Ethics Course Syllabus PDF
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Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology
2022
Hazel T. Bersamira Clifford Luis Leones John Mark B. Romero
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Summary
This document is the course syllabus for a course in Ethics at Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology. The course syllabus covers topics such as the definitions and history of philosophy, different ethical theories, and the importance of philosophy to everyday life.
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Bangued Campus, Bangued Abra Course Code: SOC SCI 103 Course Title: Ethics Name of Student: _________________________________________ Course & Year: ___________________________________________ ETHICS ...
Bangued Campus, Bangued Abra Course Code: SOC SCI 103 Course Title: Ethics Name of Student: _________________________________________ Course & Year: ___________________________________________ ETHICS Republic of the Philippines ABRA STATE INSTITUTE OF SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY Bangued, Abra APPROVAL SHEET Hereto attached developed instructional material is hereby approved to its utilization and reproduction: Module Title: ETHICS: Learning Material Course Code: SOC SCI 103 Course Title: ETHICS College: Arts and Sciences Department: Languages and Social Sciences School Year: 2021-2022 Developed by: HAZEL T. BERSAMIRA CLIFFORD LUIS LEONES JOHN MARK B. ROMERO Instructors Initial reviewed by the IMs Committee: ELIZABETH C. FETALVERO, MA Eng. DR. ROBERTO ROLDAN, JR. Department Chairperson Faculty Expert MARIA REBECCA TALLEDO Ed. D. CIMD Director Recommending Approval: MARY JOAN T. GUZMAN, Ph. D. Dean, CAS Approved by: NOEL B. BEGNALEN, Ph. D. Vice President for Academic Affairs ETHICS ABRA STATE INSTITUTE OF SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY VISION A university that produces graduates who are academically competitive, locally responsive and globally sustained. MISSION We are committed to be agents in the development of Abra through enhanced instruction creative and innovative researches and projects for public and community services towards globally competitive professionals who contribute to the realization of a nation that enjoys strongly rooted comfortable and secure life. GOALS To produce quality graduates who are globally competitive. To develop/generate new knowledge and verify client oriented technologies and other solutions to development problems. To disseminate and showcase client-responsive technologies and other solutions to development problems towards an improved welfare of local communities. To engage in viable income generating projects (IGP) to augment the finance of the college. To transform ASIST as a dynamic and responsive, learning and performing, organization efficiently and effectively managing its resources. CORE VALUES N obility -learned and educated E ntrepreneurship -productivity and self-reliance W isdom -love of God A ction -performance-focused S incerity -high commitment to duty I ntegrity -personal transformation S ervice -client-orientation T eamwork -coordinated group work ASIST QUALITY POLICY The Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology, commits a continual improvement of its system processes to ensure effective and efficient delivery of the services towards sustained clientele satisfaction. ETHICS Preliminaries and A. Introduction Introduction to B. Vision and Mission C. Course Syllabus the Course A. What is Philosophy? Philosophy B. Brief History of Philosophy C. The Branches of Philosophy and Ethics D. The Importance of Philosophy to Everyday Life E. Ethics in relation to Philosophy A. What is Ethics? B. The Importance of Reason in Ethics What is Ethics? C. Misinterpretations and Misconceptions about Ethics D. Sources of Authority E. Senses of the Self A. What is Utilitarianism? B. Jeremy Bentham C. Two Types of Utilitarianism Utilitarianism D. John Stuart Mill E. Criticisms of Utilitarianism F. A Second Criticism of Utilitarianism A. Thomas Aquinas F. Law and Reason B. Aquinas’ Idea of Conscience G. Law and the Common Good Natural Law C. The Greek Heritage H. Final Definition of Law D. Natural and Human Law Government and the "Common Good" E. On the Essence of Law A. Immanuel Kant B. Duty and Agency Deontology C. Autonomy D. Universalizability E. Categorical Imperative A. Aristotle B. Happiness and Ultimate Purpose Virtue Ethics C. Virtue as Excellence D. Moral Virtue and Mesotes A. The Moral Agent and Contexts B. Moral Deliberation or Frameworks Making Moral and C. Different kinds of False Arguments Ethical Judgments D. Moral Problems E. The Value of Studying Ethical Theories ETHICS PRELIMINARIES 0 TOPICS PRELIMINARIES A. The ASIST Vision-Mission B. Learning Contract INTRODUCTION TO THE In this Part, you shall be familiarizing COURSE and internalizing the Vision, Mission and Goals of ASIST our beloved A. Course Syllabus institution in order to have a deeper understanding of why we pledge yourself to hardwork and excellence OBJECTIVES in everything you do. As an introduc- tion to this course, you shall also be 1. Introduce self to classmates and looking into the course syllabus as teachers well as to determine your expecta- 2. List expectations for the course tions and suggest some outputs to make this course better. 3. Recall course rules ETHICS A. THE ASIST VISION, MISSION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES Let me start with an anecdote. ASIST VISION Before the pandemic, there A UNIVERSITY THAT PRODUCES GRADUATES THAT ARE ACADEMICALLY COMPETITIVE, LOCALLY RESPONSIVE AND was a young woman of your age GLOBALLY SUSTAINED. who is about to travel outside the province. She was sitting in front of the sari-sari store in front of the ASIST MISSION Victoria Park, waiting for one of theWE ARE COMMITTED AGENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT IN local provincial buses to pass. ABRA THROUGH ENHANCED INSTRUCTION, CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE RESEARCHES AND PROJECTS FOR PUBLIC AND At last a bus arrived. She COMMUNITY SERVICES TOWARDS GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE PROFESSIONALS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE REALIZATION OF and her fellow waiting commuters A NATION THAT ENJOYS STRONGLY-ROOTED AND slowly boarded the bus and looked COMFORTABLE SOCIAL LIFE. for available seats to occupy. After some minutes, when GOALS AND OBJECTIVES the passengers have settled, the 1. To produce quality graduates who are locally and globally bus conductor started doing his competitive. job — which is to go around and 2. To develop/generate new knowledge and verify client- ask where the each passenger is oriented technologies and other solutions to development. going. 