pointers-for-philo-1st-quarter.pdf

lOMoARcPSD|46634563 Pointers-for-Philo-1st-Quarter STEM(Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Cagayan National High School) Scan to open on Studo...

lOMoARcPSD|46634563 Pointers-for-Philo-1st-Quarter STEM(Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Cagayan National High School) Scan to open on Studocu Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university Downloaded by Yukiba Akito ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|46634563 BAGGAO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON Pointers for 1st Quarter What is Philosophy?  The word philosophy comes from two Greek words: philos (love) and sophia (wisdom).  The ancient Greeks used this term to refer to “love of wisdom” and they soon applied it to the study or discipline that uses human reason to investigate the ultimate causes, reasons, and principles which govern all things.  Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.  Philosophy in simple words is a way of thinking about the world, the universe, and society. It works by asking very basic questions about the nature of human thought, the nature of the universe, and the connections between them.  The ideas in philosophy are often general and abstract.  Philosophy is the study of humans and the world by thinking and asking questions.  It is a science and an art.  Philosophy tries to answer important questions by coming up with answers about real things and asking "why?" The most notable ancient Greek philosophers are:  Pythagoras (570 BCE to 495 BCE)- A mathematician and scientist, he was credited with formulating the Pythagorean theorem.  Heraclitus (535 BCe to 475 BCE)- He proposed that everything that exists is based on a higher order or plan which he called logos.  Democritus (460 BCE to 370 BCE)- He devoted himself to the study of the causes of natural phenomena.  Diogenes of Sinope (412 BCE to 323 BCE)- He was a known advocate of living a simple and virtuous life.  Epicurus (341 BCE to 270 BCE)- He believed that philosophy could enable man to live a life of happiness.  Socrates (470 BCE to 399 BCE)- He was considered the foremost philosophers of ancient times. He was credited with formulating the Socratic method- means of examining a topic by devising a series of questions that let the learner examine and analyze his knowledge and5 views regarding the topic.  Plato (427 BCE to 347 BCE)- A student of Socrates, he wrote down his mentor’s teaching and incorporated some of his own ideas into them. Plato’s most significant ideas included his Theory of Forms, which proposes that everything that exist is based on an idea or template than can only be perceived in the mind. Plato is also known for his dialectic- a method of inquiry where two opposing ideas are discussed in an attempt to arrive at new knowledge. Plato’s lasting contribution to learning was his founding of the Academy, an institution of higher learning.  Aristotle (384 BCE to 322 BCE)- He attended the Academy, and was the prominent student of Plato. For him, all ideas and views are based on perception and our reality is based on what we can sense and perceive. His studies in logic led to the formulation of a Downloaded by Yukiba Akito ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|46634563 BAGGAO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON formal process of analyzing reasoning which give rise to deductive reasoning-the process by which specific statements are analysed to reach a conclusion or generalization Methods of Philosophizing  Holistic thinking refers to a perspective that considers large-scale patterns in systems. A holistic perspective requires an individual to have an open mindset and ability to get the general sense or impression regarding a situation.  Partial thinking focuses on specific aspects of a situation. The partial view is an important component of analytical thinking, as an individual focuses on certain areas or aspects of a problem in order to understand it.  Plato traced man’s need to philosophize to his sense of wonder. Whenever we are confronted with an experience, we always wonder how it came about.  French philosopher Rene Descartes traced the need to philosophize to doubt. In life, we will be faced with several ideas and arguments which present themselves as “truths”. A critical and questioning perspective is necessary to determine if indeed these ideas or views are correct or true.  Swiss-German philosopher Karl Jaspers saw the need to philosophize because of experience.  These experiences limit situation, philosophy provides us a means to understand adverse or challenging conditions, and to rise above them and gain new knowledge and perspective.  The need to philosophize is driven by the love for wisdom.  To love wisdom is to have an insatiable desire for truth. Philosophy itself is a distinct area of knowledge with its own goals, concerns, and ways of doing things The following are the branches of philosophy that deals with a particular aspect of life or phenomena.  Aesthetics is the branch of Philosophy which deals with beauty and what makes things “beautiful”.  Logic is branch of philosophy which deals with correct reasoning.  Epistemology discusses the nature of knowledge and knowing.  Ethics is the branch which deals with moral questions and dilemmas.  Political Philosophy studies governments and deals with questions of justice, power and the rights and obligations of citizens.  Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy which deals with questions regarding reality and existence.  Philosophy of the Human Person-is an area in philosophy that understand the human person from a philosophical perspective. Downloaded by Yukiba Akito ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|46634563 BAGGAO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON Reflection requires a person to be willing to examine one’s thoughts, feelings, and action and to learn more about one’s life and experiences. Human self-reflection is the capacity of humans to exercise introspection and to attempt to learn more about their fundamental nature and essence. Philosophy has an important place in our daily lives. Engaging in philosophical reflection leads to the development of beneficial skills that individuals can apply in everyday situations. Facts vs Opinion ✓ 1. It takes me 30 minutes to walk from my home to school. ✓ 2. Living near the school is better because we do not have to spend much for transportation. ✓ 3. My sister ate the last piece of pizza pie. ✓ 4. My sister is a selfish person because she ate the last piece of pizza pie and did not share it with me. ✓ 5. The policeman firmly pushed the suspect to his knees and placed him in handcuffs. ✓ 6. The aggressive manner by which the policeman arrested the suspect is an example of the brutality that characterizes our police force.  