PhiLo Module 1 PDF

RODRIGUEZ CAMPUS What is Philosophy  THIS COURSE ENDEAVORS THE STUDENTS TO DEEPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND ENHANCE THEIR THINKING ABILITY TO HELP THEM ANALYZE AND CRITICALLY DECIDE THE PROBLEMS IN THEIR REAL-LIFE SITUATION. INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON FOCUSED...

RODRIGUEZ CAMPUS What is Philosophy  THIS COURSE ENDEAVORS THE STUDENTS TO DEEPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND ENHANCE THEIR THINKING ABILITY TO HELP THEM ANALYZE AND CRITICALLY DECIDE THE PROBLEMS IN THEIR REAL-LIFE SITUATION. INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON FOCUSED ON THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS AND ISSUES THAT HAVE FACED HUMANITY THROUGHOUT HISTORY. GENERAL OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES define the following branches of philosophy differentiate the branches of philosophy show an understanding of the importance of each branches of philosophy define philosophy through how it is done; explain the etymological origin of the word philosophy and list down the following philosophers who importantly contributed to philosophy. OBJECTIVES define philosophy through how it is done; explain the etymological origin of the word philosophy and list down the following philosophers who importantly contributed to philosophy. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE WORD “PHILOSOPHY”?  What is Philosophy? WHAT IS PHILOSPHY? Philosophy comes from 2 Greek words: Philo (love) and Sophia (wisdom). “Philosophy is the love of Wisdom”. - It was soon applied to a science or a discipline which uses human reason to investigate the ultimate causes, reasons and principles which govern all things. WHAT IS PHILOSPHY? the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline. a particular system of philosophical thought. plural noun: philosophies WHAT IS PHILOSPHY? Pythagoras the use of the term philosophy is attributed to him as he argued that there are three kinds of men, just as there are three classes of strangers who come to the Olympic Games. 1. Lover of gain - come to sell their ware for money 2. Lover of honor-come to compete in the games for honor 3. Lover of wisdom - come to the games as they are spectators who seek and arrive at the truth. WHAT IS PHILOSPHY? PHILOSOPHER A lover of wisdom (philosopher) is one who continually searches for knowledge and seeks to continually learn and improve what he or she knows.  MAJOR BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY  Branch Concern Question 45 Ethics Study of action What ought I do? Metaphysics Study of existence What is being? Epistemology Study of knowledge What can I know? Aesthetics Study of arts What is beautiful? Logic Study of reasoning What is correct inference Politics Study of power What makes a just society?  BRIEF HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY Eras of Philosophy 1. Ancient a. Pre-Philosophical b. Pre-Socratic 1. Medieval 2. Modern 3. Contemporary PRE-PHILOSOPHICAL PERIOD Period when philosophy was not yet given attention Started from the earliest civilizations (Babylonians, Chinese, Hindus, Egyptians, Greeks) people had already attempted to explain the origin of things and the events or occurrences in nature these stories are characterized by religious elements or supernatural powers and not by natural or rational explanation. PRE-SOCRATIC PERIOD (MILETIANS) Miletians – came from Miletus Ionic Colonies (Ionians, Athens, Greece) Started in 6th century BC from Ionic colonies in Asia Minor (Turkey) PRE-SOCRATIC PERIOD (MILETIANS) First greek philosopher (Thales of Miletus) Father of Philosophy He believed that the Earth floats on water Water – considered as the first ultimate substance “The first principle and basic nature of all things is water” First successful prediction of a solar eclipse PRE-SOCRATIC PERIOD Anaximander Both a philosopher and a geographer Student of Thales The ultimate stuff behind the four elements could not be one of the elements: Water is not fire, which is not air, and air is not earth and Claimed that the universe was formed from the boundless (apeiron) which is the first (arche)and the substance (stoicheion)of the universe PRE-SOCRATIC PERIOD Anaximenes How much better is an unspecified something or other than nothing at all? Claimed that the air was the fundamental element and surrounds the earth in a more or less compressed state PRE-SOCRATIC PERIOD (MILETIANS) Heraclitus of Ephesus Claimed the unity of the “opposites” – inquire the logos and speak the language of the