MODULE 1

BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
AESTHETICS
- It deals with beauty and what makes things “beautiful”.
LOGIC
- It deals with correct reasoning
ETHICS
- It deals with moral questions and dilemmas
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
- It studies governments and deals with questions of justice, power and the rights and
obligations of citizens.
METAPHYSICS
- It deals with questions regarding reality and existence.
PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
- It is an area in philosophy that understands the human person from a philosophical
perspective
MOST NOTABLE ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHERS
1. PYTHAGORAS (570 BCE to 495 BCE)
- A mathematician and scientist, he was credited with formulating the Pythagorean
theorem.
2. HERACLITUS (535 BCE to 475 BCE)
- He proposed that everything that exists is based on a higher order or plan which he
called logos.
3. DEMOCRITUS (460 BCE to 370 BCE)
- He devoted himself to the study of the causes of natural phenomena.
4. EPICURUS (341 BCE to 270 BCE)
- He believed that philosophy could enable man to live a life of happiness.
5. DIOGENES OF SINOPE (412 BCE to 323 BCE)
- He was known advocate of living a simple and virtuous life.
6. SOCRATES (470 BCE to 399 BCE)
- He was considered the foremost philosopher of ancient times. He formulated the
Socratic method.
7. PLATO (427 BCE to 347 BCE)
- A student of Socrates, who was known for his dialectic method of inquiry where
two opposing ideas are discussed in an attempt to arrive at a new knowledge. His
lasting contribution to learning was founding of the Academy, an institution of higher
learning.
8. ARISTOTLE (384 BCE to 322 BCE)
- He attended the Academy and was a prominent student of Plato. For him, all ideas
and views are based on perception and our reality is based on what we can see and
perceive. His studies in logic led to the formulation of a formal process of
analyzing reasoning which give rise to the deductive reasoning – the process by
which specific statements are analyzed to reach a conclusion or generalization.
PARTIAL THINKING
- It focuses on SPECIFIC aspects of a situation. It is an important component of analytical
thinking, as an individual focuses on a certain areas of a problem in order to understand
it.

HOLISTIC THINKING
- A perspective that considers LARGE-SCALE patterns in systems. It requires an
individual to have an open mindset and ability to get the general sense or impression
regarding a situation

MODULE 2
Philosophy
- It is the study or discipline that uses human reason to investigate the ultimate causes,
reasons and principles that govern all things.
Love of Wisdom
- The Greek term “philosophia” means
Love
- The Greek word “philos” means
Wisdom
- The Greek word “sophia” means
Plato
- The Greek philosopher who believes that Philosophy is brought about by man’s sense
of wonder.
Reflection
- It is an activity that requires a person to examine his or her thoughts, feelings, and
actions and learn from experience.
Holistic thinking
- It is a perspective that considers the “bigger picture” when looking at problems and
situations.
Partial thinking
- It is a perspective that focuses on specific aspects of a situation

Truth in metaphysics and philosophy of language

- It is the property of sentences, assertions, beliefs, thoughts, or propositions that are said,
in ordinary discourse, to agree with the facts or to state what the case is.
- It is most often used to mean being in accord with fact or reality, or fidelity to an
original or standard.
- It is also sometimes defined in modern contexts as an idea of “truth to self”, or
authenticity.
What is Proposition?
- It is a statement about the world or reality. Propositions may or may not carry truth.
- Example of prepositions: “Grass is green”, and 2+5=5. The first proposition has the truth
value of “true” and the second “false”.
What is Knowledge?
- It is the clear awareness and understanding of something. It is the product of
questions that allow for clear answers proved by facts.
What are Facts?
- These are propositions or statements which are observed to be real or truthful
What is a Claim?
- It is a statement that is not evidently or immediately known to be true. This means
that any claim can be proven by verification and experimentation.
TRUTHFUL STATEMENTS can be considered as based on FACTS.

There are several views regarding truth. Philosophers emphasize the importance of belief as
basis for determining truth. But as a philosopher, we do not assume that every statement is
true. Remember the famous French philosopher, Rene Descartes traced the need to
philosophize to doubt.

What is Systematic Doubt in Philosophy?

- It is employed to help determine the truth. This means that every statement, claim,
evidence, and experience is scrutinized or examined and analyzed.
What is Doubt?
- It has a very important purpose in philosophy as it drives our desire to discover the
truth.
What is a Belief?
- Is true if it can be justified or proven through the use of one’s senses. Another basis
for determining truth is a belief or statement is true if it is based on facts.
What is Getting Consensus?
- It is having people agree on a common belief which is another way of determining
what is true. Although this approach has certain limitations. Getting everyone to agree
on something may not take that belief true.
Distinguish Opinion from Truth
Facts
- Something you can prove to be either true or false
- You cannot change a fact
- Fact is something concrete that can be proven.
- You can find facts in legal records, scientific findings, encyclopedias, atlases, etc. In
other words, facts are the truth and are accepted as such.
Opinion
- Is how a person thinks or feels about something
- You can change an opinion
- Opinion is less concrete. It's a view formed in the mind of a person about a particular
issue. In other words it is what someone believes or thinks, and is not necessarily the
 truth. Also, note in the examples below how facts are the same for everybody, but
opinions can differ quite widely.
Methods of Philosophy
- Socratic
- Dialectic
- Scientific
- Historical
Critical Thinking
- is the careful, reflective, rational and systematic approach to questions of very
general interest.

