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INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

2nd-SUMMATIVE-TEST-REVIEWER

Lesson 4: Philosophical Reflection MORAL THEOLOGY employs the STOP sign as

guidepost of moral decision making.

Reflection is an activity that requires a person • S = Search out the facts.

to examine his or her thoughts, feelings and • T = Think, reflect and analyze the facts,
actions and learn from experience. its negative or positive effects,
Thoughts – Cognitive or mental state advantages or disadvantages.

Feelings – Emotional state • O = how it affects Others

Actions – represent to the physical • P = Pray

manifestation or expression of your thoughts
and feelings.

➢ According to Gabriel Marcel,

Lesson 5: Knowledge and Truth
philosophical reflection is the act of
giving time to think about the meaning People are already relying on knowledge
and purpose of life. for their survival.
➢ One can reflect on almost any subject.
➢ Philosophical Reflection allows us to Without knowledge on how to create a fire,
have opportunities to think more how to cook one’s food, how to build a
deeply about our action, our shelter, we would still be in a prehistoric
motivations for doing such action, and cave.
even its possible consequences. Knowledge enables the humankind to
➢ Philosophical Reflection helps us survive, thrive, and advance throughout
understand ourselves and our actions history. The development and application of
better. When we reflect, we can judge knowledge has allowed us human to adapt
whether our actions or decisions are to our environment, overcome challenges,
reasonable or not. improve our quality of life.

TWO TYPES OF REFLECTION EPISTEMOLOGY - deals with the nature of

1. PRIMARY REFLECTION knowledge and knowing. It is a science
- is a scientific and logical way of looking at devoted to the discovery of the proper
the world or things. It is more objective, it method of acquiring and validating
attempts to be neutral, often disregard knowledge
personal elements.
2. SECONDARY REFLECTION The purpose of epistemology:
- It is more subjective; it involves personal 1. To show how we can acquire
dimension of human experiences. Asking knowledge.
what does this mean to me? Rather than just
“what is this?” focusing on what its meaning 2. To give us a method of
to u as individual. demonstrating whether the
knowledge we acquired is
really knowledge.
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INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
2nd-SUMMATIVE-TEST-REVIEWER

KNOWLEDGE is the clear awareness and DOMAINS OF TRUTH

understanding of something.

• it is provided by facts 1. Objective/Scientific domain

• It is based on reality • related to scientific truths
• It is observable and evident on • pertains to the natural world that
the real world maintains a relative independence from
HOW DO WE ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE the perspective and attitude of human
beings that perceived them.
1. Empiricism – by senses
2. Social domain
2. Rationalism – by mind/intellectual thinking
• Truth is related to a general agreement
1. EMPIRICISM- EMPIRICISTS: or consensus on what is right as
We can acquire 1. John Locke opposed to what is wrong.
knowledge using our
SENSES. 2. George Berkley • Based on norms (standard of acceptable
behavior in society)
3. David Hume
2. RATIONALISM- RATIONALIST: 3. Personal domain
We can acquire 1. Rene Descartes • Truth is related to “SINCERITY”
knowledge by
thinking with the use 2. Baruch Spinoza • consistent to inner thoughts and
of our MINDS; intentions needs to establish “trust”
knowledge comes 3. Gottfried Wilhelm
from intellectual Leibniz TRUTH AND JUSTIFICATION
reasoning. • TRUTH (according to Richard Rorty) -
has passed the “procedures of
justification”
PROCESS OF ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE
• JUSTIFICATION is the process of proving
1. Reality the truth or validity of a statement. This
process is made up of ways of critically
2. Perception testing a claim against certain criteria.
3. Concept Each domain of truth has a corresponding
4. Proposition justification or has a different criterion for
truth:
TWO TYPES OF PROPOSITIONS
1. Objective/Scientific domain
1. FACTS - propositions or statements observed
to be real and truthful • Truths are tested against
empirical evidence
2. CLAIM - proposition that requires further
examination
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INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
2nd-SUMMATIVE-TEST-REVIEWER

2. Social domain TRUTH VS. OPINION

• Truth is tested against their
acceptability to a particular group in TRUTH- is knowledge validated based on the
a particular time in history facts of reality

3. Personal domain CHARATERISTICS OF TRUTH:

• Truths are tested against the 1. Can be confirmed with other sources
consistency and authenticity of the
person who claims it 2. Independent of one’s interpretation,
preferences and biases

3. Based on the facts of reality

EXAMPLES:
EXAMPLES OF TRUTH:
1. “In sickness and in health, ‘till death do
1. All people must breathe to live.
us part.” – PERSONAL DOMAIN
2. Manuel L. Quezon was a Philippine president.
2. Reptiles are cold blooded. –
OBJECTIVE/SCIENTIFIC DOMAIN 3. Fire needs oxygen to burn.

3. “Don’t talk when your mouth is full.” –

SOCIAL DOMAIN
OPINION- judgment of a person about
HOW DO WE KNOW IF SOMETHING IS TRUE? something in the world.

1. A belief is true if it can be CHARACTERITICS OF OPINION:

justified or proven through the
1. Cannot be confirmed
use of one’s senses.
2. Open to interpretation
2. A belief or statement is true if
is based on facts. 3. Based on emotions
3. Getting consensus of having 4. Inherently biased
people agree on a common
EXAMPLES OF OPINION:
belief.
1. All people love basketball.
4. Truth requires to prove an
action. 2. Blue is the best color.
5. Subject to test to determine 3. I don’t like broccoli.
the truth.