logos (an effective law- like principle) Believed that everything is changing Believed that there is no such thing as Pre-destination Believed in the free-will – libertinism “No one steps on the same river twice” There is one thing that does not change: change itself (the law of change) He called it “logos” PRE-SOCRATIC PERIOD Xenophanes of Colophon Claimed that there is a single GOD – (not the anthropomorphic God) “If God is human-like then the animals have equine God also” PRE-SOCRATIC PERIOD Empedocles Believed that the universe is composed of four elements: FIRE – WATER – AIR – EARTH How do these things come to mix? PRE-SOCRATIC PERIOD Parmenides of Elea Believed that “things don’t change” Believed in fatalism – Fate Something cannot then come from nothing, and so must always have existed in some form. PRE-SOCRATIC PERIOD Democritus ‘laughing philosopher Everything is composed of tiny particles called ATOMS Atoms are composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons Discovered the atomic energy Discovered that the lights in the sky are DISTANT STARS PRE-SOCRATIC PERIOD Pythagoras Mathematics Believed that COSMOS is a structured system ordered by numbers – numerical ratio “nature can be quantified” All things are numbers and a correct description of reality must be express in terms of mathematical formulas  PRE-SOCRATIC PHILOSOPHERS Made obvious the dichotomy between reason and senses Attempted to explain reality without religion (mythos) Attempted to understand how mathematical numbers were related to the flux of reality Attempted to explain the problems of the One and the Many Did the Pre-Socratic Philosophers leave a legacy of confusion? Or clarity?  SOCRATIC PERIOD Most flourishing period Aim how to save the intellectual and moral life of the nation SOCRATIC PERIOD Socrates One of the greatest fathers of Philosophy Left no writings DIALOGUE – written by Plato Self-examination – know thy self first before you learn DOCTA IGNORANTIA Elenchus – socratic method (q&a method of teaching) Last words: “I’ll teach them how to die” SOCRATIC PERIOD Plato Extended and completed Socrates’ philosophy. He concluded that idea or concept is the only true reality. He stressed on the science of idea – unconditioned basis of phenomena DIALOGUE THE REPUBLIC Theory of Forms SOCRATIC PERIOD Aristotle The aim of philosophy is truth and the endowment of senses will lead to a person in direct contact with the world POLITICS – famous writing Practical wisdom Real happiness Developed his own system of philosophy Father of Logic Syllogism MEDIEVAL PERIOD: SCHOLASTICISM The confluence of faith and reason Concerned with proving God’s existence and understanding what is man in relation with God. St. Anselm founder of Scholasticism “Pros Logion”- famous book; an ontological argument for God’s existence MEDIEVAL PERIOD: SCHOLASTICISM St. Augustine promoted the argument by analogy (by analysis) attempted to explain blessed trinity St. Thomas Aquinas the greatest scholastic philosopher “Summa Theologica” -“The Highest Theology” his famous book explains his views on the creation and government of the universe, the origin and nature of man and human destiny – through Catholic theology MODERN PERIOD concerned about the problems of issues on knowledge – “innate knowledge” Rationalism using reason to understand things believed that reason is the sole source of knowledge it is by Deductive Knowledge – reasoning and factual analysis Rene Descartes Father of Modern Philosophy & Geometry introduced the Cartesian Plane famous saying “Cogito Ergo Sum” – “I think, therefore I am” MODERN PERIOD Empiricism believed that not only reason but also experience (sensory experience – through senses) is also a source of knowledge the 5 senses are connected to the world Immanuel Kant Kantian Philosophy” – “a priori” knowledge – formed beforehand “Critique of Pure Reason” – famous book – “Human Reason is capable of ‘ a priori’” CONTEMPORARY PERIOD Analytical Tradition process analysis in Philosophy 1. Bertrand Russell – analysis of Meaningless of description 2. George Edward Moore – analysis of decomposing complex 3. Ludwig Wittgenstein – analysis ordering the language used – “linguistic analysis” CONTEMPORARY PERIOD Continental Tradition believed that the scientific method is insufficient to provide explanation of the world considers the conceptions of the past and the views that analysis is contextualized in history directed toward meta philosophy to seek a reconstruction of what philosophy is and its role in understanding knowledge, experience, and → reality