Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person PDF

INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON COURSE MATERIAL NO. 1 Source: https://wallpaperaccess.com/full/1755461.jpg 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person...

INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON COURSE MATERIAL NO. 1 Source: https://wallpaperaccess.com/full/1755461.jpg 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 1| P a g e  WHAT WILL YOU LEARN? This module has been designed to help you: demonstrate relevance, responsibility, and accountability in DOING managing and expressing information, thoughts, and perceptions; situate the work in the context of PHILOSOPHY self, others, and the world and respond to such with a sensitive and tactful stance; explore innovative individual and collective practices and techniques to produce outputs through strategic business negotiations, productive presentations, and ethical self- representations that positively impact the environment and society; and navigate textual and contextual situations effectively by applying critical reading and writing skills in dynamic ways. Source: Image source: Made from canva.com 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 2| P a g e Dear Learner, Welcome to Introduction of Philosophy to Human Person! This course aims to the activity and process of WHAT’S INSIDE philosophical reflection as a search for a synoptic vision of life. THIS MODULE? Among other things, this course will help you do the following: ▪ Focus Questions 4 1. Distinguish a holistic perspective from a ▪ Doing Philosophy 4 partial point of view based on human ▪ Revealing the Whole 5 experiences derived from deliberate reflection, ▪ Learning Activity 1 8 2. Create a philosophical reflection on a ▪ The Philosophical Enterprise 9 concrete circumstance from a holistic ▪ Learning Activity 2 10 perspective, 3. Utilizes language proficiently and ▪ The Value of Philosophical appropriately to demonstrate Reflection 11 understanding and reasoning in a ▪ Learning Output 13 philosophical manner, ▪ Summary 14 4. Applies multimedia skills in producing philosophical reflections on a concrete ▪ References 15 situation, 5. Engages in understanding and analyzing methods of philosophy behind individuals’ action that promotes unity, freedom, and love of the country, 6. Demonstrates awareness of how different concrete situations are rooted in specific adapted philosophical beliefs and responds to such with sensitivity and respect in differences of beliefs, and 7. Compose or perform activities that respond to understanding philosophical reasons appropriately and effectively in everyday living and decision making. 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 3| P a g e  FOCUS QUESTIONS Doing ❖ What is philosophy? ❖ How did philosophy start? Philosophy “The wise man doesn’t give the right answers, he poses the right ❖ How does one questions.” – Claude Levi-Strauss engage in a You might have been heard someone called you as, “Pilosopo ka!” philosophical remark when you tried to argue and reason out. We usually say this reflection? whenever someone is trying to be witty with their reasoning that made us speechless. At some point, at the back of our minds, we thought, “…he has a point..” Philosophy is said to be only for philosophers, but every person has enough capacity to find the value of philosophy in their lives. Through this lesson, you will be introduced with the philosophical concepts that will require you to philosophically reflect about your situation and your environment. Quite literally, the term "philosophy" means, "love of wisdom." In a broad sense, philosophy is an activity people undertake when they seek to understand fundamental truths about themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationships to the world and to each other. As an academic discipline philosophy is much the same. Those who study philosophy are perpetually engaged in asking, answering, and arguing for their answers to life’s most basic questions. (Department of Philosophy, Florida State University) Probably, you have your own biggest question about life. Hold on to that and we will see how philosophers and their philosophical concepts will try to answer them. 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 4| P a g e  A. Revealing the Whole Discovering Philosophical Reflections What is my purpose in life? Why do we have to die? What is the essence Asking a philosophical of free will? These are just examples of the questions that you might have question does not give us a been thinking for a long time, but has never tried to discuss with anyone false hope that we can find a or have failed to look for answers. These questions are called definite or final answer, but philosophical. To think of an answer to these questions is to engage in a this will help us to philosophical reflection because it compels us to look at a particular understand or make sense of experience from a wider perspective. For example, the question “What is our experiences. love?” is often asked but has no conclusive or final answer. You know to yourself that love is not something that can be expanded in a definite definition. We embark into reflecting in a philosophical manner because the questions do not have a definite answer or a ready answer yet. When we become conscious about our struggles in this world, we get to ask What philosophical question/s difficult questions because we wonder about circumstances that we