3. To discriminate and showcase client-responsive Then the conductor reached technologies and other solutions to development problems the young lady’s seat. He asked toward an improved welfare of local communities. her, “Miss, where are you going?” 4. To engage in viable income generating projects (IGPs) to Not even looking at the man augment the finances of the college. asking, the girl replied, “Um. I 5. To realize ASIST as a dynamic and responsive, learning and don’t know, kuya.” performing organization efficiently and effectively managing its resources. The conductor was totally shocked by her answer. End of the story. Everyone else’s life is similar to that of the lady and her bus trip. We are all on a journey called life and when you waste it, you can never do it all over again. Unfortunately for the lady, she just wasted her trip. Make sure that when you take the ride, you have to ETHICS have some sort of direction (where to go). So, do you have dreams in life? Are you sure your life’s journey is leading you to your dreams? I hope you are not in the wrong bus. Many people are like the lady; they have no clue of what their goals and dreams in life are. They are just like plastic bags being flown by the wind with no definite direction. If you are one of them, better do a deep self-evaluation and steer your life to a more meaningful one, one that has a definite and determined direction. Not only people are expected to set themselves toward the right direction, institutions like our college, should also. ASIST has its own dreams for itself too. It wants a name change. Do you know the new name that it wants? ASIST HAS DREAMS In order to succeed, institutions are expected to lay out their identity, voice out their dreams, and formulate steps on how to achieve those dreams. ASIST’s DREAM is manifested in its VISION. Read the ASIST Vision in the preceding page. What is its dream? What does ASIST want to become? Is it a small dream or a big dream? Does it want to be a university? Is it achievable? The ASIST Mission is its IDENTITY. It defines what ASIST is and the reason why it exists and operates. It is its raison d’etre, as they say. It is important to know what or who you are so that there will be a clear-cut understanding of what you should be doing and not be doing. For example in the case of ASIST because of the written Mission, it now knows whether spending its funds selling face masks is a good idea or not. Is it actually a good idea? There’s money in it. The answer is a resounding NO! Go back and read the ASIST Mission. It’s not because selling face masks is not stated in the Mission. The ASIST Mission only tells that the college should only focus on providing tertiary education for young Abrenians and aspire to be a regional leader in the fields like agriculture, forestry, etc. Again, I ask you a question. Do you know your identity? Do you have ETHICS your own mission? Do you know what you should be doing and not be doing? Is playing Mobile Legends all day a part of your true you? Do you know your priorities in life? What are they? Meanwhile, the ASIST Goals and Objectives are the generalized steps on how to achieve the Vision and realize the Mission. When you have a dream and you want to fulfill it, you need to identify the steps you will do to realize that dream. ASIST did just that. THE CHALLENGE For persons like us, we can work to attain our dreams by using our body parts: our hands, our feet, our mouth and, of course, our brain to, but ASIST is not a person gifted with body parts, it is just a bunch of old and new buildings plus open spaces. Even though how hard ASIST dreams, those dreams will not come true unless people, the administration, the teachers, the employees, the alumni, and the students, give a helping hand. There are a thousand possible ways we can help our school. The help we give does not have to be big time, small acts are big enough. For example, if you pick three littered objects in the classroom or corridor everyday and put the them in their right place, the trash can, that is a help already, or if you do not put the name of ASIST in bad light by avoiding wearing your ID and school uniform and yell dirty words in public, that is a huge help for ASIST already. How can you help ASIST? - taken from Prof. Rommel Yahin’s Introduction ETHICS NAME: __________________________________ DATE: __________________ SECTION/YEAR: ___________________________ SCORE: _________________ Task 1: Write an essay detailing three (3) things you intend to do to help ASIST fulfill its dreams and maintain its noble identity? The essay may conclude with your promise to do them daily. Writing style is informal. Use extra-bond paper if needed. Do your best since first impression likely lasts. THINGS I WILL DO FOR ASIST, MY CHOSEN COLLEGE ETHICS LEARNING CONTRACT INSTRUCTIONS: Read the contract, fill in the details, and put your name and signature at below the contract. I, _________________________________, a _______________________________ student at enrolled in _________________________________ course at the Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology - Bangued Campus. *** do hereby declare *** That I believe God is good and my college education is one of His gifts for me. That I know and fully appreciate the sacrifices of my family and/or other people for my education. That I firmly believe and clearly understand that the college and my subject instructor are there to help me: a. Develop confidence, responsibility, and self-discipline thus become a better person. b. Develop skills and proficiency I need to have a better life in the future. c. Become an asset to the school, the community, and the nation. That I consider my subject instructor, being the representative of