to the activity and process of philosophical reflection as a search for a synoptic vision of life. It introduces students to the methods of rigorous philosophical reasoning; introduces students to the philosophical questions, methods, and figures that have played key roles in shaping the past and the present world. Topics to be discussed include the human experiences of embodiment, being in the world with others and the environment, freedom, intersubjectivity, sociality, being unto death. Course of Objectives At the end of the course, the student should be able to: Reflect on their daily experiences from a holistic point of view Aquire Critical and Analytical Thinking skills Apply their critical and analytical thinking skills to the affairs of daily life Become truthful, environment-friendly and service-oriented Actively committed to the development of a more humane society Articulate their own philosophy of life Eymology The word philosophy came from the Greek "philosophia" which is derived from two other words: philia (love), and sophia (wisdom). Therefore, philosophy is the love of wisdom. Definition It is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions concerning existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Philosophy is what everyone does when we are not busy dealing with our everyday business and get a chance simply to wonder what life and the universe are all about. Philosophy is about the process of trying to find answers, using reasoning rather than accepting without question conventional views or traditional authority. Beginning of Philosophy Greece is the birthplace of philosophy in the West, also called the Classical Philosophy Several Factors Leading to the Beginning of Philosophy in Greece Philosophy emerged as a product of their thalassocratic civilization focused on trading than agriculture. Philosophy emerged as an anti-thesis to mythology which gods and goddesses lacked any moral qualities. Philosophy emerged as a necessity in the process of designing an ideal political constitution Thales, the First Philosopher Thales was from the city of Miletus in Ionia. He was considered the first philosopher for for breaking from the use of mythology to explain the world and the universe, instead explaining natural objects and phenomena by offering a hypothesis. He was also considered the Father of Science for his hypothesis that started the study of Physics. Sophos versus Philosophos In Ancient Greece, intellectuals or teachers called themselves "sophos" or sage. They are also known as sophists. However, Pythagoras, an early Greek thinker, called himself "philosopho" or lover of wisdom out of humility. The only true wisdom also known as the is knowing that you Socratic Paradox know nothing  How should we philosophize? RECOGNIZE OUR FORMULATE A IGNORANCE PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION Recognize that you know Philosophy begins with wonder, and nothing and that you exist therfore a question. Philosophical to search meanings and questions are questions whose answers find value from things are in principle open to informed, around us. rational, and honest disagreement. PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION Reflection is an activity that requires a person to examine his or her thoughts, feelings and actions and learn from experience (Abella, 2016). Meanwhile, according to Gabriel Marcel, philosophical reflection is the act of giving time to think about the meaning and purpose of life. Two Types of Philosophical Reflection Primary Reflection -- ability of the mind to construct and evaluate arguments. It is concerned with definitions, essences and technical solutions to problems. Secondary Reflection -- ability of the mind to look deeper into our experiences and see the bigger picture of reality. It integrates the fragmented and compartmentalized experience into a whole. REASON LOGICALLY Reasoning is the process of thinking about something in a logical way in order to form a conclusion or judgement. For reasoning to be logical it must be based on factual, real and credible evidences and experiences. Two Types of Logical Reasoning Deductive Reasoning -- From General to Specific Inductive Reasoning -- From Specific to General DEBATE AND DIALOGUE The philosopher who presents his ideas to the world is liable to be met with comments beginning “Yes, but...” or “What if...” rather than wholehearted acceptance. In fact, philosophers have fiercely disagreed with one another about almost every aspect of philosophy. Why do we philosophize? It is human nature to search for explanations, meanings and value. We are innately gifted of consciousness of being conscious or of thinking about our way of thinking. We philosophize to achieve happiness, because ignorance causes dispair. BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY Metaphysics -- deals with existence, objects and their properties, space and time, cause and effect, and possibility. Cosmology -- universe Ontology -- living entities Epistemology -- deals with the nature, origin, and scope of knowledge, epistemic justification, the rationality of belief, and various related issues. Axiology -- deals with the study of “goodness, value or worth" Ethics -- involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior. Aesthetics -- nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art. Logic -- deals with the study of investigating, classifying, and evaluating good and bad forms of reasoning or argumentations. Political Philosophy -- deals with the study of government, addressing questions about the nature, scope, and legitimacy of public agents and institutions and the relationships between them. Phenomenology -- the philosophical study of the structures of experience and consciousness, founded by Edmund Husserl. PHILOSOPHICAL TRADITIONS Analytic Philosophy -- studying philosophy by putting emphasis on linguistic analysis, formal logic and mathematics, and, the natural sciences. Continental Philosophy -- studying philosophy by putting emphasis to human experience, existence, culture and society.