MODULE 1: Overview and Brief Introduction to Philosophy

This module will serve as an Introduction to Philosophy for students who never had an
encounter with philosophy before, or serves as a re-view of what philosophy is, for those
who have either only a faint memory of it or whose memory is starting to fade.

The aim of this module is to:

(1) define what is philosophy;
(2) describe the nature of philosophy;
(3) determine the different branches of philosophy; and
(4) point out the importance of philosophizing.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of Module 1, you should be able to:
1. differentiate the main concerns of the different branches of Philosophy;
2. elaborate on the basic themes and perennial questions dealt with in philosophy;
and
3. articulate what it really means to “love wisdom.”

DISCUSSION
 1. Understanding Philosophy

Etymologically, the term “Philosophy” is derived from two Greek words; namely,
„philos‟ and „sophia which means love and wisdom, respectively. Literally, philosophy
means the “Love of Wisdom,” and so „philosophers‟ are considered to be” lovers of
wisdom.”

Philosophy, as a course, is quite different from other academic subjects. No brief

definition can express the richness and variety of philosophy. It is unique both in its
methods and in the nature and breadth of its subject matter. Philosophy delves into the
questions concerning every dimension of human affairs. Its techniques can be applied
to problems in any field of study or endeavor. There are various desirable descriptions of
Philosophy: a) Philosophy is a search for meaning or a quest for understanding; b)
Philosophy is a reasoned pursuit of fundamental truths; c) Philosophy is a study of
principles of conduct; d) Philosophy seeks to establish standards of evidence to provide
rational methods of resolving conflicts, and to create techniques for evaluating ideas
and arguments; e) Philosophy develops the capacity to see the world from the
perspective of other individuals and other cultures; f) Philosophy enhances one's ability
to perceive the relationships among the various fields of study; and, g) Philosophy
deepens one's sense of meaning and variety of human experience.

Every aspect of human experience brings out questions to which its techniques
and theories apply, and its methods may be used in the study of any subject or the
pursuit of any vocation. Indeed, Philosophy is in a sense inescapable since life confronts
every thoughtful person with some philosophical questions, and nearly everyone is
guided by philosophical assumptions. To a large extent one can choose how reflective
one will be in clarifying and developing one's philosophical assumptions, and how well
prepared one is for the philosophical questions life presents. Philosophical training
enhances our problem-solving capacities, our abilities to understand and express ideas,
and our persuasive powers. It also develops understanding and enjoyment of things
whose absence impoverishes many lives such things as aesthetic experience,
communication with many different kinds of people, lively discussion of current issues,
the discerning observation of human behavior, and intellectual zest. In these and other
ways, the study of philosophy contributes immeasurably in both academic and other
endeavors in life.

Philosophy, as a systematic study of ideas and issues, examines concepts and

views drawn from science, art, religion, politics, or any other endeavor. Philosophical
appraisal of ideas and issues takes many forms, but philosophical studies often focus on
the meaning of an idea and on its basis, coherence, and relations to other ideas.
Philosophy, in general, guarantees wisdom, leadership, and an excellent guide for our
genuine existence. Philosophy will never become obsolete as long as there is life.

 2. Approaches in Doing Philosophy

Since time immemorial, people need morality that promotes unity, peace,
harmony and solidarity in community. The moral life is and will always be the concern of
humanity and for as long as people have been living together in groups, the moral
regulation of behavior has been necessary to the group's well-being. Although these
morals were formalized and made into arbitrary standards of conduct, they developed,
sometimes irrationally, after religious taboos were violated, or out of chance behavior
that became habit and then custom, or from laws imposed by chiefs to prevent
disharmony in their tribes. Ancient Egyptian and Sumerian civilizations developed no
systematized ethics; yet, maxims and precepts set down by secular leaders mixed with
a strict religion that affected the Egyptian worldview. In ancient China, the maxims of
Confucius were accepted as a moral code. The Greek philosophers, beginning about
the 6th century BCE, theorized intensively about moral behavior, which led to the
further development of philosophical ethics.

From the Ionians to Socratic Greek world, it was always about the amazement
and wonder of how to live in relation to the environment. As such, these thinkers were
then cosmocentric because they were reflecting on the relation of man to nature.
Medieval life was focused on the relation of man to God thus were theocentric
because they were proving God as the beginning and end of man‟s life. Modern
thinkers were focused on the use of human reasoning and human abilities thus from
then on, the main concern of doing things was anthropocentric because everything is
centered on the human person. Contemporary life or human endeavor today integrate
the moral experience of cosmocentrism, theocentrism, and anthropocentrism. In short,
we cannot deny our human need for nature, interpretation of human experience in
relation to faith towards the Mystery, the Sacred or the Divine Being; and, the need to
bring back the glory of humanity as the center of all human experiences. Practically,
there is no denial of ethical life so that it is important to consider why are there moral
standards and how do they differ from rules of lives. What are moral dilemmas? Why is
freedom crucial in our ability to make moral decisions? What are the advantages of
owning moral standards over merely abiding by moral standards? Let us now look into
the following moral versus non-moral standards, moral dilemmas, three levels of moral
dilemmas and, foundation of morality.

 3. Importance of Philosophy in life

Generally, philosophy is important 1) For acquiring persuasive powers: Philosophy

helps develop one‟s ability and charisma to be more convincing of himself and of
others. 2) For better communication skills: Philosophy helps one to express properly one's
views, enhances one's ability to explain difficult and challenging reading materials, and
helps one to eliminate ambiguities and vagueness from one's writing and speech; 3) For
enhancing better writing skills: Philosophy helps one to use his philosophical reasoning
and imaginations, and express his ideas through writing. Creativity and originality are
also encouraged; 4) For problem solving: Philosophy helps one to distinguish fine
differences between views and to discover common ground between opposing
positions.

Specifically, philosophy is important in educational pursuits. It is very much

beneficial in the pursuit of education: 1) For better understanding of other academic
disciplines: Philosophy is helpful and useful in assessing the various standards of
evidence used by other academic disciplines; 2. For enhancing and developing sound
methods of research and analysis: Philosophy emphasizes clear formulation of ideas
and problems, selection of relevant data, and objective methods for assessing ideas
and proposals, 3. For those undergraduates who wants to pursue post- graduate
studies: Philosophy, as a course, is a good preparation for post-graduate degrees such
as Law, Medicine, Master in Business Administration, Master in Public Administration,
Master in Educational Management, and other master‟s program.

Philosophy is also important in non-academic careers: 1) For personal

development; Philosophy helps one to gain better self-knowledge, better foresight, and
a better sense of direction in life; 2) For professional advancement and promotion:
People trained in philosophy are not only prepared to do many kinds of tasks; they can
also easily cope with change, or even move into new careers, more readily than others.
A recent long-term study by the Bell Telephone Company, determined that majors in
liberal arts fields, in which philosophy is a central discipline, "continue to make a strong
showing in managerial skills and have experienced considerable business success"
(Career Patterns, by Robert E. Beck).