NOTES ON SOCIAL

SCIENCE AND
PHILOSOPHY
Wakefield C. Lagarile
with Students of BSA 2
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Introduction to Philosophy

Wisdom is man’s innate/inborn

ability to understand things and cope
with different situations. Wisdom is
said to be a gift of God given to man
that identifies him as different from
other beings. These other beings are
substances, plants, and animals.
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Substances are bodily only. Plants are bodily and living. Animals are
bodily, living, and sentient or have senses. And because animals are also
capable of sensing and responding to different sensory stimulations, this
makes them act as if they are thinking. Man with a gift of wisdom,
sometimes termed as reason, has the ability above them all. Man can think,
understand, analyze, evaluate, learn, and get meaning from all of his
experiences.
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Their ability makes them different

from other beings. In this regard, it leads
us not to accept the alleged concept that
animals do think also having the ability to
think is Man's pride. The use of reason is
the noblest thing that man does.
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Meaning of Philosophy

The term “Philosophy” is

derived from two Greek words
philia (φιλια) meaning love, and
Sophia (ςοφια) meaning wisdom.
Thus, it is “the Love of Wisdom”.
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It was coined by Pythagoras,

one of the early philosophers of
ancient Greece, born about 584 B.C.
He noted that men could be divided
into three types: a lover of pleasure,
a lover of success, and a lover of
wisdom. The latter is the superior
type.
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The subject matter of philosophy is so vast. It is limited only by the human

mind's capacity to ask new questions and formulate old ones in some novel
way. As a result, it is filled with the intellectual excitement of controversy
and disputation, a dialectic argument and counterargument. A true
philosopher cannot give blind faith in the authority of the great philosophers
of the past and merely respect their propositions; rather, each age is
confronted with the task of asking eternal questions anew and answering
them anew.
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For the ancient Greeks,

philosophy is the sum-total of human
knowledge. It is the realm that helps to
understand everything in this world.
Thus, it is considered a universal science.
However, nowadays, the discussion and
explanation of the profound questions
concerning man and things and anything
do not fall under the positive sciences.
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This idea shows how man differs

from animals, as the former is a rational
being and the latter is a non-rational
being. It discusses the relationship
between causality and the existing real
world. Hence, philosophy deals with the
deeper reasons and explanations of
things.
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Definition of Philosophy

. . . is the science of things by their

ultimate principles and causes, as
known by natural reason alone.
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Philosophy is a science. It is not

a set of opinions and theories. It
is certain knowledge of things
based on evidence and
demonstrations and reduced to
a comprehensive rational
system.
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Of things. Philosophy discusses the things that are

found in the existential world. Aside from the
material beings, it also discusses, in its different
branches, non-material beings and principles, i.e.,
the specific and the existential principles of things;
about the soul, the intellect, and free will; about
the nature of society, its principles, and causes, etc.
Now, Philosophy is said to cover all things in its
consideration. It can do so, by viewing things from
a higher vantage point, that is.
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By their Ultimate Principles and Causes.
By this qualification, Philosophy is
differentiated from the positive and the
physical sciences such as Biology,
Chemistry, etc. These special sciences
study the proximate constituent principles
and explanations (causes) of their subject
matter. Biology studies the nature of the
cell, protoplasm, tissues, and the activities
of anabolism and catabolism.
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Whereas, Philosophy studies the nature of the

living being as such, of life and principles.
Chemistry studies the different elements of
material substances. However, Philosophy studies
the ultimate principle of the differences between
material things. Positive Psychology studies
human behavior, its differences, and proximate
causes. Philosophical Psychology studies the
ultimate principles of human behavior, reason,
and will.
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As known by natural reason alone.
Philosophy attains knowledge, not by
making use of Principles or Articles of
Faith but by the use of the Principles of
natural cognition which may be obtained
from the investigation of Nature and the
natural study of things. That is what we
also mean when, at times, we say that
Philosophy uses the “light of natural
reason”.
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We take the expression metaphorically, and in the objective meaning,

to mean the principles of natural cognition, not in a subjective manner to
mean the power of the intellectual faculty of man. Light is that which
manifests objects, and the Principles of science manifest the object and the
conclusions of the science.
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Furthermore, Philosophy
as an operation is a search for
meaning. It is an endeavor that
investigates the ultimate cause,
ultimate principle, and ultimate
reason of beings through the aid of
human wisdom alone. Searching in
philosophy is more of a quest to
attain the essential meaning of
beings.
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Method of Philosophy

Since Philosophy
investigates the ultimate causes of
things, it is enough for it to part
from unquestionable experience. It
employs rational inference as its
main instrumentality. Hence, it is
experiential but chiefly rational.
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Object and Goal of Philosophy

The object and goal of Philosophy become clearer when it is

compared with other sciences. Like them, Philosophy is a knowledge of the
causes of things, but in a special way. All other sciences are particular
science because they concern themselves with just a part of reality and look
for the causes operative within the one restricted area of the real.
Philosophy, however, is the universal science because it considers the totality
of reality and investigates the basic causes of all things; it propels toward the
ultimate and absolute cause of all being.
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Philosophy and Other Disciplines