lived have you asked in the past or is with. A philosophical question always rooted from a bigger triggering asking right now? problem or situations. Unfortunately, no matter how we try to look for answers to these uncertainties, there are no definite and conclusive answers available to us. To assure you, these are the kind of questions that endure. Not to look for its answers will leave us confused or lost. The last resort for these questions is to simply ask them. Thus, the beginning to finding an METAPHYSICS answer is to ask a philosophical question. Big ideas arising from big questions are mostly A while ago, we have identified the philosophical questions that lead us metaphysical ones. to philosophical reflection. Now, we will give distinction to philosophical questions as to their nature being a particular or universal. In philosophy, particular refers to a part of the whole, while the universal pertains to the whole. Identifying particular and universal under logic is very important as it is concerned with valid arguments and propositions. However, talking about philosophical questions is working in another way. To set an example, the question “Why I am here?” can be called a Metaphysics is actually one of particular as it is just one among the other questions, but when you start the main branches of philosophy to think about that question, you will find that it does not confine to a and it deals with the so-called single situation. It echoes other philosophical questions which talk about “being of beings”. the experiences which this question arises, making it universal. 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 5| P a g e  Answering that question requires us to consider other aspects of human experiences that are relevant and connected to it. If interpreted as a question about existence, the totality of existence is involved. Asking our purpose is like a thread that is woven through everything that happens such as who determines our purpose. Thus, to philosophize is to look at things in a holistic manner. LOGIC According to German philosopher Martin Heidegger, what makes Another important aspect of the philosophy different in science is that a scientific question is always confined to the particular, whereas a philosophical question “leads into study of philosophy is the the totality of beings” and “inquiries into the whole” (Heidegger 2002, arguments or reasons given for The Essence of Human Freedom, 9). The goal is that from a particular people’s answers to their philosophical question, the wholeness of reality is revealed. questions. To this end philosophers employ logic to After posting a philosophical question, the next step is how do we start to study the nature and structure of look for an answer? There are methods and criteria in answering arguments. inquiries that we will discuss in the next course materials. For now, you have to understand that “every person that engages in philosophical reflection must recognize that possible answers to philosophical questions require adequate justification or rational basis.” Answers to philosophical questions must not be something that sound or seem right, but require adequate justification or rational basis to avoid being misled. Plato warned as early as 360 B.C.E. that there were things that device, confuse, or mislead in this world. Looking for real answers requires much intellectual PLATO effort and rational ability. We are responsible for the answers that we (427 – 347 B.C.E.) hold on to. This means, that no one else is to blame in case we believed in falsehood. One of the most famous philosophers who ever Humans were created different in a way that we are given intellect or lived, this Greek mind (faculty of reason) to figure things out. This is considered to be the Athenian philosopher best tool that we have to deal with our problems in effectively pursuing was a student of Socrates meaning and truth. and teacher to Aristotle. He wrote numerous dialogues in which Socrates is the main character. His most famous works are the Apology (where he gives an account of Socrates’ trial) and the Republic (where he presents his famous Theory of Forms). 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 6| P a g e  Truth and Dialectics Dialectics is a technique to resolve philosophical questions. Dialectics dates back to the ancient Greek which is considered an art of refutation. Philosophical discovery is considered as a result of collaboration with partners in dialogue or conversation. Through dialogues, dialectics become an effective means of examining and evaluating truth claims. The philosopher Socrates is much known in his use of dialectics. His method in answering philosophical questions demonstrates SOCRATES consistency and clarity. This questioning and answering subject to (469 – 399 B.C.E.) Athenians draw out underlying assumptions. A claim must be supported by a proof and logical argument to be considered true. Socrates’ life is a puzzle You have to give good reasons as basis of your claim to withstand because even three further scrutiny and examination. recognized sources (Plato, Xenophon, and These dialectics grown more in the modern era which is in the form Aristophanes) on his life of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. The German philosophers G.W.F. presented differing Hegel and Karl Marx proposed the dialectical pattern in history. accounts. Thus, the interplay of opposing ideas is needed for growth. With the use of dialectics as one of the earliest and tested forms in He left no writings, but answering a philosophical question, a development or progress in conversed with people though happens. It may not find a definite answer to the question, from all walks of life but it contributes in understanding the nature of the question and using question and finding a plausible answer that may qualify. answer as a concrete living out of his famous Philosophy then will teach us how to argue and defend our ideas advice – “Know thyself.” and beliefs, but at the same time being open to other possibilities His commitment to as we progress in time, collaboration with others, and truth philosophy was the confrontation. reason he was condemned to death. 