The Process

of Doing
Philosophy
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able
to:
*differentiate the meaning of philosophy as a
body of knowledge and as an intellectual
activity,
*distinguish a holistic perspective from a
partial point of view,
*recognize human activities that emanated
from deliberate reflection,
*apply a philosophical reflection on a concrete
situation from a holistic perspective, and
*realize the value of philosophy in obtaining a
broad perspective in life.
In a few years, you will
gain new experiences in
life that you may have
never dreamed of. Such
experiences may excite or
challenge you, while some
can make you rethink your
life and decisions.
 At your age, you may have
already asked yourself
important questions about
your life that cannot be
directly answered through
research or education, such as
“What do I want?” or “What will
make me happy?”
If you have already asked
yourself those big questions,
then you have already
engaged in philosophy.
*What is Philosophy?
*Is it a way of life? Why or
why not?
*How do you apply it in
everyday life?
Doing philosophy helps
you think many things,
including those that leave
you confused or without
an acceptable answer. You
can do philosophy by
yourself, with a partner, or
with a group.
The Meaning of Philosophy and
Philosophy of the Human Person
Philosophy, meaning "love of
wisdom," is a science where reason
and logic are used to understand
reality and answer questions of
knowledge, morality, and human
nature. It can be described as
either a body of knowledge or an
intellectual activity.
Philosophy as a body of
knowledge provides
methodologies and
insights on how societal
questions, such as moral
dilemmas of euthanasia or
same-sex marriage, can
be answered.
On the other hand, philosophy
as an intellectual activity is an
analytic procedure of addressing
individual thought processes
such as resolving conflict and
confusion, testing positions, and
analyzing beliefs. In all
instances, doing philosophy is
prescribed by logic, reason, and
ethics leading to wisdom.
Philosophy applied to human
experience or everyday life
denotes the use of philosophy
as an intellectual activity. Also
known as philosophy in life,
this concept is important
because it serves as the
guiding principle on how one
ought to live life.
Importance of Philosophical Reflection
Philosophical reflection is the
process by which a person undergoes
a reflective state or evaluates his or
her experiences first before making
any related action. The use of
philosophical reflection is important as
it enables thought to be looked into
using a deeper, holistic perspective. In
effect, actions are directed towards
greater sources of wisdom and truth.
Human Activities Emanated from
Deliberate Reflection
In the process, one can learn more
about himself or herself, including
personal beliefs, ideals, or values.
Previous experiences may be seen as
important aspects of making
reflections because they facilitate
deeper thinking and understanding of
the self. Aside from knowing the self,
many other activities also emanate
from reflection.
Examples:
*learning from your previous
mistakes and not repeating
them again
*evaluating and knowing the
best choice from a set of
options
*gaining a holistic point of view
first before making any
conclusion
Meaning and Process of
Doing Philosophy
Doing philosophy means
engaging oneself in
“matters of utility” and
methodologies to
eliminate any practical
problem or abstract idea.
In the process of doing
philosophy, it is critical to have a
holistic point of view—the
perception of looking at all aspects
of a situation first before making a
conclusion. Some other skills
involved in doing philosophy are
critical, logical, and analytical
thinking, observation, and
communicative skills.
Holistic and Partial Points of View
Before engaging in philosophical
inquiry, one must be able to
distinguish between a holistic and
partial point of view. This is
critical for anyone doing
philosophy because it sets a limit
in coming up with conclusions
about a given situation.
Looking at the characteristics of
holistic and partial points of
view, it can be concluded that
using a holistic perspective is
more desirable in doing
philosophy than using a partial
perspective. Partial points of
view only promote limited
knowledge on the situation. This
leads to wrong conclusions.
Learning philosophy requires
learning to look into all available
perspectives and work on their
relationship to come up with
sound, logical, and valid
conclusions. In the process,
doing philosophy helps one to
develop the skill of broadly
looking at the situation first
before concluding anything.
Importance of Doing Philosophy
Doing philosophy can be applied
in day-to-day activities and life
perspectives. Because it involves
an evaluative process, doing
philosophy allows a person to
make better decisions and act
accordingly to situations with
the help of various philosophical
skills.
Furthermore, on life
perspectives, philosophy
enables reflective thinking
which greatly influences a
person’s view of life,
challenges, and relationships.
Doing philosophy directs how a
person will perceive these
factors in life and how they will
be faced.
In any setting, wisdom
is always gained when
philosophy is applied to
formulate a conclusion
about a certain
concern.
Explore!
Philosophy has opened doors for debates
over many concerns such as the purpose
of life, the existence of good and evil, and
the way to the truth. Even as a young
student, you have already been introduced
to philosophy as a discipline. As you
proceed to higher levels of your study,
you will encounter more philosophical
issues that are more advanced and
complicated to resolve. In your
perspective, what other issues may be
dealt with using philosophy?
Try it!
You may already know that philosophy as a
discipline has been present in society for
centuries. Different perspectives on various
issues rose and were given defense by
various philosophers. As a student, think of
a relevant issue faced by society nowadays.
Look for at least two philosophical theories
that can explain your chosen topic. After
reading on these views, make your decision
on which theory to side with based on the
philosophical concepts you have learned
from your readings.
What do you think?
Is doing philosophy
possible without
engaging in
philosophical
reflection?
Tips
*In doing philosophy, a holistic perspective on the
subject is always required. Failure to do so or only
using a partial point of view may lead to illogical or
incorrect conclusions.
*In the process of doing philosophy, it is critical to
have a holistic perspective—the perception of looking
at all aspects of a situation first before making a
conclusion. This point of view is different from
holistic thinking which is a mental activity of
recognizing the interconnectedness of systems and
procedures to form a general picture of an issue.
*The process of doing philosophy should not be
mistaken for the Filipino activity of pamimilosopo or
pedantry where a person displays useless knowledge
or minute observances of small details.
Keypoints
*Philosophy, meaning "love of wisdom," is a
science where reason and logic are used to
understand reality and answer questions of
knowledge, morality, and human nature.
*Philosophy may be a body of knowledge or
an intellectual activity.
*A holistic point of view looks at all aspects of
the given problem or situation. Meanwhile,
a partial point of view looks at only a limited
number of aspects of the given problem or
situation.
*Philosophical reflection allows a person to look
back on previous experiences and evaluate the
meaning or significance of his or her life.