STI Methods and Traditional Branches of Philosophy PDF

SH1905 Section I: Methods and Traditional Branches I. Traditional Branches of Philosophy A. Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy which deals with the fundamental questions of...

SH1905 Section I: Methods and Traditional Branches I. Traditional Branches of Philosophy A. Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy which deals with the fundamental questions of reality. Cosmology and ontology are the two (2) traditional branches of metaphysics. 1. Cosmology seeks to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order. 2. Ontology is the investigation into what types of things there are in the world and what relations these things bear to one another. It deals with questions concerning what entities exist or can be said to exist, and how such entities can be grouped, related within a hierarchy, and subdivided according to similarities and differences. B. Epistemology is the branch of philosophy which deals with our concept of knowledge, how we learn, and what we can know. It addresses four (4) main questions. 1. What is knowledge? 2. How is knowledge acquired? 3. What do people know? 4. How do we know what we know? C. Logic is the branch of philosophy which studies the rules of valid reasoning and argumentation. It is often divided into two (2) parts: inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning. The former refers to drawing general conclusions from specific examples, while the latter is drawing logical conclusions from definitions and axioms. D. Ethics, or moral philosophy, is the branch of philosophy which is concerned with human values and how individuals should act. It is concerned with the concept of morality (e.g., concepts like good and bad, right and wrong, justice and crime, virtue and vice, etc.) E. Aesthetics, or esthetics, is the branch of philosophy which deals with the notion of beauty and the philosophy of art. It deals with the nature of beauty, art, taste, and the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensory-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste. F. Political philosophy, or Politics, is the branch of philosophy which studies the concepts of liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why (or even if) they are needed, what makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect and why, what form it should take and why, what the law is, and what duties citizens owe to a legitimate government if any, and when it may be legitimately overthrown, if ever. II. Methods of Doing Philosophy A. Truth and Opinion 1. Truth is defined as being in accordance with fact and reality, sometimes considered as a fidelity to an original or standard. 2. Opinion is defined as a view or judgment formed by a person about something, which is not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. B. Methods of Philosophizing 02 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 1 of 5  SH1905 1. Logic - Truth is based on reasoning and critical thinking analysis and construction of arguments. It serves as a path to freedom from half-truths and deception. Logic, as the study of reasoning, or the study of the principles and criteria of valid inference and demonstration, attempts to distinguish good reasoning from bad reasoning. a. Inductive Reasoning - moves from specific premises to a general conclusion - requires several pieces of evidence to form a generalized conclusion Example: Cathlem was playing Mobile Legends during class and was reprimanded by the teacher. Dany was also playing Mobile Legends during class and was reprimanded. Thus, if I play Mobile Legends during class, I will be reprimanded. b. Deductive Reasoning - moves from a general truth to a more specific conclusion Example: Video games are almost always rooted in fantasy. Surgeon Simulator is a video game. Therefore, Surgeon Simulator is rooted in fantasy. 2. Existentialism - It is the importance of free individual choice regardless of the power of the people to influence and coerce our desires, beliefs, and decisions. For example, there is a problem that you need to make a decision, but you should face what would be its early consequences. Another example is when a person makes a decision about his/her life, follows through, or does not follow through on that decision and begins to create his/her essence. It is said in existentialism that existence comes first, and essence comes second. Characteristics a. Existence Before Essence - Existentialism gets its name from an insistence that life is only understandable in terms of an individual’s existence and his/her particular life experience. b. Reason is Unable to Deal with the Depths of Life - There are two (2) parts to this idea: first, that reason is relatively weak and imperfect, (people often do not do the “right” thing), and that there are dark places in life which are “non-reason,” to which reason scarcely penetrates, (meaning we often commit acts which seem to defy reason, to make no sense). c. Alienation - Existentialism holds that, since the Renaissance, people have slowly been separated from concrete earthly existence. Individuals have been forced to live at ever-higher levels of abstraction, have been collectivized out of existence, and have driven God from the heavens (or, what is the same thing to the existentialist), from the hearts of men. It is believed that individuals live in a fourfold condition of alienation: from God, nature, other people, and our own “true” selves. d. “Fear and Trembling“ and Anxiety - The optimism of the 18th and 19th centuries gives way, after the First World War, to the Great Depression, World War II, and the Holocaust, to a feeling of pessimism, fear, and anxiety. Another kind of anxiety that individuals faced in the 20th century when the philosophy of existentialism developed was “the anguish of Abraham,” the necessity which is laid upon people to make “moral” choices on their sense of responsibility. 02 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 2 of 5  SH1905 e. The Encounter with Nothingness - According to the existentialists, for individuals alienated from God, from nature, from other people, and even from themselves, what is left at last but Nothingness? Simply put, this is how existentialists see humanity: on the brink of a catastrophic precipice, below which yawns the absolute void, black Nothingness, asking ourselves, “does existence ultimately have any purpose?” f. Freedom - Sooner or later, as a theme that includes all the others mentioned above, existentialist writings bear upon freedom. All these ideas either describe some loss of individuals’ freedom or some threat to it, and all existentialists of whatever sort are considered to enlarge the range of human freedom. 3. Analytical Philosophy - One of the methods of philosophizing, it is the conviction that all philosophies have some significant structure which, when analyzed, provides the philosopher’s motives. Any of the various philosophical methodologies holding that clear and precise definition and argumentation are vital to productive philosophical inquiry. For example, the definition of a concept can be determined by uncovering the underlying logical structures, or “logical forms,” of the sentences used to express it. Foundations 1. There are no specifically philosophical truths and that the object of philosophy is the logical clarification of thoughts. 2. The logical clarification of thoughts can only be achieved by analysis of the logical form of philosophical propositions, such as by using the formal grammar and symbolism of a logical system. 3. There is a rejection of sweeping philosophical systems and grand theories in favor of close attention to detail, as well as a defense of common sense and ordinary language against the pretensions of traditional metaphysics and ethics. 4. Phenomenology - It focuses on careful inspection and description of phenomena and defines it as any object of conscious experience (things that we are aware of). III. Tips on Writing Philosophies A. Wonder - Every art of philosophizing begins with curiosity. Man is always bewildered by his existence, death, inconsistencies experienced in his everyday life, and so on. As one ponders about the nature of realities and various mind-boggling experiences in his daily existence, specific questions begin to arise. Some of such problems are: 1. Why are there things rather than nothing? 2. What is life? 3. What is reality? 4. Can we know anything for sure? 5. What is the underlying principle of reality? All these questions lead one into speculation. B. Speculate 02 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 3 of 5  SH1905 - When questions are asked based on our wondering about reality, human existence, and all changes experienced, we tend to form opinions and presumptions based on the issues raised. C. Analyze - Analysis entails a detailed examination of the opinion formed. So, in analysis, the ideas and presumptions made are accessed in parts in view to understanding what each of the concepts that constitute the opinions entails. D. Synthesize - After the analysis, we combine our analyzed opinion into a unified knowledge or idea. E. Critique - In this step, we take a critical examination of the idea formed, weighing its strengths and weaknesses before establishing a theory or principle. The method formed leads to another kind of bewilderment and subsequent questions, and the process continues ad infinitum. Section II: The Power of Reflection I. Definition Reflection, also known as self-reflection, is a method of inquiry that assesses a person’s self. It is a meditation or serious thought about one’s character, actions, and motives. II. Importance of Reflection A. Improves self-awareness B. Provides perspective C. Allows proaction, not reaction D. Facilitates deeper learning E. Improves confidence F. Challenges assumptions III. Concepts (as described by Gabriel Marcel) A. Primary Reflection - examines objects by abstraction - analytically deconstructs ideas into its constituent parts - concerned with definition, essences, and technical solutions B. Secondary Reflection - reconstruction of events to create the "bigger picture" - collection of experiences and knowledge - integrates all that has transpired to share it into learnings IV. Some Reflective Questions to Ask A. Strengths – What are my advantages? (Am I well organized? Do I remember things?) B. Weaknesses – What are my weaknesses? (Am I easily distracted? Do I need more practice with a particular skill?) C. Skills – What skills do I have and what am I good at? D. Problems – What problems are there at work/home that may affect me (e.g., other responsibilities or distractions)? E. Achievements – What have I achieved? 02 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 4 of 5  SH1905 F. Happiness – Are there things that I am unhappy with or disappointed about? (What makes me happy?) G. Solutions – What could I do to improve in these areas? References: Alarcena, M. J. (2018). Methods of philosophizing. Lifted and modified from https://www.slideshare.net/MARIAJESSALACERNA1/methods-of-philosophizing-109149648 Evolutionary Philosophy (n.d.). Philosophy 101. Lifted and modified from http://www.evphil.com/philosophy- 101.html Jose, I. (2016). Primary and secondary reflection. Lifted and modified from https://prezi.com/wabtg5d2ihcx/primary-and-secondary-reflection Kennedy, T. (2018). How self-reflection gives you a happier and more successful life. Lifted and modified from https://www.lifehack.org/696285/how-self-reflection-gives-you-a-happier-and-more-successful-life Philosopaedia (2013). Steps and methods in the art of philosophizing. Lifted and modified from http://philosopaedia.blogspot.com/2013/09/steps-and-methods-in-art-of.html?m=1 Philosophy Index (n.d.). Branches of philosophy. Lifted and modified from http://www.philosophy- index.com/philosophy/branches/ Reyes, J. (2016). “Methods of philosophizing”. Lifted and modified from https://janinereyesblog.wordpress.com/2016/12/05/methods-of-philosophizing/ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (n.d.). Gabriel (-Honoré) Marcel. Lifted and modified from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/marcel/#7 The Open University (2019). What is self-reflection? Lifted and modified from http://www.open.ac.uk/choose/unison/develop/my-skills/self-reflection 02 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 5 of 5