ntroduction to Philosophy of human person.pptx

1. SUBTITLE

2. What is Philosophy?
• (FROM Greek philos, meaning “lover” and sophia,
meaning “wisdom”)
•The great virtue of philosophy is that it teaches not
what to think, but how to think. It is the study of
meaning, of the principles underlying conduct,
thought and knowledge.

3. PHILOSOPHY
• Is a study that seeks to understand the mysteries of existence
and reality.
• It is a way of thinking about the world, the universe and
society.
• It works by very basic questions about the nature of human,
nature of thought, nature of universe and connection
between them.
•

4. Five Branches of Philosophy
• 1. Metaphysics: branch of philosophy responsible for the study of
existence and of the essences of things. It is the foundation of a
worldview. It answers the question "What is?" It encompasses everything
that exists, as well as the nature of existence itself.
Two areas of metaphysics:
 Ontology is the study of being.
Cosmology is the study of the physical universe, or the cosmos. It is the
study of the organization, history, and future of the universe.

5. 2. Epistemology: is the study of our method of acquiring knowledge. It
answers the question, "How do we know?" It encompasses the nature of
concepts, the constructing of concepts, the validity of the senses, logical
reasoning, as well as thoughts, ideas, memories, emotions, and all things
mental. It is concerned with how our minds are related to reality, and
whether these relationships are valid or invalid.
3. Ethics: is the branch of study dealing with what is the proper course of
action for man. It is the study of right and wrong in human endeavors.
Ethics concerns human conduct, character, and values. It studies the
nature of right and wrong and the distinction between good and evil.
Ethics explores the nature of justice and of a just society, and also
one'sobligations to oneself, to others, and to society.

6. 4. Politics: ethics applied to a group of people.
5. Aesthetics: is the study of art. It includes what art consists of, as well as
the purpose behind it. Does art consist of music, literature, and painting?
Or does it include a good engineering solution, or a beautiful sunset?
These are the questions that aimed at in esthetics. It also studies methods
of evaluating art, and allows judgments of the art. Is art in the eye of the
beholder?
6. Logic: is the study of the principles and methods of reasoning. It explores
how we distinguish between good (or sound) reasoning and bad (or
unsound) reasoning. An instance of reasoning is called an argument or an
inference.

7. Philosophy: Where did it originate?
• In the west, the first philosophical schools emerged in ancient Greece around
the 6th century BCE.
• These first schools of thought gave rise to changes and developments which
brought about the emergence of philosophy as we know it at present.

8. Western Philosophy
 Is primarily concerned with uncovering the
truth through systematic argumentation and
theory.
 Has greater emphasis on the use of reason
rather than faith, and increased focus on the
man as an individual.

9. • Greece was home to one of the great civilizations during the Ancient
Period.
• SOPHIST, teachers who traveled throughout Greece and taught people
who wished to learn.
• PHILOSOPHOS – a term which means “lovers of wisdom”, believed
that teaching is more than just training people to win arguments.
Arguments and discussion must be based on sound reasoning.
• Their central belief was that man need not know all things in the
world, but one must continue to inquire and seek to understand

10. 1. Thales of Miletus:
• 636-546 B.C.
• Earliest known philosopher
• Studied Egyptian and Babylonian astronomy and
mathematics
• Believed that the universe was controlled by fixed laws
• Basic element – water.

11. 2. Pythagoras: 582-500 B.C.
• The universe could only be understood through numbers.
• Sun, moon, and earth revolved around a central fire.
• Each planet produces a tone!
• Famous for the Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2

12. 3. Protagoras: 485 - 410 B.C.
• Most famous of the Sophists
• Believed that reason and knowledge should be used to achieve a
comfortable, safe, and happy life.
• Teachings to equip citizens for life in the polis:
1. Public speaking – oratory and rhetoric
2. Politics
3. Grammar – language
4. The art of being respectable
• Plato named one of his dialogues after him.

13. 4. Hippocrates: 460-377 B.C.
• Founded a school of medicine
• Rejected that sickness comes from the gods
• Careful observations of symptoms: Acute & Chronic.
• “Holistic” healing: Hygiene, Diet, Curative powers of
nature.
• The Hippocratic Oath

14. 5. Democritus: 460? - 360 B.C.
• Developed the atomic theory.
•Taught that the universe was formed out of chaos
through the joining of atoms of like shape and size.
• Atoma = indivisible particles.
• “the laughing philosopher”

15. 6. Heraclitus
(535 BCE to 475 BCE)
• He proposed that everything that exists is based on a
higher order or plan which he called logos.
• For him, change is permanent aspect of the human
condition and he was credited with the saying, “No man ever
steps on the same river twice.”

