philosophy introduction

1. Tariq Saleem Ghayyur
Lecturer in Education
Department Education
University of Sargodha
Philosophy Introduction
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Philosophers are men of great
intelligence and remarkable insight

2. THE NATURE OF PHILOSOPHY
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Philosophy wants to understand man in
relation to the whole universe—nature
and God.
It aims at fundamental understanding of
things
It is concerned with critical examination
of the fundamental notions and
assumptions of any field that falls within
human experience.
Philosophical activity begins in wonder,

3. Concept definition
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The word philosophy means "the love of
wisdom".
philosophy is a "search for a
comprehensive view of nature, an attempt
at universal explanation of the nature of
things.“
"philosophy is a rigorous, disciplined,
guarded analysis of some of the most
difficult problems which man has ever
faced.

4. Definition of Philosophy
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A spirit or method of approaching experience
rather than a body of conclusions about
experience." —Edgar S. Brightman
"Philosophy is concerned with everything as a
universal science." —Herbert Spencer
"Our subject is a collection of science, such as
theory of knowledge, logic, cosmology, ethics
and aesthetics, as well as a unified survey." —
Roy Wood Sellars

5. THE FUNCTIONS OF PHILOSOPHY
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1. Why has man come on this earth?
2. What is his main purpose in life?
3. What is right and wrong for man?
4. How should man conduct his life in order to
make it most worth-while and satisfying?
5. Is there any intelligent purpose behind this
world and its phenomena?
6. Is there any life for man after his death?
7. If so, what is its nature?
What is the validity of this so called knowledge?
etc

6. PHILOSOPHICAL METHOD
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 Induction: The process to arrive at a
general proposition by means of several
particular propositions is known as the
inductive process
 Deduction: Deduction is the process to
arrive at certain particular propositions
from a general proposition. For example:
All men are mortal, Socrates is a man,
therefore, Socrates is mortal

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Dialectical Method. This is a natural method of
philosophical thinking. It is a commonplace
experience that when we think over a problem we
arrive at certain positive facts. philosophical thinking
proceeds from thesis, anti-thesis to synthesis. In fact,
the dialectical process is the thinking of thought.
Analysis. Analysis means the process of distinction
between different elements involved in a particular
state of experience so that they might be more clear.
Synthesis. This process involves connecting together
the scattered elements in a particular experience
which brings into light new patterns and facts.

8. PROBLEMS OF PHILOSOPHY
Philosophical Problems are General Problems
Different types of questions give rise to the
problems of different sciences. For example, if it
is asked whether two and two make four, it is a
problem for mathematics. Similarly, the political,
economic and social problems fall within the
scope of political science, economics and
sociology, respectively.
For example, questions like; what is space? What
is time? What is beauty? What is right?
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9. Types of Philosophical Problems
(1) Metaphysical Problems. Metaphysics is the
science of existence or Reality. Its main problems
are: What is Reality? Is the world one or many?
What are the fundamental characteristics of
creation? What is space? What is time? What is
matter? What is relation? What is cause and
effect? What is the purpose of creation? Is the
world progressing? Is there a God? Is change
real or unreal? In brief, metaphysics discusses
the three aspects of Reality viz., the world, the
self, and the God.
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10. (2) Epistemological Problems. Epistemology is
the science of knowledge and truth. Its problems
are the fundamental problems of the process of
knowledge. It is not strange that though so many
thinkers are busy in the acquisition of knowledge,
not many think over the general questions
concerning the nature of knowledge, its limits and
the relation of knower with the known? These
questions are raised in epistemology. Therefore,
epistemology provides the basic foundation of
knowledge. For example, an epistemological
problem is concerning the question whether one
knows the object outside him or only the content
of his mind.
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11. (3) Logical Problems. Logic is the science of
methods of thought and the implication of
judgment. It studies the structure of thought, its
laws and fallacies. What is thought? What is its
relation with Nature? How does mind solve a
problem? What are the natural methods of
thinking? What is definition, hypothesis, division,
explanation etc.? How can we arrive atthe
meanings of a proposition?
(4) Problems of Semantics. Semantics is the
science of the meaning of words. It is concerned
with the question about the relation of words and
objects. In other words, it is a science of meaning
of language.
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12. (5) Philosophy of Science. Philosophy is intimately
connected with sciences and discusses their
problems of general nature. For example, all the
sciences believe in the postulate of causality. The
philosophy of science critically discusses the concept
of causality and finds out its truth and limitations. The
philosophy of science also critically examines different
scientific methods used in different sciences and finds
out conditions in which they are valid. The philosophy
of science is mainly concerned with developing a
world-view based on the conclusions of different
sciences.
(6) Axiological Problems. Philosophy is very much
concerned with value Axiology is the science of value.
It discusses value from the philosophical point of view.
Its main problems are: What is value? What are the
fundamental values? What is good? What is beauty?
What is art etc.
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13. (7) Problems of Aesthetics. Aesthetics is the
philosophical study of beauty. Art creates beauty.
Hence, the nature of art is an aesthetic problem.
This, in its turn, raises many questions such as:
Does art lie in the artist or in his creation of art? Is
there beauty in music, drama, picture, statue,
dance, woman or is it in our mind? The artist
creates beauty, then is it in the content of his
mind?
(8) Ethical Problems. Ethics is the science of
good, the right and wrong. Its main problems are:
What is right? What is wrong? What is good?
What is conscience? What is responsibility? What
are rights and duties and what is their
interrelations? What is justice and how it can be
attained? Thus, ethics discusses the ultimate
good and explains rights and duties in its light.
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14. (9) Problems of Philosophy of Religion.
Philosophy of religion, as is clear by the title,
raises philosophical problems in the field of
religion. For example: Is there a common element
in different religions? What are the fundamental
elements of religion? What is the relation of
religion with ethics? How far is religion based on
Reality? What is God? Is God one or many?
(10) Problems of Social Sciences. While
philosophy of science discusses problems of
physical sciences, different branches of
philosophy have been developed for discussing
different problems of social sciences.
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15. BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
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Epistemology
Philosophy is the search for knowledge.
 Metaphysics
This is the study of existence, reality or
essence.
Its main branches are as follows:
o (i) Cosmogony. This is a study of creation. Is
the world created, or is it eternal?
o (ii) Cosmology. The main problems of
cosmology are: Is the world one or it many, or
is it both one and many?

16. Continued
o (iii) Ontology. Ontology is the study of
ultimate reality.
o (iv) Philosophy of self. This is mainly
concerned with the philosophical
analysis of self.
o (v) Eschatology. The discussion of the
condition of soul after death, the nature
of the other world, etc., form the subject
matter of this branch of philosophy.
Axiology
This branch of philosophy
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17. Continued
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Axiology has been divided into the following three
branches:
o (i) Ethics. Ethics discusses the criteria of right and
good.
o (ii) Aesthetics. Aesthetics discusses the nature and
criteria of beauty.
o (iii) Logic studies truth. The subject matter of logic
includes the methods of judgment, types of
proposition, hypothesis, definition, comparison,
division, classification and fundamental laws of
thoughts, etc.
Philosophy of Sciences
This branch of philosophy is concerned with the
philosophical examination of the postulates and
conclusions of different sciences.