WHAT PHILOSOPHY MEANS

Some Common Love of Asking Philosophy as

Meanings Wisdom Framewok an Activity
Questions
Ideas, views, Pythagoras, Dynamic
principles Socrates, and
Pato vs. the Foundational
Sophists Questions

Reasoning Traits of a Wise Person Creative

[1] knows one's ignorance External
[2] has justified true beliefs Questions
[3] knows what is valuable in
Academic life Critical
[4] puts knowledge into
Course/Degree
actions
[5] knows what should be
done and acts accordingly
“Philosophy beliefs and principles
in/of life?” (such as ethical rules)

“Philosophy of
Something”
If philosophy is the activity of a philosopher, then philosophy
is the activity of the “Pilosopo.”

Who is the pilosopo?

one who likes to reason out or to
engage in the activity of reasoning.
Purposes of:
[a] Covering up an obvious truth.
[b] Annoying someone.
[c] Engaging someone in an unwelcome argumentation.
-one studies reasoning skills and different theories about the
nature of reality, morality, society, and justice, religious
beliefs, and knowledge, among others.

WHAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM THESE

COMMON MEANINGS OF PHILOSOPHY?
DO THEY TELL US THE TRUE NATURE OF
PHILOSOPHY?
 WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
philia =love

PHILOSOPHY LOVE OF WISDOM

sophia =wisdom

LOVE
=strong desire for a particular object.

WISDOM
=correct application of knowledge.
 • first used the term “philosophy or philosophus.”
• mythic to rational; struggle to be a philosopher since truth is not
easy to attain.
• preferred to be called a “philosopher” rather than a sophist.

-were a group of intellectuals who taught oratory for a

PYTHAGORAS FEE to individuals aspiring to have a successful career
in politics.
-they believed that all truths are relative in that all
truths are determined by or are based on human
interests.
-there is NO truth that holds for all humans.

PROGATORAS: “Man is the measure of all things.”

 TRAITS/ELEMENTS OF WISE PERSON
[1] One who is aware of (or who knows) what he knows & what he does not know.
-aware of his ignorance.

[2] holds beliefs that are not only true but which he can also justify.
-strong reasons to have these beliefs.

[3] knows a lot about things that are valuable in life.

[4] can put his knowledge to practical use.

-he knows how to apply his knowledge to practical matter.

[5] does not only know what is true, but also knows what is good or what ought to be done in a given
situation & he acts accordingly.
-he knows which actions are good & he performs them.
Framework or foundational questions
questions that are directed at our frameworks,
generally referring to our belief systems or
worldviews (or conceptual schemes) which
serve as the bases or foundations of our
interpretation of the things and events in the
world and how we make sense of our lives in
relation to our natural & social environments.
• PERENNIAL SEARCH: seek to uncover universal truths and
insights that transcend cultural, historical, and individual
differences.
[a] INTERNAL Questions
✓questions that we ask as we use or apply.
✓can be answered using the rules & concepts of the
framework.
✓(e.g. What are the causes earthquake?)
✓applies scientific framework.
[b] EXTERNAL Questions
RUDOLF CARNAP
✓questions that we ask about a framework itself.
✓they cannot be answered using the rules & concepts of
the framework.
✓(e.g. What is the nature of causation?)
✓puts the framework into question.
 “A historian may ask what happened at some
time in the past, but a philosopher will ask,
“What is time?” A mathematician may
investigate the relations among numbers, but
a philosopher will ask, “What is a number?” A
physicist will ask what atoms are made of or
what explains gravity, but a philosopher will
ask how we can know there is anything
THOMAS NAGEL outside of our own minds. A psychologist may
investigate how children learn a language,
but a philosopher will ask, “What makes a
word mean anything?” Anyone can ask
whether it's wrong to sneak into a movie
without paying, but a philosopher will ask,
“What makes an action right or wrong?”
 TWO (2) WAYS OF
UNDERSTANDING PHILOSOPHY

[1] Philosophy as a collection

“Philosophy is theories (philosophical
not a body of theories).
-end-products of
doctrine but philosophizing.
LUDWIG WITTGENSTEIN
an activity.” [2] As an activity.
-engages in very process of
philosophizing.
-it does not stop in certain results; it
continues to search for new and
better solution to the problem.
-it leads to the formulation of
new and better frameworks or
perspectives.
-it examines & analyzes the
assumptions of our frameworks
or perspectives of things.
WHAT IS THE REAL
DEFINITION OF
PHILOSOPHY?
 WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
philia =love

PHILOSOPHY LOVE OF WISDOM

sophia =wisdom

LOVE
=strong desire for a particular object.

WISDOM
=correct application of knowledge.
1. Philosophy as a Science.
2. Philosophy as a Science of All Things .
3. Philosophy as Science of All Things
Through Its Ultimate Causes and
Principles.
4.Philosophy as Science of All Things
Through Its Ultimate Causes Acquired
through the Use of Natural Reason.
PHILOSOPHY =science that studies beings in their ultimate causes, reason,
and principles through the aid of human reason alone.

BEING/BEINGS =all thing that exist: material or immaterial

notion of
GOD
SOUL
SPIRIT
BASIC QUESTIONS IN PHILOSOPHY
• What is the origin of the world, of everything that exists?

• Why do these things exist, rather than not exist at all?

• Is there God? If so, how can we justify the goodness of God

in the face of evil?

• What is the meaning and purpose of life? Why do we have

to suffer?

• If one is suffering from an unbearable pain, such as cancer,

is it morally right to resort to euthanasia or assisted suicide?
 MAJOR BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
Metaphysics Epistemology

PHILOSOPHY

Logic
Ethics
 METAPHYSICS foundation of Philosophy.
Aristotle
METAPHYSICS IS
THE FIRST
meta physika PHILOSOPHY!
(beyond/after) (physical/nature)
-study of things beyond the physical;
concepts or things that cannot be
experienced.
GENERAL METAPHYSICS /ONTOLOGY
SPECIAL METAPHYSICS
• Cosmology • Psychology or Anthropology
• Natural Theology or Theodicy
 ONTOLOGYor GENERAL METAPHYSICS
LOGOS AS REASON
OR THE
onto logos UNDERLYING
(being or that which is) (study) PRINCIPLE OF ALL
THAT IS.
=studies beings in their ultimate cause, reason & principles
through the aid of reason alone.
BASIC QUESTIONS IN ONTOLOGY
• What is Heraclitus
• being?
Why do things exist, rather than not exist at all?
• What is the meaning & nature of
reality?
• What is the underlying principle of all that exist?
• Is there
nothing?
SPECIAL METAPHYSICS
kosmos =world -studies the world (or universe)
COSMOLOGY including its origin, dynamic, & characteristics,
as well as the laws that govern its order.
logos =study

BASIC QUESTIONS IN COSMOLOGY

• What is the origin of the world?
• What is the basic material of which the world
is formed?
• How do things arise?
• In what consists its fundamental form or principle of
• order?
Is the world or universe
infinite?
 psyche =soul -study of the nature & dynamic of the
=mind
PSYCHOLOGY human person as a whole,
with emphasis on the way the person's
logos =study mind function & the way s/he behaves.

BASIC QUESTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGY

• What is the nature of the human person?
• Is there such things as human nature?
• What is the meaning & purpose, if any, of
life?
• Is there life after death?
• How do we account for the existence of sufferings in the world?
THEODICYor NATURAL THEOLOGY
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
theos =God

study of God.
justification of the goodness of God in
the face of the existence of evil.
BASIC QUESTIONS IN THEODICY
• Is there God? 1710 work: Théodicée
• What & who is God if He exist at all?
• How do we prove the existence of God?
• If God exists, how do we justify the existence of evil & suffering in the
world?
• Does a belief in God really necessary?
 episteme =knowledge

EPISTEMOLOGY -study of the nature & scope of

knowledge & justified belief.
logos =study

BASIC QUESTIONS IN EPISTEMOLOGY

• What is knowledge?
• What do we know?
• How is knowledge acquired?
• What are the structures & limits of
• knowledge?
What makes justified beliefs justified?
LOGIC
logos =science of correct thinking.

study of the principles & criteria of a valid argument.

distinguish sound or good reasoning from unsound or bad
reasoning.
BASIC QUESTIONS IN LOGIC
• What is correct reasoning?
• What distinguishes a good argument from a bad one?
• How can we detect a fallacy in argument?
• What are the criteria in determining the validity of an argument?
• What are the types of logic?
ETHICS ETHICS MORALITY

ethos =custom or habit.

theory practice
morality of human actions.
how human ought to act, & the search for a definition of a right conduct, & good
life.
BASIC QUESTIONS IN ETHICS
• What is a right conduct that which causes the realization of the greatest good?

• How do we determine a right conduct?

In other words, what makes a right conduct right?
• What is a good life and can we attain it?
• What is the difference between human act & actions that are based on
instinct?
• What do people think is right?
 DOING
PHILOSOPHY
DOING PHILOSOPHY
-to ask (valid and intelligent)
questions, to reflect, and to
formulate and evaluate
arguments.
• WANDER TO WONDER
• STUPEFACTION (BEING STUPEFIED) –
• MUTHOS (STORY) TO LOGOS perplexed/confused (not in a negative
(REASON) work); but becomes the reinforcement
to be completely mesmerized that one
should ask a question.

• QUESTIONING:
QUESTIONS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANSWERS
BECAUSE ANSWERS THEMSELVES WILL IN TURN BECOME
QUESTIONS. (Karl Jaspers)

• PERENNIAL SEARCH:

Again, it reflects the timeless curiosity of

humans and their attempts to make sense
of the world and their place in it.
*In this way, one does not necessarily
have to be a graduate of philosophy
degree in order for one to do
philosophy. Anybody can do philosophy
as long as s/he raises valid and
intelligent questions, reflects
meditatively, and argues in a logical
manner.
Philosophical Reflection as a tool in doing
philosophy...
NECESSARY SKILLS NEEDED IN DOING PHILOSOPHY

Philosophical Reflection Construction and evaluation

of argument.

-enables us to look deeper into -allows us to express our ideas in a

our experiences and see the systematic and logical way;
bigger picture of reality. allows us to examine the ideas
of other people.
KEY POINTS IN THE CHAPTER (LESSONS)
• The transition of worldview from a mythico-poetic
perspective to reason is crucial in the actual understanding
of ø.
• The philosophical process, though resembling the rigors of
the sciences, is still different and unique.
• There are two definitions of ø: one is lexical (etymological)
& the other is academic. Both are important, as one shows
the history of the word as a world itself, while the other
proves its place among other disciplines.
• The significance of ø is not just that it is consistent, but it is
also time immemorial.