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 7| P a g e  LEARNING ACTIVITY 1 PICTURE ANALYSIS Directions: 1. Analyze the pictures below. 2. How do you perceive each picture? 3. What do you think is the similarities and differences of the two? 4. Share your thoughts in class. 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 8| P a g e  B. The Philosophical Enterprise Wonder, Knowledge, Ignorance Plato claimed that “philosophy begins in wonder.” To wonder about a thing is to be more than curious. Wonder stimulates us to venture into philosophy. For instance, in a new gadget, curiosity is when you think of how to use it, on the other hand wonder is to ask ARISTOTLE whether one can live without the new gadget. Since we are already (384-322 B.C.E) aware that philosophy is the love of wisdom, to be wise is to know He was born in Stagira, the truth. Philosophy is considered as the pursuit of wisdom. Greece and studied in Plato’s Academy. He surpassed his According to Aristotle, wisdom can be classified as theoretical and teacher by the number of practical. works he wrote and diverse fields he studied (philosophy, a. Theoretical Wisdom: To know the necessary truths and its logical biology, politics, psychology, consequences and art). He tutored a b. Practical Wisdom: Knowledge in the realm of action thirteen-year-old boy who came to be known as Example: Politics and ethics Alexander the Great. Aristotle also put up a school These philosophers believe that to be wise is the best that we can in Athens called Lyceum. be. Our views, beliefs, or opinions (intuitions) must be scrutinized by the faculty of reason. This allows us to answer philosophical questions and to combat ignorance. These philosophers will be our guide in our search for the answers. As we explore and read their thoughts, we are given opportunity to rethink certain views, to learn from, to refute, to modify, or to develop. We have all the freedom to ask and seek for answers to our philosophical questions. Aside from looking for the answer and engaging oneself in philosophical reflection, Socrates says the one must admit that he is not wise. It is ignorance that makes philosophy possible. We cannot proceed to philosophy if we already think that what we know is the only right and correct answers, also if we do not allow our views to be subject of change from others’ perspectives. 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 9| P a g e  Philosophical Thought in Three Views I. Cosmocentric View (Ancient Philosophy 600 B.C. – 600 A.D.): Ancient philosophers wondered the world (kosmos in Greek) or the origin of the universe (the arche – ‘starting point in Greek’). They want to understand the ultimate The progress of science nature of the world. In Western philosophy, Thales was the resulted to rationalism and first to wonder about the origin of the universe that led him empiricism philosophies. to the view the water is the underlying principle of all things. RATIONALISM: knowledge is II. Theocentric View (Medieval Period): It is the time where acquired through reason independent of sense church sustained man’s intellect in which the world become experience. Knowledge for secondary to God (theos in Greek). Philosophers such as rationalists is based on ideas. Avicenna. St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Aquinas existed. EMPIRICISM: holds that all III. Anthropocentric View (Modern View 1500-1900): It is a knowledge is ultimately derived from sense time of subjectivity and individualism – centered on man experience (anthropos in Greek). It the result of rising modern science and the diminished power of the church in 17th century. LEARNING ACTIVITY 2 THINK PAIR AND SHARE Directions: 1. List down five philosophical questions which you wish to be answered as you study this course. 2. Discuss each philosophical questions with your partner. 3. Describe the circumstances or dilemmas which brought about your need to philosophize. 4. Discuss on how philosophy helped you address your particular situation? 