Statements 1, 3, and 5 are more factual than statements 2, 4, and 6. Using the philosophical tools we learned, they fit into the category of facts since they contain ideas or information that are easily verifiable.  While statements 2, 4, and 6 could be considered as opinions. These statements go beyond providing facts. It also provide conclusions or perspectives regarding certain situations. Opinions are also the bases for making arguments and convincing people that a certain claim is a fact.  Fact is something concrete that can be proven. You can find facts in legal records, scientific findings, encyclopaedias, atlases, etc. In other words, facts are the truth and are accepted as such.  Opinion is less concrete. It's a view formed in the mind of a person about a particular issue. In other words it is what someone believes or thinks, and is not necessarily the truth. Also, note in the examples below how facts are the same for everybody, but opinions can differ quite widely. The following are the examples of fallacies.  Ad hominem attacking the person presenting the argument instead of the argument itself.  Appeal to force using the threat of force or an undesirable event to advance an argument  Appeal to emotion using emotions such as pity or sympathy.  Appeal to the popular the idea is presented as acceptable because a lot of people accept it  Appeal to tradition the idea is acceptable because it has been true for a long time.  Begging the question assuming the thing or idea to be proven is true; also known as circular argument.  Cause-and-effect assuming “cause-and-effect” relationship between unrelated events Downloaded by Yukiba Akito ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|46634563 BAGGAO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON  Fallacy of composition assuming that what is true of a part is true for the whole  Fallacy of division assuming that what is true for the whole is true for its parts. The following are the examples of biases.  Correspondence bias or attribution effect tendency to judge a person’s personality by his or her actions, without regard for the external factors or influence.  Confirmation bias tendency to look for and readily accept information which fits one’s own beliefs or views and to reject ideas or views that go against it.  Framing focusing on a certain aspect of a problem while ignoring other aspects.  Hindsight - the tendency to see past events as predictable, or to ascribe a pattern to historical events.  Conflict of interest a person or group is connected to or has a vested interest in the issue being discussed.  Cultural bias analyzing an event or issue based on one’s cultural standards The Human Person as Embodied Spirit  MAN (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) The English term “man” is derived from a Proto-Indo European root *man - (see Sanskrit/Avestan Manu-, Slavic mǫž "man, male"). It is the general term commonly used to refer to the entire human race.  Other related terms, humanity, mankind, and humankind.  HUMAN refers to man as species – HOMO SAPIENS or MODERN HUMAN BEINGS. The term human being is also used to differentiate man from other animals.  PERSON is the personality of a human being so called “SELF”. Refers to a human being granted recognition of certain rights, protection, responsibilities and dignity above all. Philosopher refers to the human person as the totality of an individual, possessing awareness, self-determination and capacity to interact with others and with himself/herself. Personhood refers to the state of being a person.  HUMAN NATURE defines as the nature of humans especially the fundamental characters and traits of humans. It refers to the characteristics that distinguish humans from all other creatures. These traits are expected to arise independent of the influence of culture and society. EXAMPLES: THINKING, FEELING AND ACTING. Self-awareness refers to the person having a clear perception of oneself, including his thoughts, emotions, identity and actions. Self-determination refers to the capability of persons to make choices and decisions based on their own preferences, monitor and regulate their actions, and be goal-oriental and self-directed. Consequence is the result or effect of an action or condition. Philosophers believe that a person acts freely and with due regard for the consequences of his actions. Externality refers to the capability of a person to reach out and interact with others and the world. Dignity refers to the innate right to be valued and respected. Philosophers consider all humans as having an inherent worth or value. Downloaded by Yukiba Akito ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|46634563 BAGGAO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON LIMITATIONS CAN LEAD TO POSSIBILITIES  Transcendence is the ability to change, be dynamic, and continually redefining one’s self which works with our facticity to create change.  How do limitations lead to transcendence? Facticity refers to the things in our life that are already given. EXAMPLE: LIFE We are free to define who we are and who we are to be. Human Person and the Environment  Environmental philosophy is the discipline that studies the moral relationships of human beings with the environment and its non-human contents. Philosophers believe that the human person has the ability to change the environment to suit his purposes. It will enable them to become aware of their relationship and its related issues in our society and their impact on the lives of human persons. According to Payne (2010) there are two frameworks where humans can be related. 1. Anthropocentric Model. Based on the anthropocentric model, humans are superior and central to the universe, thus, it is human centered. 2. Ecocentric Model. It is the ecological or relational integrity of the humans that provides meaning of our morals and values and it is nature centered  Environmental aesthetics- is one philosophical view that believes maintaining order in the environment will bring out the natural beauty of the surroundings and contribute to the well-being of the people and other organisms living in it. Sustainability relies on the 3 important principles:  Environmental Integrity-refers to the maintaining the state of the environment.  Economic Efficiency- refers to the prudence in decision-making regarding the use of resources to ensure that there is minimum zero waste.  Equity- demands that we use our natural resources in such a manner that these are conserved so that the next generation will be able to use them.  Prudence-the ability to regulate one’s action and behavior.  Frugality-is being thrifty with the use of one’s resources. Downloaded by Yukiba Akito ([email protected])