the college in the classroom, as an authority to be respected and followed and willingly subject myself on his wisdom and decisions be they contrary to my interests. That I am also willing to do my part in helping myself by promising to: a. Accept responsibility to my learning and development. b. Be active and do my best in class activities. c. Look for alternative ways to learn my lessons and not be too dependent on my instructor. d. Help my instructor make the class better by volunteering. e. Scheduling extra 5 hours per week to review and master my lessons. f. Submit all works/requirements on time. g. Wear smart and appropriate standard of dress at all times. h. Behave in a sensible and mature manner. i. Set a high standard of behavior and act as role model to classmates. j. Initiate simple acts and deeds to help ASIST. THEREFORE, in the event that I repeatedly fail to adhere to any of above terms that I set to myself, I shall willingly and wholeheartedly accept without complaint any action against me for which my instructor thinks deemed fair and necessary. ______________________________ Student Signature Over Printed Name JOHN MARK B. ROMERO Instructor Student’s Copy ETHICS LEARNING CONTRACT INSTRUCTIONS: Read the contract, fill in the details, and put your name and signature at below the contract. I, _________________________________, a _______________________________ student at enrolled in _________________________________ course at the Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology - Bangued Campus. *** do hereby declare *** That I believe God is good and my college education is one of His gifts for me. That I know and fully appreciate the sacrifices of my family and/or other people for my education. That I firmly believe and clearly understand that the college and my subject instructor are there to help me: a. Develop confidence, responsibility, and self-discipline thus become a better person. b. Develop skills and proficiency I need to have a better life in the future. c. Become an asset to the school, the community, and the nation. That I consider my subject instructor, being the representative of the college in the classroom, as an authority to be respected and followed and willingly subject myself on his wisdom and decisions be they contrary to my interests. That I am also willing to do my part in helping myself by promising to: a. Accept responsibility to my learning and development. b. Be active and do my best in class activities. c. Look for alternative ways to learn my lessons and not be too dependent on my instructor. d. Help my instructor make the class better by volunteering. e. Scheduling extra 5 hours per week to review and master my lessons. f. Submit all works/requirements on time. g. Wear smart and appropriate standard of dress at all times. h. Behave in a sensible and mature manner. i. Set a high standard of behavior and act as role model to classmates. j. Initiate simple acts and deeds to help ASIST. THEREFORE, in the event that I repeatedly fail to adhere to any of above terms that I set to myself, I shall willingly and wholeheartedly accept without complaint any action against me for which my instructor thinks deemed fair and necessary. ______________________________ Student Signature Over Printed Name JOHN MARK B. ROMERO Instructor Teacher’s Copy ETHICS ETHICS ” HI, dear Student! I am JOHN MARK, your instructor. Welcome to ETHICS and to the “new normal” way of learning. ETHICS will be focusing on human action and its implica- tions towards morality and our notions of right and wrong as well as good and evil. Part of it will also engage our critical thinking to cur- rent pressing issues under Ethics especially those course of actions that affect human life, human well-being and ecology. This is the new normal wherein face-to-face classes is limited and our mode of learning will be a mixture of different approaches which would meet your convenience in learning our subject. Overall, this course will help you become a more well- informed, more well-rounded, and more prepared individual that will lead to you being a better person in the future. Aside from the very serious health threat that we are current- ly having, I also understand this is your first time in college, and that you may find it to be confusing and intimidating. I believe that you need some time to adjust to the demanding life of being a college student. Because of that, I think you deserve extra-understanding from us teachers for your comfort and for you to slowly build your confidence. Do not worry. However, I ask you to give your best effort in every lesson and activi- ty that we will have, so you can easily acclimatize to a more mature way of life. ETHICS This educational material adheres to the 5E Model. The constructivist theory of learning, which assumes that peo- ple derive knowledge and meaning from experiences, forms the basis of this model. Students will be able to recon- cile new knowledge with prior understanding by knowing and reflecting on experiences with the help of this learn- ing material. Constructivism demands that teachers incorporate inquiry, exploration, and assessment into their teaching strate- gies in the classroom. This implies that the teacher, in many ways, takes on the role of a facilitator, assisting stu- dents as they pick up new ideas. 1 ENGAGE The teacher attempts to understand the students' prior knowledge and spot any knowledge gaps during the first stage of the learning cycle. In order for students to be prepared to learn, it is also critical to spark their interest in the concepts to come. Students may be asked by teachers to pose leading questions or to list what they already know about the subject. Additionally, this is the time that the idea is first explained to the class. 2 EXPLORE Students actively explore the new concept through practical learning experiences during the exploration phase. To make observations, they might be required to follow the scientific method and interact with their peers. This stage enables hands-on learning for the students. 