16. 7. Diogenes of Sinope: (412 BCE to 323 BCE)
• He was a known advocate of a simple and virtuous life.
• He was also known to be a vocal critic of well- known philosophers
such as Plato and Aristotle.
8. Epicurus: (341 BCE to 270 BCE)
• He believed that philosophy could enable man to live a life of
happiness
• His views gave rise to Epicureanism – a school of philosophy which
believes that wisdom and simple living will result to a life free from
fear and pain.

17. 9. Archimedes: 287 - 212 B.C.
• Greek mathematician – Geometry
• War machines and other devices
• Theory of buoyancy - “Eureka!”
• Law of the lever
• Archimedean screw

18. The Three Most Famous Philosophers
1. Socrates: 469 - 399 B.C.:
• Critic of the Sophists
• Encouraged students to think
• Left no writings – skeptical
• Dialectic method: Conversational, Based upon reason and logic.
• Popular among the youth
• Placed on trial for impiety and corrupting the youth
• Was executed in 399 – drank poison hemlock

19. Socratic Method:
I. Admit ignorance.
II. Never rely on tradition.
III. Continuously question.
IV. Formulate your own opinions.
V. Test your opinions with others.
• Socrates’ dialectic method was a departure from earlier philosophers.
• Earlier philosophers were interested in the nature of the universe and
basic elements.
• Socrates’ approach was more rigorous and was the forerunner of logic.
• Most famous student: Plato

20. 2. Plato: 427 - 347 B.C.
• Preserved and perpetuated the work of Socrates
• Most important source of info on Socrates
• Founded the Academy
• Wrote dialogues: Universal Forms was a recurring theme, The Republic –
most important dialogue

21. 3. Aristotle: 384 - 322 B.C.
• Most famous student of Plato
• Most famous teacher of Alexander the Great
• Developed Logic as a field of study
• Devised a complex system of classification: Used in biology
• Views on Government
• “All things in moderation”
• “Man is by nature a political animal.”

22. Nature of Philosophy
Always in the quest for an explanation
Key Interrogative words
• -What
• -Why
• -How

23. Types of Thinking
Holistic Perspective conclusions are made without looking at all
sides of the problem.
Partial Point of view looking at all aspects of the situation and then View
making a conclusion

24. Steps in Philosophical Reflection
• Have a holistic point of view before making conclusion
• Evaluating the best options from the options
• Learning from past mistakes and not repeating them

25. Theories of Truth
1. Correspondence Theory of Truth – concepts are true when they correspond
to the reality of the world.
2. Coherence Theory of Truth - ideas are inter-related system
3. Pragmatic Theory of Truth - A pragmatist can consider something to be
true without needing to confirm that it is
universally true.

26. Methods of Philosophizing
Methodic doubt - any claim that can be doubted is not believable
Socratic Method - teacher-student, one ask question, one answers
Dialectic Method - exchange of logical arguments
Scientific Method - gaining conclusion from scientific experiments, methods
etc.
Historical - based on trying to understand past human affairs

27. Fallacies
• Ad Hominem - attacking the person not the argument
• Ad baculum - appeal by force
• Ad Misericordiam - appeal by using pity and emotion
• Ad Populum - bandwagon, acceptable because many are accepting it
• Ad Antiquitatem - acceptable because it has been true for a long time
• Petitio Principii - begging the question
• Fallacy of Composition - combining words instead of taking them separately
• Fallacy of Division - assuming that if its true for the whole is also true for
each parts
• Ad Verecundiam - appeal by shame
• Dicto Simpliciter - argument based on unqualified generalization

28. Concepts in Method of Philosophizing
Facts – something that can be verified as true
Opinion – subjective
Beliefs – statements with conviction that are not easily explained by facts
Explanation – statements that assume the claim to be true and provide reasons
Conclusion – judgement based on facts
Fallacies – arguments based on faulty reasoning
Arguments – provides reasons to convince reader or listener for a claim to be
true
Bias –disproportionate weight in favor or against something. Can be both
positive and negative

29. • https://philonotes.com/2022/05/the-human-person-as-an-embodied-
spirit
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENFOjMRzDJk