Intro to Philosophy HO 2 PDF

For the Greeks, Philosophy or philosophia means the “love of wisdom," but to know the idea of love and wisdom is not enough if one denies doing it. There are two major traditions of philosophy. These traditions, while unique in various ways, do not necessarily contradict each other. The first is th...

For the Greeks, Philosophy or philosophia means the “love of wisdom," but to know the idea of love and wisdom is not enough if one denies doing it. There are two major traditions of philosophy. These traditions, while unique in various ways, do not necessarily contradict each other. The first is the Western tradition, which is characterized by its rigorous way of doing philosophy and presupposes an analytic approach. The second is the Eastern tradition, which is often used interchangeably with religion because it treats philosophy as a way of life. Western Philosophy We focus on the three most renowned Greek philosophers, namely; Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. They introduced intricate ideas concerning the rational capacities of man and how these capacities can be used and developed. The recognition that a human person is a thinking being fundamentally supports the idea that we all have the freedom to explore the world. Socrates - born about 470 B.C. in Athens, Greece. - His appearance was frequently described as grotesque. His looks were the least of his concern because one’s intellectual activity is far more important for him. - His philosophy emanated from his way of life, a life that was not concerned about wealth and worldly goods. - His way of doing philosophy was by making dialogues with various people. Thus, he would spend most of his time in the marketplace and talk to people from different walks of life. His concern was to discuss with them profound ideas, such as justice, virtues, morality, life, and death. The philosophy of Socrates was focused on getting at the answers to the questions that are important and relevant in everyone’s life. Consequently, he helped many people examine how they lived and understood their lives because, for him, “An unexamined life is not worth living" (Tarrant, 2010). - was charged with corrupting the minds of the youth. It can be said that his manner of doing philosophy became the cause of his death. Plato - One of the students who gathered around Socrates. - He was born in about 428 and died about 347 B.C. - served as a transcriber of the past. This means that he was the one who wrote down the dialogues of Socrates and his interlocutors. - One of Plato's famous stories and allegories is called the "Allegory of the Cave," which can be found in his book The Republic. The allegory of the Cave explains the two worlds of Plato, the real world and the unreal. For example, consider the digital world as the “unreal world,” while the actual world is the “real world”. What appears on social media is only a picture or a copy of the real; hence, unreal. What is real then is the one who controls and decides to post something about myriads of things on social media.  - Plato's way of doing philosophy sought to solve the question of the real and unreal. In other words, it seeks the truth. - believes that a recollection of such truth happens when we encounter actual objects. Aristotle - was born about 384 B.C. He studied under Plato, and later on, put up his school called Lyceum. - Aristotle learned much of Plato’s philosophy but the path he took was different from his mentor’s interests. For one, he opposed Plato’s Theory of Forms. He did not reject the idea of the form itself but claims that Plato was more concerned with the abstract, referring to the world of ideas which can be reached only by thoughts. For Aristotle, the forms can be achieved through the senses. Thus, he maintained that things can be known and proven using the senses and the faculty of reason. - Aristotle put forward the notion that the forms have two categories, namely, the substance and accidents. Unlike Plato's theory of forms, the form for Aristotle exists in this world, which has substance and accidents. To elucidate Aristotle's ideas, let us take this example: as a human person, you are composed of body and mind. Having these two as your substance, it is expected from you to use your intellectual and physical capacities to the fullest. What you become by using your capacity would be the accident of your being; either you become a priest, doctor, policeman or fireman. But your substance, that is, being a human person with rational and physical capacity, remains the same. Eastern Philosophy Centered on finding the answers to the question “who and what am I?” They focus on searching for the meaning of being human. The goal of their respective philosophical enterprises is not only to understand human nature, but most importantly, to practice how to truly live as a human person. It may be noted that eastern philosophy is often understood interchangeably with religion. Buddhism, for one, belongs to the top major religions of the world. For this reason, these philosophies are actively practiced by its followers. For them, philosophy and religion are intimately connected. Confucianism - Being one of the greatest traditions in ancient China - started by Kongzi or Confucius over 2500 years ago. - attempts to craft a philosophy of peace that could conceivably reach every corner of the world, guided by the aim to restore peace among men and nations. - Confucius believed that if a leader sets a good example to his constituents, to his family, and people with whom he would have a relationship, they, in turn, will do the same. This, for him, could prevent wars and solve many social problems. For this reason, Confucianism is considered a social philosophy that is grounded on the assumption that proper social and political behavior is cultivated  in the family. For him, the love and relationship with one's family are paramount. This philosophy is connected to the common idea today, which says that peace starts at home. - Confucianism has similarities with the Filipinos’ concept and experience of family. Filipinos have close family ties. Even if there’s a feud within the family, a Filipino will insist that blood is thicker than water. - For Confucius, a good ruler should have perfect virtue. If a ruler is like a sage internally, it will also manifest externally. He wrote three principles that a ruler should abide by: “First, manifest a clear character, second, show concern for the people, and third, aim for the highest good. - To know the human person as a potential leader, one must go back to the question of character, which presupposes that a person has inculcated in his being some essential virtues. Two notable Confucian virtues are expected from each and every human being of character. First is Jen (ren), which means human heartedness, which denotes a compassionate person. The second is called Yi, or righteousness, which consists of doing things in the right manner. Buddhism - brought us to reflect on the idea of suffering, and a human person should overcome this deep dissatisfaction that pervades human experience. A human person naturally clings to impermanent things and a self-centered pursuit of happiness. Indian Philosophy - reiterated the idea that the physical world is not as important as the knowledge of the inner self and the right practices of living. OPINION VS. TRUTH - Opinion is a personal claim, a belief, or a personal stance on a particular subject matter. - One can also observe that when one expresses an opinion, he/she is confident to say it because opinions are usually understood as neither ‘right’ nor ‘wrong’. - opinion refers to what a person thinks about something but is lacking evidence. - Truth has been one of the main questions in philosophy, and many theories have dealt with this question. One of these theories is the Correspondence Theory. This theory maintains that both the knower's mind and the thing being perceived must correspond to each other. Truth is grasped when there is conformity between the mind and the thing outside the mind. However, since our senses may get easily deceived, it is necessary always to inquire if what we have in mind is not a mere illusion. This is why we need to discern matters seriously to know the truth. We should consider both what we think and what the thing reveals to us. Truth is neither an opinion nor a fact. It is universal, undisputed, verified through facts, and even transcendent, beyond a reasonable doubt. In other words, the truth will always be true no matter what a person thinks and says. Truth does not change; an opinion, however, usually changes through time. Thus, the truth remains, no matter how convincing an opinion is. Methods of Philosophizing Here are several methods used by philosophers. From ancient philosophy to contemporary philosophy, these methods are varied and evolving. 1. The Socratic Method is named after Socrates, who was the teacher of Plato. This method refers to a process of asking open-ended questions that are committed to finding the truth. It usually takes the form of a dialogue in which people discuss and analyze a specific subject matter. It is like a cross-examination. It is also a strategy for teaching any subject matter between a teacher and a student. Socrates urges us to examine ourselves, including our beliefs and assumptions in life, when he said, "An unexamined life is not worth living. In the Socratic Method, questions seem to be unending. Nevertheless, a person has nothing to be afraid of when being asked about anything and discovers something new and realizes his ignorance. Let us remember that Socrates' wisdom proceeds from his awareness of his own ignorance. But asking questions intelligently is a way to resolve our own ignorance, and the Socratic Method will lead us to find the truth. 2. The Dialectical method can be traced back to Socrates' or Plato's method. The term ‘dialectics’ is derived from the Greek word dialego, which means to debate or discuss. Although the dialectical method has its roots in ancient Greek philosophy, the dialectical method emphasized here is the one developed mostly by modern philosophers, such as Hegel and Marx. It is a method of studying and understanding the real development and change. 3. Phenomenological method. The word phenomenology comes from the two Greek words: phainomenon, which means appearance, and logos, which means study or reason. A phenomenon is that which appears to the consciousness of the mind. In this sense, Phenomenology investigates the essence of nature of the things that appear to a person. For Edmund Husserl, phenomenology is "the science of the essence of consciousness"