3 EXPLAIN Students are guided by the teacher during this phase as they synthesize new information and ask questions if they need more clarification. Before introducing technical information in a more direct way during the Ex- plain phase, teachers should ask students to share what they discovered during the Explore phase. In order to improve understanding, teachers may also use video, computer software, or other tools at this time. 4 ELABORATE Giving students room to apply what they have learned is the main goal of the elaboration phase. They gain a deeper understanding as a result. To reinforce new skills, teachers might ask students to make presentations or carry out further research. Before evaluation, this phase enables students to solidify their knowledge. 5 EVALUATE The 5E Model supports formal and informal evaluation. Teachers can watch their pupils during this phase to determine whether they fully understand the fundamental ideas. Observing whether students approach problems differently as a result of what they learned is also beneficial. Exams, writing assignments, and peer evaluation are additional beneficial aspects of the Evaluate phase. https://lesley.edu/article/empowering-students-the-5e-model-explained ETHICS MODULE 1 TOPICS A. What is Philosophy? B. Brief History of Philosophy C. The Branches of Philosophy D. The Importance of Philosophy to Eve- ryday Life A better understanding of ETHICS E. Ethics in relation to Philosophy means going back to its roots which is PHILOSOPHY. This gives a clearer picture of what ETHICS is as a disci- pline and also the importance of rea- OBJECTIVES son to understand its concepts. This Chapter shall give you an overview 1. Appreciate ethics as branch of of PHILOSOPHY, its history, its philosophy branches and on how can it help and 2. Determine the meaning of individual to become a better per- Philosophy, look at its history and son. identify its division PHILOSOPHY can never be separated 3. Articulate the importance and uses from life because we, as a human of philosophy in actual life. person is always in the search for meaning in all that we do. ETHICS Topic Page Introduction ………………………………………………… 1 A. What is Philosophy? ………………………………………………… 2 B. Brief History of Philosophy ………………………………………………… 3 C. The Branches of Philosophy ………………………………………………… 10 D. The Importance of Philosophy ………………………………………………… 12 to Everyday Life E. Ethics in relation to Philosophy ………………………………………………… 13 Activities ………………………………………………… 15 ETHICS 1 ENGAGE INTRODUCTION We are frequently faced with questions in life. Our natu- ral curiosity, which is evident in childhood, leads to some 1 questions. Based on what we see and hear, we would ask the adults many questions as children. For instance, a child might ask a parent, "Dad/Mom, why are the man and woman kiss- ing like that? " after witnessing an intimate kissing scene in a movie.The parent's first response would likely be, "You are not yet old enough to know about these things; you'll know once you grow older like us. " To the parent, the response would seem to discourage the child from ask- ing the question again because for them, that is the only reasonable explana- tion. But in addition to the questions sparked by curiosity, there are some questions that are both more intriguing and harder to answer. These are issues raised by the quest for life's purpose as well as the meaning behind the things we do. What is my life's purpose, for example?", "What brings me here?", "Where do I fit into this world?", which are very challenging to respond to but mean a lot to the person. Try to respond to at least one of these questions to gain a better understanding of this Chapter. NAME: __________________________________ DATE: __________________ SECTION/YEAR: ___________________________ SCORE: _________________ Task 2: Choose one of the questions below and answer thoughtfully in not less than 10 sentences. Use a separate sheet if necessary. “What is my purpose in life?” “Why am I here?” “What is my place in this world?” Question: __________________________________________ My Answer: ETHICS 2 EXPLORE A. What is PHILOSOPHY? The Greek words "philos" for love and "sophia" for wisdom are the roots of the English word "Philosophy." Philosophy is an intellectual pursuit that engages 2 the self to understand life's conditions and events. The word philosophy literally means "love of wis- dom." Philosophers "seek to understand basic truths about themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationships to the world and to each other," in a broad sense. The philosophy of each academic field is largely the same. The most fundamental questions in life are constantly being posed to, answered, and debated by those who study philosophy. Philosophy deals with issues that call for a speculative approach rather than experimentation and data gath- ering, using conceptual analysis or logical scrutiny of general ideas. Phi- losophy differs from science because of this. For instance, science would view a person as a living organism that, like other living organisms, sat- isfies its own needs for survival. As philosophy looks at the human being as more than just an organism, a "being" full of possibilities, capable of reason, and constantly seeking meaning, it probes deeper. According to Serrano and Placido (2019), there are also various ways of understanding philoso- phy, including the following: a. Philosophy is the pursuit of meaning or comprehension. b. A reflective examination of the fundamental truths is philosophy. c. Moral values are the subject of philosophy. d. In order to provide logical strategies for re- solving disputes and to develop methods for evaluating ideas and arguments, philosophy works to establish standards of evidence. e. Philosophy investigates the capacity to view the world from various cul- tural and personal perspectives. f. One's capacity to understand connections between various academic ETHICS fields is improved by philosophy. g. One's understanding of the nature and variety of human life is deepened by philosophy. 3 One cannot help but wonder as life is lived about its mysteries and how to improve it. Based on the methods and presumptions he discovered through philosophical reflections and methodical thought, a philosopher attempts to re- spond to these questions. To improve problem-solving skills and gain a fuller understanding of life, this will serve as a testing ground for new ideas. Since philosophy offers countless options, it is limitless and applicable to everything and everyone. In general, philosophy promises discernment, leadership, and a great map for our true existence. As long as life exists, philosophy will never be out of date. People continue to have many questions about life as time goes on. B. Brief History of Philosophy The history of philosophy is distinct. It can be traced back to the begin- ning of thought, when the first thinkers sought to comprehend both life and the world around them. From a Western perspective, philosophy's history can be divided into four distinct eras: the ancient, the medieval, the modern, and the contemporary. On the one hand, other regions of the world, including Africa and Asia, the east, each have their own histories. Understanding how thought evolved over time is why it is important to study philosophy's history. B.1. Western philosophy The three periods of Ancient, Medieval, Mod- ern, and, more hazily, Contemporary philosophy— which includes twentieth-century developments and what is frequently referred to as the "post-modern" period or post-modernism—are traditionally used to categorize the history of Western philosophy. European and American thinkers are included in Western philosophy. B.1.1 Ancient Philosophy There are three distinct eras in ancient Greek philosophy: pre-Socratic, Socratic, and post-Aristotelian. Im- portant pre-Socratic philosophers include Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Democritus, Parmenides, Heraclitus, Pythagoras, and Empedocles. The pre-Socratic period was characterized by metaphysical speculation, frequently preserved in the form of grand, sweeping statements, such as "Everything is made up of water," or "All changes." The Socratic period was named in honor of Socrates, the most well-known philosopher in Western thought, who, along with his student Plato, revolutionized philosophy by using the Socratic method, which gave rise to the broadly applicable philosophical methods of definition, analysis, and synthesis. Although Socrates left no writings behind, his ETHICS influence as a "skeptic" is still felt today thanks to Plato's works. As they clari- fied the foundational issues of philosophy for later generations, Plato's writings are frequently regarded as basic philosophical texts. Aris- totle, who attended Plato's school, the Academy, and fre- quently disagreed with what the philosopher had written, 4 took up these topics as well as others.The tradition that Socrates and Plato established, which would go on to be- come the most significant overall tradition in Western phi- losophy, had a strong idealistic slant because it placed em- phasis on the value of ideas and the spirit over material existence as well as on the capacity of humans to arrive at absolute truth. In the centu- ries to come, it would take on a variety of forms when combined with the theis- tic beliefs, especially those of Christianity, but it would always represent the core of western thought. Thoughts that placed a strong emphasis on skepti- cism, materialism, and pragmatism, which culminated in movements like posi- tivism and scientism, began to challenge this current of thought nonetheless. B.1.2 Medieval Philosophy The Middle Ages, which roughly ran from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance period, are now referred to as the medieval era. Medieval phi- losophy is the philosophy of Western Europe and the Middle East during this time. In order to address theological issues and integrate sacred doctrine (in Christianity and Judaism) and secular learning, medieval philosophers needed to rediscover the ancient culture created by the Greeks and Romans during the classical period. Aristotle and Plato's theories served as the foundation for many early Christian philosophers. Others, like Tertullian, disagreed, saying that Greek philosophy was incompatible with revelation and faith ("Athens has nothing to do with Jerusalem").The most important representative of early Christian thought is still Augustine of Hippo. Christian scholastic philosophy was devel- oped during the Middle Ages by authors like Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, John Duns Scotus, and William of Ockham. The relationship between faith and reason, the existence and unity of God, the subject of theol- ogy and metaphysics, and the issues with knowledge, universals, and individuation are a few issues that have been discussed during this time. B.1.3 Modern Philosophy ETHICS Argument from authority and the application of Aristotelian logic to the study of ancient texts had been the main topics of medieval philosophy. There was a flood of novel ideas that challenged authority during the Renais- sance.One of the first authors to advocate putting faith in authority to the test of reason and experiment was Roger Bacon (1214–1294?).Niccol Machiavelli 5 (1469–1527) questioned accepted moral principles.Francis Bacon (1561–1626) argued in favor of using scientific methods to advance philosophical under- standing. The resurgence of skepticism and the birth of modern physical science are typically seen as the beginnings of modern philosophy. Montaigne, Des- cartes, Locke, Spinoza, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, and Immanuel Kant are exam- ples of canonical thinkers. This period, which chronologically falls between the 17th and 18th centuries, is generally thought to have come to an end with Kant's methodical attempt to bring Leibniz and Hume into agreement. Des- cartes may have signaled the start of modern philoso- phy, but Kant's revolution signaled the start of late modern philosophy and directly influenced modern developments. The philosophical justification of scien- tific certainty on the level of phenomena, a degree of agnosticism with regard to ultimate matters (God, eternal life), and a clear break from traditional dogma- tism and empiricism were all implied. B.1.4 Contemporary Philosophy In the past century, philosophy has grown more specialized and distinct from the natural sciences as it has increasingly become a discipline practiced within the modern research university. The relationship between the theories of the natural sciences and the concepts of the humanities or common sense is a major concern in this period of philosophy. It is debatable whether later modern philosophy