According to Aristotle, an early Greek

philosopher, “Every man desires to know”. Philosophy is
a strong force in the mind to seek for answers to his
many questions. Either simple or complex, philosophy
leads man to the understanding and awareness of
things. This is evident in the course of his existence,
while living as part of the created universe, his desire to
transcend the bountiful milieu of the material world is
as ardent as his desire to escape the clasp of ignorance.
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Philosophy opens man's
intellectual cravings. It makes a man
more about himself and the rest of
the world. It gives man a chance to
speculate about the things that can
and will affect him. As long as man
exists, philosophy will always offer
him a chance to develop himself
both intellectually and materially.
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Axiology

Metaphysics
PHILOSOPHY

Epistemology Branches of Philosophy

There are 7 branches of Philosophy,
Ethics namely, Metaphysics, Axiology, Logic,
Aesthetics, Epistemology, Ethics, and
Aesthetics
Political Philosophy.
Logic

Political
Philosophy
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Philosophy is the study of the search for the truth and equally an
effort to know the hidden realities and truths about ourselves. As an academic
discipline, Philosophy is hardly any different. Students who are in Philosophy
programs are engaged in a pursuit of asking, answering, and resolving
problems. In a sense, Philosophy is a type of Science, a reservoir of
knowledge that can only be understood through rigorous investigation and
study.
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Axiology is referred to as the theory
of value and valuation. Axiology explores
the nature of value and its metaphysical
aspects. Value Theory is often
interchangeably used with Axiology and this
branch of Philosophy peruses upon the value
of goodness. To put it simply, Axiology
looks at the concept of value in terms of its
philosophical terms and argues questions
about nature and what is valued.
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Metaphysics has been a

primary area of philosophical debate.
It is mainly concerned with explaining
the nature of being and the world.
Traditionally, it has two different
study areas, including Cosmology and
Ontology.
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Under Metaphysics, Cosmology is
focused on understanding the origin,
evolution, and eventual fate of the universe,
which includes laws that keep it in perfect
order. On the other hand, Ontology
Cosmology Ontology investigates various types of things that
exist and their relationship with each other.
Much before the discovery of modern
science, all science-related questions were
asked as a part of Metaphysics.
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Epistemology is another major component of Philosophy. Going back into

history, this term originated from the Greek word episteme which literally
means knowledge, and the other half of the word ‘logy’ means ‘the study of’.
Basically, it is about the study of knowledge. What can we know? A
fundamental question concerning Epistemology is, what is knowledge? It
also asks questions like, can knowledge ever be absolute? Is there a limit for
humans to know certain things? If we are living in a world of simulation, how
can we know it? These are some of the essential questions Epistemology
seeks answers for.
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Ethics is in every one in their day-to-day life tries to conduct themselves

according to some established ethical norms. This philosophical concept has
different applications in a person’s real life. For instance, there are certain
organizations that have ethical committees which lay down rules of behavior
for their employees. Ethics is concerned with the definition of right and
wrong. It elucidates schools of thought that instruct us how to act in a given
situation, which has always been a matter of contention between
philosophers. Every philosopher has defined it according to their own
subjective understanding.
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Political Philosophy combines the two fields

of Politics and Philosophy. Political
Philosophy studies political government, laws,
liberty, justice, rights, authority, political
states and systems, ethics, and more. It
explores the concepts of why we need
governments, the role played by governments,
and what are its constituents, among others.
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Aesthetics is defined by every person as beauty per his or her perspectives.

This philosophical subject is wholly devoted to defining the different aspects
of beauty, even its contours. How do we find something beautiful? Is beauty
always subjective or can it be objective too? Can everyone find a thing
beautiful? It also examines individual tastes and attempts to provide answers
about these things scientifically. Aesthetic Philosophy’s primary topic of
investigation is beauty and art. It is often debated inside its classrooms. It
also talks about performing arts like music.
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Logic as we use this word in our commonplace
conversations, so we are all aptly familiar with it.
People constantly ask each other, “Where is the logic
behind this or that?”. People even acknowledge a good
thought or act by calling it logically correct. Hence, the
question arises, what does the Science of logic have to
do with Philosophy? In logic, we usually construct two
sentences which are called premises, and they are used
to conclude. This sort of logic is called Syllogism,
pioneered by Aristotle.
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Reasons of Importance or Relevance of Philosophy

Looking on the Renaissance painting painted by Raphael as masterpiece “The

School of Athens” is packed with famous faces which includes of Plato and
Aristotle. Having lots of symbols, the painting shows a kind of love to the
philosophers of the past. But today, it seems there is a different kind of
perspective onto it. It shows that philosophy is not a dry academic exercise
alone but entails practical applications on our lives.
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Here are the various reasons for philosophy’s relevance or importance:

1. Philosophy asks important questions.

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2. Philosophy helps with critical thinking and reason.

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3. Philosophy helps guide the research process.

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4. Philosophy teaches persuasiveness.

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5. Philosophy teaches problem-solving.

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6. Philosophy can be applied to every discipline.

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7. Philosophy forms a good foundation for a variety of careers.

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8. Philosophy helps you sort through your own beliefs.

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9. Philosophy influences the world today.

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10. Philosophy can fuel change and progress.

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11. It helps to understand human nature.

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12. It develops critical thinking skills.

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13. It develops a capacity to see the world from other people’s

perspectives.
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