Chapter 1: Definition of Philosophy PDF

MODULE Introduction to the Philosophy of Human CHAPTER 1: DEFINITION OF PHILOSOPHY Objectives: a. Identify the branches, nature and scope of philosophy b. Inculcate the value of understandin...

MODULE Introduction to the Philosophy of Human CHAPTER 1: DEFINITION OF PHILOSOPHY Objectives: a. Identify the branches, nature and scope of philosophy b. Inculcate the value of understanding philosophy to the human person c. Demonstrate deeper understanding about the concepts of philosophy TIME TO LEARN! Philosophy Defined The term philosophy is derived from the Greek words phylos or philo meaning “to love” and sophie meaning “wisdom.” In general, it means love of wisdom. Philosophy, in the West, began in the Greek colony of Miletus with Thales (who, according to ancient sources, was the first to ask “What is the basic stuff of the universe from which all else comes?”) but spread outward in the works of subsequent thinkers and writers to reach its heights in the works of Plato and his pupil Aristotle. The mathematician and mystic Pythagoras was the first to call himself a philosopher. Philosophy is a broad field of knowledge in which the definition of knowledge itself is one of the subjects investigated. It spans the nature of the universe, the mind, and the body; the relationship between all three, and between people. Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is the rational attempt to formulate, understand and answer fundamental questions.  MODULE Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Socrates says that philosophy is a preparation for the death that awaits us all. When the mind is engaged in philosophy it is free of concerns and dwells in the domain of ideas. Another, better known, view of Socrates is that philosophy as ‘the love of wisdom.’ This love discovers truth, and we become wise by a practical application in our daily lives of what has been discovered. Nature of Philosophy 1. Philosophy is a set of views or beliefs about life and the universe, which are often held uncritically. 2. Philosophy is a process of reflecting on and criticizing our most deeply held conceptions and beliefs. 3. Philosophy is a rational attempt to look at the world as a whole. 4. Philosophy is the logical analysis of language and the clarifications of the meaning of the words and concepts. 5. Philosophy, according to Plato, makes use of a method peculiar to it, which he calls “dialectic.” Philosophy as a Concept Philosophy is a system of beliefs about reality. It is one's integrated view of the world. It includes an understanding of the nature of existence, man, and his role in the world. It is a necessary product of man’s rational mind. Philosophy as a Process Philosophy is employed as a method of inquiry. It is an engagement in the search for the meaning of life, its value and relevance. It is a process for finding significance in existence. To live, man must gain knowledge of the world. To understand the world, man must form conclusions about its very nature.  MODULE Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Philosophy provides the framework for which man can understand the world. It provides the premises by which man can discover truth and use his mind to support his life. Every man has an understanding of the world. Every man must have a philosophy, even if it is never made explicit. Philosophy as the Foundation of Knowledge Philosophy is the standard by which ideas are integrated and understood. It has been regarded as the sum and summit of human knowledge, as the “scientia scientiarium”—the science of the sciences and the compendium of all learning. All the branches of learning in fact, sprang from philosophy’s womb, so that she is rightly called the “mater” and the “matrix” of all knowledge (Montemayor, 1995). Purpose of Philosophy It is philosophy that digs into the root causes of man’s problems and discovers the true solutions and remedies to human ills (Montemayor, 1995). Philosophy helps us to free and expand our minds. Through it, we will be able to grasp and comprehend the complexities of life; and, we will find that there is more to existence than the doing of mundane routine tasks. We will find that we can do something to make things better for all of us (Montemayor, 1995). Philosophy is all about making sense of the human experience. Philosophy leads to enlightenment and action. Philosophy is used at present to unify, synthesize, universalize, interpret and explain more deeply the enormous pile of factual but piecemeal, particular, unrelated findings, data, and information accumulated by the modern sciences—for a more comprehensive and universal concept of man (Montemayor, 1995). The study of philosophy will always be an important feature of human experience and its importance in the development of the complete social being, ready to take on his responsibility in this rapidly changing world (Zulueta, 2010).  MODULE Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Philosophy makes man think about the basic foundations of his outlook in life, his knowledge and his beliefs. It makes an individual inquire into the reasons for what he accepts and does and into the importance of his ideas and ideals in the hope that his final convictions will change as a result of this examination (Zulueta, 2010). Scope of Philosophy Philosophy consists of three parts: 1. Epistemology – it is the theory of Knowledge. 2. Ontology and Metaphysics – it is the theory of Being or Reality. 3. Axiology – it is the theory of Values Branches of Philosophy Branch Definition Epistemology the theory of knowledge, from the Greek words episteme (knowledge) and logos (study), is the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature, origin, and scope of knowledge Metaphysics derived from the Greek words meta and physika which means “after physics.” It is a branch a philosophy concerned with the study of “first principles” and “being.” Metaphysics is the study of the most general aspects of reality, pertaining to subjects such as substance, identity, the nature of the mind, and free will. It is a study of nature, the nature of reality, and the nature of the world in which humans live. Logic derived from Classical Greek word logos meaning “word, thought, reason or study of arguments”. Logic is the study of correct reasoning. Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the “science of morality.” In philosophy, ethical behaviour is that which is “good” or “right.” Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy that explores the creation and appreciation of beauty through critical analysis and reflection.  MODULE Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Philosophy and Related Concepts 1. Philosophy and Theology The Ontology of the Absolute or the philosophy of God is called Theology. Thus, theology is a part of philosophy, which mainly enquires into the existence and nature of God, and His relation to man and the world. This is called Natural Theology because it investigates the existence and nature of God from the very inner nature of the self and the outer nature of the external world. It is also called Rational Theology because it based on the use and exercise of the faculty of reason, and not on blind faith. 2. Philosophy and Religion Philosophy aims at a rational conception of the reality as a whole. It seeks to gain true insight into the general structure of the universe and man’s relation to it. It seeks to investigate the nature of matter, life, soul and God, and their interrelations of one another. Religion consists in belief in a superhuman power or powers which control and guide the destiny of man, the sentiments of awe, reverence, love and devotion, and the practical conduct which follows from them. 3. Philosophy and Poetry: Poetry, also, like philosophy, seeks to-solve the mystery of the universe. Only their methods are different. Poetry depends on emotion and inspiration, while philosophy depends on intellectual comprehension and critical reflection. Emotion is the organ of poetry. Reason is the organ of philosophy. The poet feels. The philosopher thinks. The poet sets a greater value on the warmth and fervour of the heart. The philosopher sets a greater value on the purity and loftiness of the intellect. The poet grasps the nature of the universe through his heart. The philosopher grasps the nature of the universe through his intellect. For further reading, please refer to the links below: https://philosophy.fsu.edu/undergraduate-study/why-philosophy/What-is-Philosophy https://www.britannica.com/topic/philosophy https://www.philosophybasics.com/general_whatis.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRG-rV8hhpU https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-fscj-philosophy/chapter/origins-of-greek-philosophy/ References: https://sites.google.com/site/feorillodemeterio/understandingthephilosophyofthehumanpers https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Philosophy/Origins_of_Philosophy https://www.ancient.eu/philosophy/ http://www.philosophynotes.net/philosophy/nature-and-scope/philosophy-meaning-origin-and-scope/116 https://www.evphil.com/philosophy-101.html