came to an end with the shift in emphasis of contemporary philosophy from nineteenth to twentieth century philosophers. Philosophers like Heidegger, the later Wittgenstein, and Dewey established a style of philosophical discourse that would pave the way for post- modernism and its denial of all foundationalism (the idea that there can be an all-encompassing base of knowledge), as exemplified by thinkers like David Harvey. B.1.5 The Analytic and Continental Divide The "Continental" (European) tradition and the "Analytic" tradition asso- ciated with English-speaking nations developed a schism during the late mod- ern period in philosophy, which started in the late nineteenth century and last- ed until the 1950s. It is possible to see the split between these two currents as a continuation of the conflict between British empiricists and continental ra- tionalists. ETHICS The two traditions share a common root even though they seem to be very different. Both reject the "obsession with psychological explanation" that permeated the logic and methodology of idealist philosophy, as well as the Car- tesian and empiricist traditions that had dominated philosophy since the early modern era. 6 The idea—originally defended by Ockham—that linguistic misunderstandings lead to philo- sophical error is what underlies the Analytic tradition, which culminated in thinkers like Bertrand Russell. The true meaning of everyday sentences is "concealed by their grammatical form," according to analytic philosophers, and we must translate them into their true form (understood as their logical form) in order to make them clear. With the help of philosophers like Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, Jean- Paul Sartre, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, "Continental" philosophy changed its focus on consciousness. Both traditions have a propensity to categorically reject any assertion of knowledge about a particular reality. Their dominance in modern philosophy fosters an environment hostile to any declaration of dogmatism or even the at- tempt to elaborate a worldview that claims to provide conclusive answers to es- sential questions. Ironically, the dominant figures in contemporary philosophy have frequently faced criticism for their dogmatic assertion that certainty is im- possible and have occasionally been charged with advancing personal ideolo- gies while dissing the status quo as a whole. B.2 Eastern Philosophy Although the term "philosophy" has its roots in Western culture, numer- ous historical figures from other cultures have addressed related issues in com- parable ways. Because of their close ties to Europe, philosophers from North Africa and the Near East are typically regarded as belonging to Western Philos- ophy, whereas those from the Far East are discussed in Eastern philosophy. Numerous societies have thought about philosophical issues and devel- oped philosophical traditions based on one another's writings. Western philoso- phers have been influenced by Eastern and Middle Eastern philosophical tradi- tions. Russian, Jewish, Islamic, and most recently Latin American philosophi- cal traditions have all influenced or contributed to Western philosophy while still maintaining their own unique identities. Consideration of their preferred historical philosophers and varying emphasis on ideas, procedural styles, or written language are effective ways of capturing the differences between traditions. There are significant similarities and ex- changes between them, and it is possible to study the topics and dialogues of each using techniques from the others. The term "Eastern philosophy" refers to the broad traditions that origi- nated or were widely accepted in India, Persia, China, Japan, Korea, and, to a ETHICS lesser extent, the Middle East (which has similar- ities to Western philosophy because it is the origin of the Abrahamic religions). 7 B.2.1 Indian philosophy Following the development of an Aryan- Vedic culture, over the course of two millennia, philosophical and religious thought on the Indian subcontinent gave rise to what are now known as the six schools of astika, or orthodox, Indian or Hindu philosophy. These insti- tutions have come to be equated with Hinduism as a whole. Hindu philosophy has its roots in Vedic theories about the universe and Rta, or universal order, that date back to about 1500 BCE. The Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahma Sutra, which date from approximately 1000 BCE to 500 BCE, are other important texts with philosophical implications. Hindu philosophy is the first of the Dharmic philosophies, and it is an essential component of the cul- ture of Southern Asia. India already had well-established schools of philosophy centuries before the western tradition (particularly the Greek tradition) developed its own types of philosophical speculation. Hindu polytheism clearly has a theistic bent be- cause the majority of them fol- lowed spiritual and idealistic paths that involved speculation about the unity in diversity. These types of speculation fre- quently viewed Brahman as the fundamental, unifying, and uni- versal Being, of which the various deities were merely manifesta- tions. At the same time, Brahman was frequently thought to be ulti- mately a part of Atman, which is akin to the human soul. But both materialistic and atheistic philosophy coexisted in the same setting. It is debatable to what extent this philosophical speculation and later Greek philosophy are directly related. It has also been suggested that Middle Eastern thought, including Hebrew thought, was influenced by Indian thought. Given that both the Ancient Hindu tradition and the Ancient (though less an- cient) Greek tradition are a part of the Indo-European civilization, there is no doubt that they have interacted to some extent. India is the origin of both tradi- tions.Particularly Plato is frequently cited as having been influenced by the Hindu wisdom tradition. B.2.2 Chinese philosophy ETHICS East Asia as a whole and Chinese civilization in particular have greatly benefited from phi- losophy. The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States 8 Period saw the development of many of the great philosophical schools that later became known as the Hundred Schools of Thought. The four that had the greatest impact were Legalism, Mohism, Daoism, and Confucian- ism. Later, during the Tang Dyn- asty, Indian Buddhism also rose to prominence as a major philosophical and religious movement. Chinese phi- losophy, like Western philosophy, covers a wide and complex range of thought, possessing a multitude of schools that address every branch and subject area of philosophy (it should be noted that Eastern thought, unlike Western philos- ophy, did not express a clear distinction between philosophy and religion). Around 600 BCE, when the Greek pre-Socratics were writing, the Dao De Jing of Lao-Tzu and the Analects of Confucius both made their appearanc- es in China. However, it is safe to say that Confu- cianism has had the biggest influence on East Asia of all the Chinese philosophies. Confucianism is the body of teachings attributed to the Chinese sage K'ung-fu-Tzu (also known as Master Kong or Confu- cius), who lived from 551 to 479 B.C.E. His philoso- phy concentrated on ethics and politics, placing great emphasis on morality on both the personal and gov- ernmental levels, the propriety of social interactions, justice, traditionalism, and sincerity. The world's first meritocracy, which is the system/belief that a per- son's status should be determined by one's ability in- stead of ancestry, wealth, and/or friendships, was established as a result of Legalism and Confucianism. It could be argued that Confucianism played the biggest role in forming Chi- nese culture and the government (during Imperial China). Chinese philosophy has been shaped throughout history to fit the dominant school of thought in China. With the exception of the Qin dynasty, the Chinese schools of philoso- phy have generally been accepting of one another. They typically have cooper- ated and shared ideas, which they would typically incorporate into their own, as opposed to competing with one another. As an illustration, Neo- Confucianism combined Buddhist, Taoist, and Legalist elements with the old Confucianism principles that first appeared around the Ming Dynasty. Chinese philosophy has also started to incorporate ideas from Western philosophy as a step toward modernization during the Industrial and Modern Ages. ETHICS At the start of the 20th century, Sun Yat-sen made an effort to incorporate democracy, republicanism, and industrialism into Chinese philosophy.Marxism was a Marxist addition. Chinese philosophy has evolved into somewhat of an intellectual mash-up, 9 similar to Japan. It retains old beliefs while accept- ing new ideas. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/ Philosophy ETHICS C. The Branches of Philosophy There are five (5) major branches of philosophy. These are Metaphysics, Epistemology, Logic, Aesthetics and Ethics. 10 A. Metaphysics A concept, doctrine, or posited reality that ex- ists independently of human sense perception; de- rived from the Greek meta ta physika ("after the things of nature"). Metaphysics, as used in contem- porary philosophy, is the study of that which cannot be discovered through the objective investigation of material reality. A philosophy or field of study known as meta- physics makes use of broad concepts to define reality and our perception of it. In general, metaphysical studies aim to explain innate or universal aspects of reality that are difficult to find or encounter in daily life. As a result, it is focused on elucidating aspects of reality that go beyond the realm of our physical senses. As a result, metaphysics employs a logic based on the meaning of words used by humans rather than a logic based on how the human senses perceive the objective world. Studying the nature of the human mind, the meaning and purpose of existence, or the properties of space, time, and/or cau- sality are all examples of metaphysics. https://www.pbs.org/faithandreason/ gengloss/metaph-body.html Metaphysics is fundamentally the study of the nature of reality, or what exists, how it functions, and what it looks like in the world. In metaphysics, philosophers de- bate issues like: Is there a God? ETHICS What is truth? What is a person? What makes a person the same through time? Is the world strictly composed of matter? Do people have minds? If so, how is the mind related to 11 the body? Do people have free wills? What is it for one event to cause another? B. Epistemology Knowledge is the subject of epistemology. What we can know about the world and how we can know it are its main concerns. In epistemology, common concerns include: What is knowledge? Do we know anything at all? How do we know what we know? Can we be justified in claiming to know certain things? C. Logic The justifications or arguments offered for people's responses to these questions are an additional crucial component of studying philosophy. Philoso- phers use logic to examine the nature and organization of arguments in order to achieve this goal. Logicians pose the following queries: What constitutes "good" or "bad" reasoning? How do we determine whether a given piece of reasoning is good or bad? D. Aesthetics The branch of philosophy known as aesthetics is focused on the nature and appreciation of beauty, art, and good taste. The phrase "critical reflection on art, culture, and nature" has also been used to describe it. In reality, we distinguish between artistic judg- ments (the adoration or criticism of a work of art) and aesthetic judgments (the appreciation of any object, not just an ob- ject of art). Aestheticians ask questions like ETHICS What is a work of art? What makes a work of art success- ful? Why do we find certain things beautiful? How can things of very different 12 categories be considered equally beautiful? E. Ethics What we should do and what is best to do are frequent topics in the study of ethics. Larger concerns about what is right and good are raised as a result of the struggle with this issue. The ethicist thus tries to re- spond to inquiries like: What is good? What makes actions or people good? What is right? What makes actions right? Is morality objective or subjective? How should I treat others? C. The Importance of Philosophy to Everyday Life We can improve our problem-solving abilities, communication abilities, persuasiveness, and writing abilities by studying philosophy. The various cru- cial skills that philosophy aids us in developing are described below. 1. General Problem Solving Skills The ability to solve problems is improved by studying philosophy. It aids in the analysis of ideas, definitions, claims, and issues. It enhances our ability to categorize concepts and problems, deal with ethical dilemmas, and sift through voluminous data to find the key information. It aids us in both identi- fying minute and subtle differences between points of view and in identifying areas of agreement between opposing viewpoints. Additionally, it aids in the synthesis of various points of view or viewpoints into a single coherent whole. 2. Communication Skills Only philosophy makes a unique contribution to the growth of expressive and communicative abilities. It offers some of the fundamental tools for self- expression that other fields either do not use or use less frequently, such as the ability to present ideas through carefully constructed, methodical argu- ments. Philosophy improves our ability to explain complex concepts, helps us express the unique aspects of our opinions, and removes ambiguities and ETHICS vagueness from our writing and speech. 3. Persuasive Powers 13 Philosophy teaches how to create precise formulations, solid arguments, and useful examples. As a result, it aids in the development of our persuasion skills. We learn to develop and defend our own opinions, to appreciate opposing viewpoints, and to articulate vehemently why our opinions are superior to those of others. These skills can be developed not only through philosophical reading and writing, but also through the extensive philosophical discussion that takes place both inside and outside of the classroom as part of a rigorous philosophi- cal education. 4. Writing Skills Many philosophy courses place a heavy emphasis on writing instruction, and many of the frequently assigned philosophical texts also make excellent literary essays. Interpretive writing is taught through the analysis of difficult texts, comparative writing is taught through the emphasis on fairness to opposing viewpoints, argumentative writing is taught through the development of stu- dents' capacity to defend their own positions, and descriptive writing is taught through the in-depth description of concrete examples. The anchors to which generalizations must be tied are specific examples. As a result, philosophical writing places a strong emphasis on structure and technique. Additionally, stu- dents are urged to be original and to use their imagination to create their own ideas. 5. For personal development Philosophy aids in improving one's self-awareness, foresight, and sense of purpose in life. The range of things one can comprehend and appreciate is wid- ened by philosophy. It can add special pleasures of insight to one's readings and conversations. For one's development, it can result in self-discovery, con- sciousness expansion, and self-renewal. It fosters individuality and self-esteem by enhancing one's expressive abilities. Philosophy has many general applications, all of which have significant academic value. It should be obvious that studying philosophy has intrinsic benefits as an endless quest for comprehension of significant, difficult issues. E. ETHICS in relation to PHI- LOSOPHY The study of ethics, also known as moral philoso- phy, is the systematic organization, defense, and advocacy of concepts of right and wrong conduct. It should be noted that reflection is viewed as a nec- essary component of philosophy in general. Any philosophical endeavor would be regarded as lame ETHICS and blind without reflection. We are invited and challenged to consider how we should make our existence meaningful in Ethics, a crucial area of philosophy, guided by various ethical theories and principles. Therefore, ethics as philosophy can deepen our reflection on the fundamental questions of life, such as its main goal, proper significance, real 14 value, and appropriate course. Philosophy helps us develop appropriate and significant intellectual abilities. We learn how to express ideas clearly and con- sistently, think critically about fundamental issues, comprehend and analyze opposing viewpoints, and reason properly. In addition, ethics gives us better perspectives for reasoning, communicating, and acting, particularly when we are faced with moral dilemmas and ethical questions. Sources: Serrano,F. M. B., Placido, D. M., Ethics: Modular Worktext. Wise ideas Publish- ing Co.:2019. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Philosophy https://www.jmu.edu/philrel/why-study-philosophy/why-study-philosophy.shtml https://www.iep.utm.edu/ethics/ https://philosophy.fsu.edu/undergraduate-study/why-philosophy/What-is-Philosophyhttps:// www.allposters.com/404.html https://www.philosophybasics.com/branch_aesthetics.html ETHICS 3 EXPLAIN Here are links to videos and online reading materials that can be accessed from the internet to further the discussion of what philosophy is. These ad- 15 ditional resources can increase your philosophical knowledge and compre- hension. WATCH!What is Philosophy?: Crash Course Philosophy #1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A_CAkYt3GY&feature=autoshare WATCH! THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY ¿WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMDvkuXsi4E READ! What Is Philosophy For? https://www.theschooloflife.com/thebookoflife/what-is-philosophy-and- whats-it-for/ 4 ELABORATE NAME: __________________________________ DATE: __________________ SECTION/YEAR: ___________________________ SCORE: _________________ Task 4: Research a specific philosopher, list one or two of his or her theories or concepts, identify whether the philosopher is Western or Oriental, and identify which school of philosophy the philosopher belongs to. Finally, share your own analysis of what you learned from their concept or concepts. ETHICS NAME: __________________________________ DATE: __________________ SECTION/YEAR: ___________________________ SCORE: _________________ Task 5: 16 ESSAY. How do you think can philosophy help you become a better person and make a better world for everyone? What is the role of critical thinking in everyday life? ________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ETHICS