This module introduces philosophy and the process of doing philosophy. It aims to help students understand the meaning of philosophy, develop a holistic perspective, and reflect philosophically on concrete experiences. The document defines philosophy etymologically as the love of wisdom and outlines the objectives of understanding definitions, distinguishing perspectives, and realizing philosophy's value. It also introduces key philosophers like Pythagoras, Socrates, and Aristotle and discusses branches of philosophy like logic, ethics, and metaphysics.

1. MODULE 1: DOING
PHILOSOPHY
By: Sir Dado

2. OVERVIEW:
This module is designed for the learner
to understand the meaning and
process of doing philosophy. It aimed
also for the learner to reflect on a
concrete experience in a philosophical
way.

3. OBJECTIVES:
Before the end of the chapter, the students will learn to;
1. define the true meaning of philosophy both etymologically and
nominally;
2. distinguish a holistic perspective from a partial point of view;
3. realize the value of doing philosophy in obtaining a broad
perspective of life; and
4. do a philosophical reflection on a concrete situation from a holistic
perspective.

4. What makes man
happy?

5. Lesson 1:
What is Philosophy

6. Philosophy
The use of the term philosophy is attributed
to Pythagoras as he said to be the first to use
it when he differentiated the three classes of
the people who attend the ancient Olympic
Games as (1) lovers of gain; (2) lovers of
honor; and (3) lovers of knowledge or
wisdom.

7. Philosophy
The word philosophy is derived from
philosophia which is combination of the
Greek terms philos (love) and Sophia
(wisdom). Thus, philosophy means “love of
wisdom.”

8. Philosophy
Philosophers are especially interested in the
arguments (reasons) offered to support our ideas.
“Philosophy” proper consists of the systematic,
comprehensive study of certain questions that
center on meaning, interpretation, evaluation,
and logical or rational consistency.

9. Philosophy
We sometimes, perhaps wrongly, use the term
“philosophy” to refer to a person’s code of values
or the beliefs by which they live (such as “Abby’s
philosophy of cooking”).

10. Etymological Definition of
Philosophy
Philosophy comes from the two Greek words
philein which means love and sophia which
means wisdom. Love (Greek word is eros)
connotes intimacy. To describe the persons who
are in love, they want to cling to the beloved.
Philein is a desire to search the beloved fueled by
strong emotion.

11. Etymological Definition of
Philosophy
Wisdom (Greek word is Sophia) means an
insight, skill or intelligence. In Greek mythology,
Coeus (Greek word is Koios), the god of
intelligence is described as due to his inquisitive
mind and desire to learn, he gained knowledge
and understanding able to see beyond the
obvious.

12. History of Philosophy
PYTHAGORAS - Ionian Greek Philosopher
First person to name himself a philosopher
or lover of wisdom
Known for his Pythagorean Theorem in
Geometry

13. History of Philosophy
THALES OF MILETUS
First person to explain the world and
universe outside mythological concepts
He explained that are the world was made
up of “water”
Teacher of Pythagoras

14. History of Philosophy
HERACLITUS
He believed that the world originated from
the fire element

15. History of Philosophy
SOCRATES
First moral philosopher
Known for Socratic Method
Teacher of Plato
“stresses that man must take good care of
its soul”
“all human beings desire the good”

16. History of Philosophy
PLATO
Student of Socrates and Teacher of Aristotle
Founder of the Academy of Athens
“the soul is immortal, even physical ceased to
exist”
Existence o abstracts objects
“virtue is knowledge”
The soul is the principle which explains all life

17. History of Philosophy
ARISTOTLE
Student of Plato and Teacher of Alexander
the Great
On his treatise, Peri Psyche, the soul is
divided into three types and each according
to each living being

18. Two Kinds of Wisdom
1. Divine wisdom
This is different from the wisdom of man.
The divine wisdom is a gift from God.

19. Characteristics of Divine
Wisdom:
1. From Above - It is a gift from above.
2. Pure - Free from stains and evil thoughts.
3. Peaceable - Free from strife or disorder.
4. Gentle - It is considerate or kindly in
disposition; amiable and tender. Not harsh or
severe; mild and soft.

20. Characteristics of Divine
Wisdom:
5. Open to Reason - It is willing to listen to
logical or sensible thinking.
6. Full of Mercy - It is treating people with
kindness and forgiveness.
7. Impartial - It is treating or affecting everybody
equally.
8. Full of Good Fruits - It is meant the produce of
our lives.

21. Two Kinds of Wisdom
b. Human wisdom
It is the quality of having an experience,
knowledge, and good judgment; the
quality of being wise. In Philosophy, we
define wisdom as a right application of
knowledge.

22. Two Kinds of Wisdom
b. Human wisdom
Human wisdom requires the element of
human experience because from
experience we gain knowledge.

23. Wisdom and Knowledge
Knowledge is something we gain from
experience. Let us give example. Reading
book is an experience. And from that
experience we gain knowledge.

24. Wisdom and Knowledge
And many other experiences like watching
movie, attending seminars, listening to the
radio, reading books, etc. To recognize a
person with diploma, certificates are
indicators of a knowledge.

25. Wisdom and Knowledge
Wisdom is deeper than knowledge. Which
means after gaining knowledge of something
from experience, a correct and right
application of this knowledge must be done.
Wisdom is the mother of morality.

26. Examples of Philosophical
Questions
There has never been an absolute answer to
questions on philosophical subjects such as the
following:
• What is knowledge?
• What is the nature of the self?
• Does God exist?
• What is the standard of beauty?
• Is there a universal morality?

27. Examples of Philosophical
Questions
What is the meaning of life?
Could a parent ever be morally justified in
letting her child starve to death?
Why do innocent people suffer?
Is it rational to believe something when all
evidence is to the contrary?

28. Examples of Philosophical
Questions
Is everything a matter of opinion?
Did philosophy originate in Africa, China,
or Greece?
What is the best form of government?
Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?
Do women and men think in different
ways?

29. The Branches of Philosophy
A. Logic (Greek word is "logos") - the science of
correct reasoning.
B. Philosophy of Human Person - (Greek word is
"prosopon" which means person) - the science of
the study of man in relation to his own destiny, God,
and to his fellowmen. What is the meaning of his
life? Questions about death and freedom are also
entertained in this branch.

30. The Branches of Philosophy
C. Cosmology (Greek word is kosmos "world", and
"logia " which means "study of) - the science of
inanimate objects. Based on study, these lifeless
beings contribute to man's search for meaning.
D. Metaphysics (Greek word is meta, means "beyond",
"upon" or "after"; and "physika" means physics) - is
the science of being.

31. The Branches of Philosophy
E. Ethics (Greek word is "ethikos" which means custom
or character - is the science of the morality of
human act. Morality means the quality of an action
whether it is right or wrong.
F. Aesthetics (Greek word is "aisthetikos" which means
sensitive, sentient, pertaining to sense perception) -
the science of art and beauty.

32. The Branches of Philosophy
G. Psychology (Greek word is "psyche"' which means
breath, soul or spirit and "logos" means study) - the
science of human behavior.
H. Epistemology (Greek word is "episteme" means
knowledge) - is a science of the theory of
knowledge.

33. The Branches of Philosophy
I. Social Philosophy (Greek word is "koino-r-nikos" means
group or associate) - is a science of principles governing
human relations:
J. Theodicy (Greek word is "Theos" means God; and "dike" ]
means study) - the science of the study of God. It studies
about proving God's existence through the use of human
reason. Theology, on the other hand, discusses about God
but they use faith and tradition in order to arrive into
conclusion.

34. In their Ultimate Cause
This is the goal of every philosophical inquiry. Goal
means the aim or purpose to where should the
endeavor end. To achieve this goal, a philosopher will
utilize a method that will enhance one's critical and
analytical thinking skills. This is the one we call
wisdom in the etymological definition of philosophy.

35. In their Ultimate Cause
Aristotle (Born 384 - died 322 BC) was a Greek
philosopher and scientist born in the city of Stagira in
the Northern periphery of Classical Greece. He
discussed the four kinds of cause. A cause explains
the accounts for something. Meaning, x is the cause
of y. And x explains the existence of y. He explains the
four kinds of causes.

36. Four Kinds of Causes
1. Material Cause - this refers to the material composition
of an object. What is the object made of?
2. Formal Cause - is a term describing the pattern or
form which when present makes matter into a
particular type of thing, which we recognize as being
of that particular type. It answers the question: What
makes this object different from the others?

37. Four Kinds of Causes
3. Efficient Cause - this is equivalent to that
who/which causes change and motion to start or
stop (such as a painter painting the house). It
answers the question: Who made it?
4. Final Cause - is defined as the purpose, end, aim, or
goal of something. It answers the question: Why is
it made?

38. Through the Aid of Human
Reason
Reason
- is the capacity to make things sensibly and
consciously applying logic, establishing and verifying
facts, and changing or justifying practices. Human
reason is associated with thinking, cognition, and
intellect.

39. Some Thoughts about Human
Reason:
1. If we use reason well, our life becomes well
organized.
2. Reason is the characteristic of human nature.
3. The highest form of human happiness or well-being
(eudaimonia) as a life is to live consistently,
excellently and completely in accordance with
reason.

40. Some Thoughts about Human
Reason:
4. Reason is the distinguishing mark between us and
the brutes. Brutes are lower animals like dogs, cats
etc. do not think.
5. The ultimate goal of man is to practice and develop
his intellectual capacity to the fullest.

41. Some Thoughts about Human
Reason:
6. Of course, emotions should not be neglected. They
are still part of human life, however, should not
dominate in man's daily activities.
7. Philosophy is the handmaid of Theology. The
weakness of the mind is the strength of our faith.

42. Holistic perspective and Partial
Point of View
At this point, you might be overwhelmed by the
ideas already presented. What you were introduced
to seems to be fragmented. You maybe asking,
“What’s in it for me?”

43. Holistic perspective and Partial
Point of View
A beginner in philosophy like you will have an
effective understanding only if you can make sense of
the different perspectives, can distinguish them from
a partial point of view, and can develop a holistic
perspective to see the whole o bigger picture. This
manner will give you the value of philosophizing.

44. Holistic perspective and Partial
Point of View
The etymology of philosophy (ex. “love of wisdom”)
gives you a clue on how to philosophize. When you
love, you try know everything about that which your
love is directed to.

45. Holistic perspective and Partial
Point of View
At first, you might be interested in knowing the
material or physical manifestations of that thing, but
as your love for it grows deeper, you would want to
know more about it. like being a lover, a philosopher
considers every detail – the partial points of views –
in order to make a synthesis and develop a holistic
perspective.

46. Holistic perspective and Partial
Point of View
Hence, to philosophize is to take part in activities that
do not only give a partial point of view but a holistic
perspective emanating from reflections and analyses.

47. Lesson 1.2:
The Value of
Philosophy

48. Some Problems in Philosophy
Metaphysics
How do you know that you are real? Can you be
certain of your existence? If yes, what is the nature of
yourself? You may perhaps use five senses to validate
your existence by enumerating your physical parts.
You have certain memories and thoughts that are not
as physical as you finger.

49. Some Problems in Philosophy
Metaphysics
Moreover, you could not claim as certain that you
have already seen your whole self-right? Will you
claim that each time you look at the mirror, what you
see is simply a reflection of yourself and not really you
at all?

50. Some Problems in Philosophy
Metaphysics
One of the problems in philosophy is the nature of
appearance and reality. How is matter characterized
and defined? Can there be certainty in the knowledge
of material objects such as a chair? Any description
made about a chair is based on how it is perceived by
the senses.

51. Some Problems in Philosophy
Metaphysics
For example, its color may be judged in terms of how
it appears to any person seeing the object. The
problem arises when you consider the fact that the
idea of color differs for people. On evidence is the
reality that color-blind people do not recognize color
as a noncolor-blind person does.

52. Some Problems in Philosophy
Knowledge
If it seems that reality cannot be known, then what is
it that human beings claim as real? What happens in
trial courts if pieces of evidence that were seen
cannot be relied upon as a real and true? If what are
seen cannot be fully ascertained as real or true, how
are some actions affected if proofs are based on
physical evidence?

53. Some Problems in Philosophy
Knowledge
When you know something, it is expected that you
can verify it. verification is often connected to what is
real and is suggested to be true. Hence, one other
problem of concern for philosophers is the nature of
knowledge and what constitutes it.

54. Some Problems in Philosophy
Knowledge
Is knowledge always true? Can there be false
knowledge? What will make a claim certain? Is there
an absolute truth? Why are there people who claim
that what is true for them is not true for others? Is
truth varied? These questions cannot be disregarded
easily.

55. Some Problems in Philosophy
Ethics
Another problem in philosophy is about ethical
truths. Can there be an objectivity in the rightness or
wrongness of actions that are considered under the
lens of morality? Can a moral law that is true for all
people regardless of qualifications be found?

56. Some Problems in Philosophy
Ethics
It can be said that any conception about reality does
not only affect knowledge as it may also have an
implication toward what people value. Desirable
moral rules may be distinguished from what is
undesirable to achieve the said human end.

57. Some Problems in Philosophy
Ethics
Practicality may dissuade a person from asking these
basic questions and remain limited in the perspectives
of what is only useful and expedient.

58. Some Problems in Philosophy
Ethics
However, a true lover of wisdom will not hide behind
what is already accepted as true. A philosopher will
instead continue to ask and analyze, reflect, and form
more verifiable claims and reduce errors in thinking.

59. The Value of Philosophy
Philosophy, according to Bertrand Russell, primarily
aims at knowledge that gives unity and system to the
body of sciences, and the kind that results from a
critical examination of the grounds of a person’s
convictions, prejudices, and beliefs.

60. The Value of Philosophy
Hence, you can say that philosophy has value in
terms of what it contributes to the quality of
knowledge acquired by the people and how such
knowledge enhances the mind’s ability reason.

61. The Value of Philosophy
Philosophers will claim that philosophical inquiry has
not positively answers to the questions is raised. Since
philosophy can not claim to ascertain truth on some
fundamental questions, then the value of philosophy
cannot be measured by its ability to arrive at a
definite answer.

62. The Value of Philosophy
The value of philosophy is in this uncertainty because
every time one philosophizes and seeks answers, it
opens the person to a wider perspective of the
possible answers that are devoid of dogmatism and
are results of deliberate activity involving reason.

63. The Value of Philosophy
Engaging in philosophy means engaging in
contemplation. This reflective activity is suspending
who you are, what you believe, and what you value.
Remaining in the belief that you hold what is certain
and definite means closing yourself to other
possibilities that may broaden your perspectives.

64. The Value of Philosophy
Because what you believe in are probably practical
and based on experience, philosophical inquiry will
show you that it is also valuable to contemplate on
greater objects of inquiry free from personal or
narrow aims.