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 10| P a g e  C. The Value of Philosophical Reflection A. Socratic Legacy Image Source: From different views in philosophy that tackles the https://www.thoughtco.com/thmb/ZTk_AKXdOg904jzKDaqzk__j value of philosophical reflection, we will examine the SvA=/768x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/ GettyImages-51242030- views attributed to Socrates to persuade you. Here 3fcdb51321cc4d49a89bd81a64e93a44.jpg are the three claims of Socrates from Plato’s dialogues in Apology and Protagoras: 1. Know thyself; 2. The unexamined life is not worth living; and 3. Virtue is knowledge of good and bad. Socrates method of philosophizing is through a series of questioning and answering which we call today as the Socratic method. Socrates compelled people to think, to defend their views, and to account for what they know and do not know. Being compelled to what we believe in is necessary since we are accountable to our thoughts leading to actions – we have to know The value of philosophy is ourselves in order to be fully aware of what we think. evidently practical. It has a direct relation to the quality of our life. The second claim about the unexamined life as not We venture into philosophy to worth living happens when we fail to examine what we discover truths about ourselves think. We missed the opportunity to know ourselves and to be improved by our better. Engaging in philosophical reflection make us discoveries. realize what we really believe in once we are challenged to defend our claims. This does not reveal things that we do not know, but also guide us to more questions we want to answer and ideas that have yet to figure out. The third claim, virtue is knowledge of good and bad is the result of asking philosophical questions upon knowing ourselves’ thoughts and actions. Virtue is considered knowledge because to truly know what is good necessarily leads to the actual doing of something good. To put it simply, if a person knows what is good, he or she will do what is good. On the other hand, one 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 11| P a g e  who pretends to know what is good does not choose to do what is good. His/her ignorance is revealed in his/her actions. Philosophical questions then, enlighten us and make us better persons. B. “Pilosopo” as a Social Critic Normally, we hear the word “Pilosopo” as a negative connotation that means someone is reasoning out poorly. However, looking from philosophy’s Image Source: https://dbq8hrmshvuto.cloudfront.net/assets2/090/817/717/50 perspective, a pilosopo or a philosopher is a lover of 4/normal/image.jpg wisdom. Sample situation in the Philippine context of Pilosopo is when asked with the philosophical question, “Why am I here?” answers back “…because I am not there.” Sometimes, we find it entertaining, but in this sense, this person is only evading the argument GOAL CHECK by pretending to address them. This reasoning under logic is called fallacy. Under philosophy, this is an important study of arguments so we can create To know more about logical reasoning that are mindful and not to deceive. There are a lot of fallacies that we have to know so we can fallacies, here’s a good create valid reasons for philosophical questions. introduction for you https://www.lindsey.edu/academic Let us try to look at another context of Pilosopo in s/img/writing-center- Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere novel. We have there the pdfs/introduction-fallacies.pdf character of Pilosopong Tasyo who walked around the public places conversing about politics and society. He expressed views that are deep and consequently difficult to process or even to take seriously. This kind of Pilosopo character is what is near to our philosophers. They are uncommon in our society and have been considered as fools. Due to their wisdom, they proclaim thoughts that are disturbing and radical. While other people prefer comfort in mere acceptance of the status quo, Socrates and Pilosopo Tasyo seek wisdom. A philosopher or Pilosopo is someone who observes, thinks, sees clearly, and speaks the truth. What the world needs are people who speak truth and help in making necessary reforms for a better future. 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 12| P a g e  LEARNING OUTPUT GROUP ACTIVITY Directions: At the end of this course material, as a human being 1. The class will be divided into five (5) groups. we are encouraged to be 2. Each group will choose a social problem that they aware of our environment want to discuss. and to make sense of our 3. Each group will choose one school of philosophy experiences. To ask philosophical question is to and use its ideas, concepts, and views to analyze involve ourselves into the chosen topic. philosophical reflection that 4. The presentation shall come in any creative and make us rethink our beliefs relative forms, such as blogs, infographics, and values as well as to be podcasts, video, etc. open for modification or welcome new ideas that will draw us closer to the truth. In the process of searching for an answer in a philosophical question, there are methods and techniques that ancient to modern philosophers helped us such as the Socratic Method that up until today is very useful as a model for discourse. Philosophical reflection, at the end of the day, doesn’t give us a definite answer but will open us to more possibilities and ideas connected in a holistic perspective. 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 13| P a g e  References: Camiloza, L.G. et.al (2016). Philosophy of the Human Person. An Introductory Text for Senior High Anthropocentric School. The Phoenix Publishing House, Inc. Beliefs Cosmocentric Florida State University (n.d.) What is Philosophy?. Retrieved from Geographical https://philosophy.fsu.edu/undergraduate- Historical study/why-philosophy/What-is-Philosophy Methodological CONTRIBUTORS Philosophy Erna D. Rosario Pilosopo Gerard Duna Positional Jasmin T. Calimlim Sophia Marcosa Maricris P. Hernandez Thematic Mary Rose D. Sermon Theocentric Precious Ann G. Ferrero Wisdom Renelyn O. Manacho Rex T. Manalo Sarah Joy Avila Marvin Quintanilla 1st Term, A.Y 2024-2025 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person 14| P a g e