Introduction to Philosophy PDF

INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY DOING PHILOSOPHY If it rains today, then the road is wet PHILOSOPHY...

INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY DOING PHILOSOPHY If it rains today, then the road is wet PHILOSOPHY It rains today. Therefore, the road is wet. The professor will be absent only if he/she is, sick Etymological Meaning The professor is sick. Therefore, he/she will be absent Philein/Philos (Love) Sophia (Wisdom) Ethics Thus, Philosophy means: Love of Wisdom Ethos (Custom/Habit) Philosophers are said to be lovers of wisdom. It was invented Study of rightness and wrongness of an action by Pythagoras. Aesthetics Historical Meaning Aisthetikos (Sense Perception) While Pythagoras was watching the Olympic Games inside an Concerned with the nature and appreciation of art, beauty amphitheater, he noticed three groups of people. and good taste. 1. Lovers of Gain/Pleasure The first group went to the Olympic Games to make money VALUE OF PHILOSOPHY and gain profit by selling their goods inside. They were the "lovers of gain or pleasure." Philosophy encourages us to examine our lives. 2. Lovers of Fame Philosophy helps us to challenge our views and beliefs in The second group of people was there to play games, to win, order to achieve the truth. to compete, to fight in order to win honor, prestige and fame. Philosophy helps us to analyze our daily experiences in life Pythagoras called them the "lovers of fame." These are by reflecting on it. athletes as well as the politicians. 3. Lovers of Spectacle The third group went there to watch the games and be thrilled MARCELIAN’S PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION by the events unfolding. Pythagoras called them the "lovers Primary Reflection of Spectacle." These are the audience, the viewers, the Dissolving the unity, analyzing the real meaning or function of observers as well as the game analysts the object. Secondary Reflection Traditional Meaning Put all things into unity, synthesizing the object and giving it a Called as science that studies beings in their ultimate causes, more personal meaning. reasons, and principles through the aid of human reason alone. BEING/BEINGS Being/Beings All things that exist 2 Types of Beings 1. Material Beings 2. Immaterial Beings MAJOR BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY Metaphysics Meta (Beyond/After) Physika (Physical/Nature) Study of things beyond the physical; concepts or things that cannot be experienced THE HUSSERLIAN PHENOMENOLOGICAL METHOD Foundation of philosophy Metaphysical Questions Epoche 1. Is there a God? It means removal or bracketing of the biases we have with 2. Can we control our destiny? the object 3. Do we have immortal souls? Questions to consider if you want to know your own Epoche or Bias on one thing: Epistemology 1. What is the natural attitude towards the object or experience? Episteme (Knowledge/Understanding) 2. What are the biases and prejudices towards the object or Logos (Study/Argument/Reason) experience? Study of the nature and scope of knowledge and justified Eidetic Reduction belief Eidetic comes from Greek word "eidos" means "shape or Basic Questions in Epistemology essence" 1. How do we know what we know? Questions to consider if you want to know your eidos or essence 2. How can we differentiate truth from opinion or false of one thing: information? 3. What is the essence of the object? 4. What is the actual definition of the object or experience? Logic Logos (Word/Discourse/Reason) is the science or study of correct processes of thinking or reasons  INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY DOING PHILOSOPHY Transcendental Reduction Logic and Critical Thinking "my" very own experience of the phenomenon Logic and Critical Thinking: Tools in Reasoning Questions to consider to understand your experience on the Serves as paths to freedom from half truths and deceptions. object: Critical thinking helps us uncover bias and prejudice and open 1. What is "my" own experience of the object or experience? to new ideas not necessarily in agreement with previous 2. What are my personal understanding towards the object or thought. phenomenon? 2 Basic Types of Reasoning 1. Inductive Reasoning (Observation) PHILOSOPHIZING 2. Deductive Reasoning (Investigation) Philosophizing Fallacies Is to think or express oneself in a philosophical manner. Usually committed errors Defect in argument other that its having false premises. To "Wonder is the feeling of a Philosopher, and Philosophy begins in detect fallacies, it is required to examine the argument's Wonder". - Socrates content. PHILOSOPHICAL METHOD TRUTH AND OPINION Socratic Method In using the methods of philosophizing, it is important to analyze This is where in two interlocutors took turns in questioning expressions and statements that show the differences of opinion and answering. and truth. Truth is arrived at by means of this dialectical method of asking and responding. gradually eliminating the Opinion questionable An opinion is an expression of one's feelings based on Methodic Doubt emotions, beliefs, or views. It is not based on evidence. According to Rene Descartes, the first rule is to accept Truth nothing as true which I do not clearly recognize to be so; that A truth is something that has actual and proven existence is to say, carefully to avoid precipitation and prejudice in my scientifically and spiritually regardless of one's opinion and judgments, and to accept in them nothing more than what beliefs. It is undisputed, objective, universal, constant, exact, was presented to my mind so clearly and distinctly that I and factual. could have no occasion to doubt it. "How to Think About the Truth" by Mortimer Adler METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIZING 1. To know something is to doubt (Skepticism) 2. Truth is dependent on the person (Relativism) Phenomenology 3. Truth is what works (Pragmaticism) Phenomenology: On Consciousness 4. Truth is what corresponds from the mind with the reality Edmund Husserl (Founder of Phenomenology) (Realism) This focuses on careful inspection and description of phenomena and appearances, defined as an object of conscious experience, that is, that which we are conscious of. Existentialism Existentialism: On Freedom Soren Kierkegaard "The authentic self as the personally chosen self, as opposed to public or "herd" identity.” The truth might be based on ones attitude or outlook. Postmodernism Postmodernism: On Cultures Methods of Philosophizing Leads to Wisdom and Truth "It is a best holding pattern, perhaps a cry for despair” (Shields 2012) Determinance of Morality Postmodernism has come into vogue as the name for a rather Object diffuse family of ideas and trends that in significant respects Intention rejects, challenges, or aims to supersede "modernity". Circumstance/s Types of Vocations Analytic Tradition Consecrated Life Analytic Tradition: On Language Single Blessedness Analytic philosophy is the conviction that to some significant Married Life degree, philosophical problems, puzzles, and errors are rooted in language and can be solved or avoided by a sound understanding of language and careful attention to its workings 1. Ludwig Wittgenstein (Analytic Philosopher) Language is socially conditioned We understand the world solely in terms of our language games.  INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY HUMAN PERSON AS AN EMBODIED SPIRIT Lastly, he is endowed with the most universal human WHAT MAKES MAN LIMITED? phenomenon religion or the worship of God. Man is considered limited because of he is composed of a THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE ENVIRONMENT material component. Man, as a material being, is a corporeal reality, what makes man material and corporeal is the body ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY that he has. As a material component, he is considered as vegetative organism and a sentient organism. This means that as human person, we interact not only with our fellow human beings, but also with other living and non- WHAT IS VEGETATIVE ORGANISM? living elements in our environment. Humankind is a part of the world, and we significantly affect Man, like the plants, is subject to nutrition, growth and our environment in the same way that changes in our reproduction. Plants feed, grow, and propagate themselves. environment affect us. Feeding, growing, and propagating are also basic activities of Environment philosophy is the discipline that studies the human life. moral relationship of human beings with the environment and its non-human contents. WHAT IS SENTIENT BEING? Philosophers believe that the human person has the ability to As a sentient being, man, like the animals, has sense - change the environment to suit his purposes. knowledge and appetency. It refers to one's capacity to feel and experience pleasure and pain. Animals do not have THREE MAJOR VIEWS emotions but they have sense experience in which they can Anthropocentrism experience pleasure and pain. Plants do not have the capacity Focuses on the significant role of humankind in the world and to experience sensation. They cannot move. They only grow. considers nature as the means by which humans are able to WHAT MAKES MAN OPEN FOR POSSIBILITIES? meet their needs and survive. This view believes that humans are the most important species on the planet and they are According to Aristotle, Man is a rational animal. What makes free to transform nature and use its resources. man similar with animals is because of capacity to feel pain Biocentrism and pleasure, that is, sense experience. Believes that humans are not the only significant species on But what makes man transcend this vegetative and sentient the planet, and that all other organisms have inherent value aspect and be open for possibilities is because of his and should be protected. This view advocates ethical rationality. Rationality refers to our ability to think and to treatment of animals. reason out. Ecocentrism As Descartes said, I think, therefore, I am. Because of this places great value on ecosystems and biological rationality, humans are able to dominate the world. We live in communities. This view believes that humankind is a part of a a world that is called as anthropocene, in which humans are greater biological system or community and that we have a able to control the world through the use of technology. significant role as stewards or guardians of nature. This view This rationality is what leads us to transcendence-the ability promotes the idea that order and balance in nature brings to think and reason, to organize things in order to accomplish about stability and beauty. ends such as the whole world of arts and crafts, manufacturing and industry. The influence of humanity on the environment can be best Only man has oral and written language which enables him to understood if we consider the individual person as a dynamic communicate and preserve ideas. He, alone, establishes source of change within his particular environment. permanent institutions corresponding to his own nature, such as family, civil society, law, etc. ENVIRONMENTAL AESTHETICS WHAT MAKES MAN SPIRITUAL OR NON MATERIAL? Philosophical view that believes maintaining order in the environment will bring out the natural beauty of the What makes man spiritual or non-material is because of his surroundings and contribute to the well-being of the people intellect, his capacity to know, and his will, his capacity to and other organisms living in it. choose and to decide. The appreciation of natural beauty brings about the concern The human intellect is capable of knowing reality. The human for the environment and helps people relate more effectively will too strives towards the good. with nature. The human will is free because it strives towards the good. 1. The creationist recognizes that man was originally created According to Nietzsche, we are ubermensch, the superman, perfect and placed in a perfect, friendly environment not in the sense of comic hero or film hero, but as person designed to be his home. He does not see agriculture as endowed with reason and passion to choose whatever goal or destructive of nature but remembers that God intended the purpose the person has. earth to be cultivated (Gen. 2:5, 15). This is what we mean by existentialism. We are free to choose 2. In this perspective, everything in creation is recognized as whatever we want to choose in spite of our limitations and having its own rightful place. God pronounced that all His weaknesses. creation was exceedingly good (Gen.1:31). Therefore, respect This kind of transcendence is what will separate us from the for the Creator requires respect for His creation. It is thus rest of other creatures. with a sense of respect, humility, gratitude and obligation that the creationist assumes his role as steward of his Master's estate and cares for God's handiwork, not to please himself with personal comfort, but to please his Creator and to have fellowship with Him  INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE ENVIRONMENT 3. The study of taking care of environment is about ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS in which the human person is doing what is good and avoiding what is bad. This is what we call as environmental ethics. The main principle regarding this study is the principle of stewardship- we must take care of nature. Prepared By: Maria Allannah Berto