Philosophy – Lesson 1 PDF

PHILOSOPHY – LESSON 1 DOING PHILOSOPHY Contemporary (1900 – Present)...

PHILOSOPHY – LESSON 1 DOING PHILOSOPHY Contemporary (1900 – Present) Explosive: it has no center CONTENTS Auguste Comte, Henri Bergson, Jean-Paul Sartre Definition of Philosophy TWO DIVISIONS OF PHILOSOPHY Historical Development of Philosophy Divisions of Philosophy Practical Philosophy Holistic Thinking VS Partial Thinking Phenomenological Method It is composed of philosophical fields, which study not only to obtain Reflective Practice in Philosophy knowledge but to use that knowledge for practical purposes. It Existentialism presents related data from which the directive laws or norms are Existentialist Philosophers immediately derived (Ardales, 1987). WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY? 1. Logic: questions related to reasoning The word philosophy is derived from philosophia, which is a combination How can we distinguish between a valid and invalid argument? What are the common logical fallacies that people make in of the Greek terms philos (love) and Sophia (wisdom). Thus, philosophy everyday reasoning? means “love of wisdom” (Amanze, et. al., 2010) How can formal logic improve problem-solving in mathematics? What role does inductive reasoning play in scientific discovery? Philosophy is the science of the first causes (Maritain, 2005). It seeks How can logic help in analyzing political speeches for to know and clarify the very source to which the chain of causes consistency and truthfulness? ultimately all go back for it. 2. Ethics: questions related to morality Philosophy can be stated as scientia rerum per causas primas sub lumine What is the moral responsibility of businesses to the rationis naturalis or the science of beings in their ultimate reasons, environment? causes, and principles acquired by the aid of human reason alone How should healthcare professionals balance patient autonomy (Bittle, 1984). and medical advice? Is it ever ethically justified to lie to protect someone's feelings? Misconceptions in Philosophy? What are the ethical implications of artificial intelligence in decision-making? PHILOSOPHY IS NOT… How can societies create laws that align with ethical principles of fairness and justice? 1. Philosophy does not make real progress like the sciences. 2. Philosophy is just stating your personal opinion. 3. Axiology: questions related to values 3. Philosophy is not one’s view of life or other matters. What is the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic values? 4. Philosophy is light reading, something you relax with in the evening, after all the serious work of the day is done. How do cultural differences shape what is considered valuable in different societies? Can money buy happiness, or are there more valuable aspects Where did Philosophy Originate? of life? How do personal values influence decision-making in leadership Pythagoras first coined the term philosophy, by a Greek mathematician. roles? He used this term to classify three classes of people who attended the What role do values play in forming ethical principles? ancient Olympic Games as lovers of gain; lovers of honor; and lovers of knowledge or wisdom (Caraan, 2016). 4. Aesthetics: questions related to beauty and taste What criteria should be used to judge whether a work of art is HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PHILOSOPHY beautiful? How do different cultures define and appreciate beauty? Ancient Philosophy (600 BC – CE) Can something be aesthetically pleasing but morally offensive? Cosmocentric What is the role of aesthetics in architecture and urban Beginning of everything planning? Thales, Pythagoras, Democritus How do personal preferences shape our perception of beauty in Socrates, Plato, Aristotle nature? Medieval Philosophy (600 – 1600) 5. Semantics: questions related to meaning How does context influence the meaning of words in Theocentric: the study of the existence, nature, and essence of communication? God What is the difference between connotation and denotation in Ethical: existence of evil and the immortality of the soul. language? St. Justin Martyr, Hippolytus, Tertullian How can semantic ambiguity lead to misunderstandings in legal contracts? Modern Philosophy (1600 – 1900) What role does semantics play in shaping political discourse? Anthropocentric: the study of man (in relation to himself, How do new meanings evolve for words in digital others, nature, and God) communication? Rene Descartes, Blaise Pascal, Baruch Spinoza, Immanuel Kant  PHILOSOPHY – LESSON 1 Skeptical Philosophy Application: Holism is used in anthropology wherein an anthropologist can It is made up of philosophical filed whose main concern is the acquisition begin to see interrelationship or correlation of different of knowledge without any thought of applying it for practical use. It components of a culture. is a philosophy that enriches the mind by principles to be speculated upon Example is that one can see the correlation between the ecological or to be known (Ardales, 1998). situation and social organization of a community. Holistic medicine is a prominent example of holistic thinking. A 1. Epistemology: questions related to truth and knowledge medical professional who believes in holistic care considers the How do we know what we know, and can knowledge be certain? relationship between the mind, body, and spirit. What is the difference between belief, truth, and knowledge? Partial Point of View Can we trust our senses to provide accurate knowledge of the world? What role does skepticism play in scientific inquiry? Partial point of view focuses on specific aspects of a situation. How can we determine if a belief is justified or not? The partial view is an important component of analytical thinking 2. Theology: questions related to God as an individual focuses on certain areas or aspects of a problem Does the existence of evil challenge the belief in an all-good, all- in order to understand it. powerful God? Partial point of view has clearly stated and admitted that the way What are the philosophical arguments for the existence of God? the person sees reality or certain phenomenon is based on a Can religious experiences be considered valid evidence for the single factor or causal agency existence of God? How do different theological traditions explain the purpose of PHENOMENOLOGICAL METHOD human life? What is the relationship between faith and reason? Phenomenological method was pioneered by Edmund Husserl 3. Cosmology: questions related to universe whose aim was to arrive at a philosophy understood as a rigorous How did the universe begin, and what are the current science which should describe, rather than explain, an immediate philosophical interpretations of the Big Bang theory? experience. Is the universe infinite, or does it have boundaries? Phenomenologists encourage “to go back to the things What is the nature of time in the context of the universe? themselves”– that which presents itself to the human person – to see things as they are, independent and free of prejudice. Can the universe be explained purely through natural laws, or is there a need for a creator? Central Idea: Reflection What are the philosophical implications of the multiverse theory? Reflective Practice in Philosophy 4. Psychology: questions related to soul What is the nature of consciousness, and how does it arise? HUMAN SELF-REFLECTION: is the capacity of humans to Is the mind separate from the body, or are they one and the exercise introspection and the willingness to learn more about same? their fundamental nature, purpose, and essence. What is the role of free will in human behavior? PRIMARY REFLECTION: refers to the process directed at deriving How does the subconscious mind influence our actions? clear concepts about reality. Partial POV Can humans achieve true self-awareness, or are there limits to SECONDARY REFLECTION: is the realization of the unity of the knowing ourselves? situation and the individual which provides us with a holistic view 5. Metaphysics: questions related to being and existence of reality. What is the nature of reality—does it exist independently of human perception? ALL QUADRANTS ALL LEVELS (AQAL) Is there a fundamental difference between the physical and the non-physical? According to Ken Wilber, everything can be analyzed using a What does it mean for something to exist? vertical line. How do time and space relate to the nature of existence? The line divides space into two sides: left and right. Can we ever truly understand the nature of being, or is it The left side represents the interior, subjective, aspect of beyond human comprehension? everything. The right side represents the exterior, objective, aspect of HOLISTIC VS. PARTIAL THINKING everything. Another basic distinction was introduced by Ken Wilber using a Two Types of Thinking: Bigger Picture, Detail-Oriented horizontal line that divides space into above and below: Above the line represents what is singular, individual, one. The space below represents what is plural, collective, and many Holistic Perspective An interesting thing happens when we combine the two lines. According to Wilber quadrants are “the inside and outside of the Holism comes from the Greek word "holos" which literally means individual and collective” all, entire, totality. Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) It maintains the interdependence of factors to other agencies of Interior of an individual Exterior of an individual causalities. (mind, own perception) (own body) Holistic thinking refers to a perspective that considers largescale patterns in systems. Lower Left (LL) Lower Right (LR) Interior of the collective Exterior of the collective It requires an individual to have an open mindset and the ability to (cultures) (society) get a general sense or impression regarding a situation.  PHILOSOPHY – LESSON 1 EXISTENTIALISM Existentialist Philosophers Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes individual existence, Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) freedom, and choice. It is the view that humans define their His key contributions include the concept of the meaning in life, and try to make rational decisions despite existing "leap of faith". His analysis of religious in an irrational universe. experience, and the first developed analysis of Both phenomenology and existentialism do not present a set of many key existential concepts, including doctrines but more of an outlook or attitude. It is supported by absurdity, anguish, authenticity, the weight diverse doctrines centered on certain themes which include: the human condition or the relation of the individual to the of responsibility you bear for your choices, and the importance of world; the irrational to human life. the human response to that condition; being, especially the difference between the being of a Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) person (which is “existence”) and the being of other kinds His key contributions include the concepts of of things; the "Übermensch" (Overman), an individual human freedom; who transcends conventional morality to the significance of choice and decision in the absence of create and live by their own values, and the certainty; declaration that "God is dead," suggesting that the decline of religious belief in modern Key Concepts of Existentialism society necessitates the creation of new values. a) Existence precedes essence. Man is a conscious subject, rather than a thing to be predicted or manipulated; Martin Heidegger (1889–1976) b) Absurdity. It is brought about because the human instinct to seek He introduced the idea of "Dasein," which means order and meaning is frustrated by the refusal of the world to be orderly or meaningful. "being there" and refers to human existence as being c) Anxiety. Kierkegaard said, “Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.” deeply connected to the world around us. d) Alienation. The sense that you’re a stranger in the world or a stranger to yourself. Many aspects of existence can be alienating. Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–1980) e) Subjectivity. Your first-person perspective on the world, He argued that "existence precedes essence," including the needs, desires, and emotions that accompany that and his work "Being and Nothingness," explores perspective. themes of freedom, bad faith, and the nature of human existence. Secular Existentialism Vs. Traditional Christianity Secular Existentialism Traditional Christianity Albert Camus (1913–1960) The world is absurd, and there is world is absurd, and it is a In "The Myth of Sisyphus," he suggests that we no hope wonder there is hope. find personal meaning and happiness in the Man is free from imposed moral God’s transcendent universal struggle itself, embracing life despite its lack of values moral values ultimate purpose. His works, like "The Stranger" Each person has their own God is the absolute final authority concerning the truth authority over His creation and and "The Plague," explore themes of absurdity, all things rebellion, and the human condition. Existence precedes essence – Person’s essence is Jean-Paul Sarte predestined by God and precedes existence Existentialism Actions Taking responsibility for your own actions Living your life without regard to commonly-held religious or social beliefs Believing as an educator that that being a teacher is a providing a beneficial and critical role in the growth of students Determining your career choice based on what you think is an important way to spend your future.