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Module 2: METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIZING

Lesson 1: Understanding Truth and Opinion
• Learning Competency: Distinguish opinion from truth. (PPT11/12-Ic-2.1)
• Activity 1. Check Me!
Which of the following statement are obviously true? Which of the statements are required more
thoughts to determine their truthfulness? Mark (/) if it is opinion or truth.

Difference between opinion and truth

• What is opinion?
• is a belief, impression or judgment about something by not necessarily based on fact.
• it prevails personal view of a person.
• What is truth?
• it is something that has been proven by facts or sincerity.
• in science, truth is based on facts-as something that is observable
in philosophy ,truth is considered as a kind of quality and value.
• What is opinion?
• is a belief, impression or judgment about something by not necessarily based on fact.
• it prevails personal view of a person.
• What is truth?
• it is something that has been proven by facts or sincerity.
• in science, truth is based on facts-as something that is observable
• in philosophy ,truth is considered as a kind of quality and value.
• I know that…
• I know why…
• I know how…
• Comprises our knowledge- pertains to ideas and beliefs that we know to be true. Explain,
identify, give examples, points out, relate to concepts and etc.
• Rene Descartes- Doubt everything that can be doubted.
• Systematic doubt-truth. Sufficient reason.
What is truth?
1. A belief is true if it can be justified or proven through the use of one’s senses. Example: I
am alive. I have a body. I can breath. –Doubt
• Am I alive? Do I have a body? Can I breath?
2. A belief or statement is true if it is based on facts. Example: I am a Filipino. Check
dictionary.
3. Getting a consensus or having people agree on a common belief.
4. A statement should be proven through an action to determine its truth. Example : baking
cake.
5. Claims and belief should be subjected to test to determine truth. Example is passing the
exam.
Try this to test.
1. I am a good student. Apply systematic doubt.
2. IF YOU WOULD BE A REAL SEEKER AFTER TRUTH, IT IS NECESSARY THAT AT
LEAST ONCE IN YOUR LIFE YOU DOUBT, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, ALL THINGS. RENE
DESCARTES.
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Why truth is important?

• Truth is important to clarify knowledge, since it is through knowing that we are able to
determine what is true, while talking about Knowledge, it is the clear awareness and
understanding of anything that surrounds you. It is a product of questions that allow for
clear answers provided by facts. Our knowledge is comprised of ideas and beliefs that we
know to be true.
• Take for instance, “No bird have no wings”. This statement simply means that we know
what is an observable or evident in a real world- that is based on reality so this is
proposition and this statement is considered as facts. Fact is a statement which are
observable to be real or truthful. We all know and see that all the birds have wings.
• There are also statements that need to have further examination to establish whether it is
true or false. For instance; “my man is the best and the smartest” .This statement is not
evidently or immediately known to be true, it needs further investigation or examination to
see that this statement is true or false. This statement is opinion. Opinion can be proven by
verification and experimentation in order to find that the statement is true or false. Please
work out the exercise below:
• Complete the given phrase:
• I know that _________________________________________________________
• I believe that _______________________________________________________
How do you know if something is true?
• How do you know if something is true?
• You assumed that everything you know about in this world is true, through your senses and
beliefs. But as philosophers, you do not assumed that every statement is true. You need to
analyze or investigate or have own investigation to better understand the means by which
you gain knowledge and determine the truth about everything. Doubt drives your desires to
discover the truth. There should be sufficient reasons and evidences taken to prove that it is
true.
Ways on Determining Truth
• A belief is true if it can be justified or proven through the use of one’s senses. Let’s have a
sample statements:
• Ana is the only beautiful classmate that I have.
• Prove that Ana is beautiful by writing it in one sentence below.
• I am a Filipino.
• How will you prove that you are a Filipino? Answer that in just one sentence.
Are you now convinced that you call yourself a Filipino Citizen? If not, you can use other
mean.
• A belief or statement is true if it is based on facts.
• This is another bases of determining truth. If you think that there are still doubt in your mind,
you can do an investigation to some other experts or research to fully seek the truth. You
can try the following:
• Look for your birth certificate. This is an official document to prove that you are really a
Filipino Citizen.
• Ask your biological parents and other relatives. This is to prove that they are the witnesses
that you are really a Filipino Citizen.
• Write your answer in your activity notebook the information presented in the birth certificate
and the information given by your parents regarding your citizenship.
• Getting a consensus or having people agree on a common belief.
• This is getting everyone to agree on something with nobody opposing or against on that
statement. Based on the previous example, by looking at your birth certificate, since it is an
official documents that is issued by the institution of the government it shows factual
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information, the entries it bears are truthful. And if your biological parents and relatives
agreeing that you are truly a Filipino Citizen, this is way in determining what is true.
• Statements can also be true through actions.
• For instance, your best-friend tells you that he/she knows how to cook a menudo. Do you
believe his/her statement instantly? Or might you ask him/her to perform the cooking. Then
let you taste the menudo if the taste is delicious or not. If the taste of the menudo is
delicious, then that would be the time that you believe him/her that he/she really knows how
to cook menudo.
Activity 2: Transformation!
• The statements below are examples of opinions. Transform them into truth? Write your
answer in your activity notebook.

Lesson 2. Distinguishing Truth from Opinion

• Learning Competency: Analyzed situations that show the difference between opinion and
truth (PPT11/12-Id-2.2)
• Activity 1: Recall
• Based on what you have encountered in everyday conversations give at least 3 example of
opinions and facts on what you have heard and seen.

• Analyzing closely the statements, it is observable that statements in the first

column are truth because they contain ideas or information which are easily verifiable, while
statements in the second column are opinions since they need further facts which will
provide conclusion and beliefs in the given situation.
• Conclusion is a statement based on a certain fact. Beliefs are statements that express
convictions that are not easily and clearly explained by facts. For example, if your mother
states that “God created everything that is present in this entire world”, proving that this
statement is considered as truth, you need other person’s views and experiences.
Explanations are statements claiming to be true and provides reasons to make the
statements true.
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• My brother is a selfless person because he gave me the last piece of bread even though he
hasn’t eaten yet.
• My brother gave me the last piece of bread.
Facts are basis of determining truth.
-Factual, undisputed, objective, universal, exact and constant are manifestations of truth. It implies
that it can be proven as true. Knowledge must be truthful to gain validity and acceptance.
Lesson 3. Difference Between
Fallacy and Bias
• Arguments are series of statements that provide explanations to convince the listener or a
reader that the opinion is truthful.
• Types of Arguments
• Fallacy or Fake argument (maling pangangatuwiran)– are group of statements that appear
to be arguments to support the conclusion.
• Example:
• There is no hope in the Philippine government, because it is tropical country.
• What makes the statement fallacious? It is fallacious because climate has nothing to do
with the hope of Philippine government.
• Bias – refers tendencies or influences which affect the views of the people. When looking at
an opinion you must be aware of bias so that you can objectively and critically examined
points of view.

Types of Fallacy
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• Let us imagine several individuals reacting to news on the television and radio about the
SAME SEX MARRIAGE that is being proposed in the congress. Let’s analyze the opinions
of these individuals.
• Father Nael: (Priest)
• It’s not allowed to marry with the same sex. Married is for a man and a woman. This is a
sacred ceremony for a couple that promise and exchange vows before the Lord. They
disobeyed the commandments of the Lord. God created man for woman.
• Mrs. Casiana: (Member in the society)
• It is awkward to hear that same sexes were married. How could they produce children?
Even though they loved each other, but for me it is a mistake.
• Mr. Serge: (Gay)
• I agree on these proposal, in a sense that I could feel secured and have peace of mind.
And I would also feel full of happiness because my love one and I will live together in a
legal way.
• Ms. Emyang: (Lesbian)
• It is alright for me. There’s no such mistake of having an affair with same sex, because we
cannot resist that love that we felt, whatever gender it is, as long as you live with her with
happiness and feel comfortable of being companion, well it’s good. So much good if you
both live in a legal way or have married legally.
• Ms. Jennifer: (Parent of a gay)
• If that proposal would be a law, I would just let my son -gay to marry a man if he thinks that
a man is meant for him. As long as they know their limitations and overcome the
consequences in their relationship. I would agree just for him to be happy.
Activity 2: My Personal Insights:
• After reading the six arguments on the given issues above, which do you think the
best argument and why? Write your answer in your Reflection notebook.
What I Can Do?
• Visit to your market in your locality, make an observations on the vendors who are selling
products and advertising its benefit. The vendor convinces people to purchase the product.
• How will you determine the truth of the claims given? Write your observations in your
activity notebook.
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What have I learned?

• The truth that we are looking for could be determine because it is situated at the heart of
inquiry.
• Fact is a statement which are observable to be real or truthful, while claim is the statement
that is not evidently or immediately known to be true, it needs further investigation or
examination to see it that this statement is true or false.
• All Philosophers only accept things as facts if it observable fact or it is an empirical facts or
reality. In Philosophy, opinion, conclusion, beliefs, explanations, arguments are of utmost
importance in understanding philosophical argument.
• Not all argument are genuine, some are fake or fallacious and some are bias. This means
that they are products of faulty reasoning. We must be aware of the various kinds of
fallacies as these affect the validity of arguments. We must also be aware of bias so that we
can objectively and critically examined points of view.
• The different issues in our lives could be examined through Philosophy. An objective
evaluation of opinions and an awareness of our own personal biases can help us make
wise choices regarding the most acceptable views to adopt the right actions to undertake.