The scientific method also leads to wisdom and truth because it uses an evidence- based
approach to come up with its conclusion. In this method, all truths are supported by facts that
can easily be tested or proven again through experiments, logical reasoning, or observation
The attributes of a critical thinker include:
- Looks for evidence to support assumption and beliefs
- Adjusts opinion
- Looks for proof
- Examines the problem
- Rejects irrelevant and innocent
TYPES OF REASONING
Deductive reasoning
- Conclusion comes first, followed by main points, and the last will be the supporting
data, facts, examples and evidences. General idea comes first before the specific or
particular idea.
Inductive reasoning
- Supporting data, facts, examples, and evidence comes first followed by the main points
and conclusion will be the last part.

MODULE 3
MAN
- It is the general term commonly used to refer to the entire human race. Other related
terms, humanity, mankind, and humankind.
HUMAN
- refers to man as species – HOMO SAPIENS or MODERNHUMANBEINGS. The term
human being is also used to differentiate man from other animals.
PERSON
- is the personality of a human being so called “SELF”. Refer to a human being granted
recognition of certain rights, protection, responsibilities and dignity above all. Philosopher
refers to the human person as the totality of an individual, possessing awareness,
self-determination and capacity to interact withothers and with himself/herself.
Personhood
- refers to the state of being a person
HUMAN NATURE
 - defines as the nature of humans especially the fundamental characters and traits of
humans. It refers to the characteristicsthat distinguish humans from all other creatures.
These traits are expected arise independent of the influence of culture and society.
EXAMPLES: THINKING, FEELING AND ACTING.
Self-awareness
- refers to the person having a clear perception of oneself, includinghis thoughts,
emotions, identity and actions.
Self-determination
- refers to the capability of persons to make choices and decisions based on their
own preferences, monitor and regulate their actions, andbe goal-oriental and
self-directed.
Consequence
- is the result or effect of an action or condition. Philosophersbelieve that a person acts
freely and with due regard for the consequences of his actions.
Externality
- refers to the capability of a person to reach out and interact with others and the
world.
Dignity
- refers to the innate right to be valued and respected. Philosophers considerall
humans as having an inherent worth or value. “You’re worthless!” is an insult since it
attacks the very notion of a person having value or worth.
Limitations of the Human Person
- Human persons are naturally deficient beings. This means that we are not prepared with
the best physical aspects among all the being

Transcendence
- is the ability to change, be dynamic, and continually redefining one’s self which works
with our facticity to create change.
Facticity
- refers to the things in our life that are already given.

Spatial-temporal being
- As temporal beings, our most obvious limitation so our finitude - our finite quality or
state. For example, Walang forever, pero merontalaga. As spatial beings, we are limited
by our bodies to be present in two or more places at the same time. We are limited by
space (spatial) and time (temporal). Our spatial-temporal situation sets our preconditions
for understanding
The Body as Intermediary
Intermediary means acting as a mediator (Merriam-Webster). Having a body may prevent us
from revealing what we really want to express

Transcendence originated from the words Trans, meaning “go beyond”, and scandare,
meaning “climb”.
BODILY LIMITATIONS
- mental and emotional disorders
- disabilities
- disease and illnesses
- failures and experiences

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITATIONS

- socioeconomic status
- location of neighborhood
- abusive relationships (e.g. emotional abuse) negative influences (e.g. drug use

Module 4
John Donne
- “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a pieceof thecontinent, a part of the
main
Environmental philosophy
- is the discipline that studies the moral relationships of human beings with the
environment and its non-human contents.
According to Payne (2010) there are two frameworks where humans can be related.
1.Anthropocentric Model. Based on the anthropocentric model, humans are superior and
central to the universe, thus, it is human centered.
2. Ecocentric Model.
It is the ecological or relational integrity of the humans that provides meaning of our morals and
values and it is nature centered.

A. Ancient Thinkers
Anaximander
- a pre-Socratic philosopher and scientist said about the creation-Destruction. According
to him, the sketch of the genesis of the world (cosmology), the evolution of the world
begins with the generation of opposites in certain region Nature. Nature is
indeterminate-boundless inthesense that no boundaries between the warmandor
themoist and dry regions are originally present within.

Pytaghoras
“Universe is a living embodiment pf natures order, harmony and beauty”
Biophilia
- Love other living things
Cosmophilia
- Love of other beings

B.Moder Thinker
Immanuel Kant
- Beauty is ultimately a symbol of morality
 - He believes that the orderliness of nature and the harmony of nature with our faculties
guide us toward a deeper religious perspective
Herbert Marcuse
- About the power of humans over nature
George Herbert
- About our duties and responsibilities

Deep ecology
- An ecological philosophy developed by norwegian philosopher Arne Naess
- All life forms have an equal right to exist

Social Ecology
- Murray Bookchin
- A critique of current social, political, and anti ecological trends
Ecofeminism
- Branch feminism that examines the connections between women and nature
- Francoise d’Eaubonne
Prudence
- is defined as the ability to have good judgment that allows avoidance of dangers and
risks.
- covers good judgment, considering the consequences of an action, using common
sense and discretion, exercising caution, and conforming to reason and decency

Frugality
- is the act of using money or other resources wisely and practically.
- The quality of being thrifty, sparingor economical in the consumptionof resources and
avoiding waste, lavishness, or extravagance
Paradigm shift- a change from mythical explanation of the origins of the cosmos to a more
rational explanation