Introduction to Philosophy of the

Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600 Human Person

Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade/Section: 12 FIRST TRIMESTER S.Y. 2020-2021

Module 2– Philo Subject Teacher: MS. PATRICIA D. FLORESCA

HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
1. Pre-Socratic Period

a. Milesians
• Thales of Miletus - The first philosopher and the father of Philosophy. He was the first one to engage
in wondering the causes and principles of the natural world without relying on supernatural
explanations and divine components. He believed that water is the first ultimate substance of the
earth.
• Anaximander - He claimed that the universe was formed by the boundless which is both the first
principle and substance of the universe. He held the world was eternal and change went on from
eternity so for change to continue forever substance had to be unlimited in extent.
• Anaximenes - He believes that air is the fundamental element. Through the process of refraction or
compression, the air surrounds the earth in a more or less compressed state.

b. Non-Milesians
• Heraclitus - His philosophy developed out of pessimistic observations regarding change since he
saw the world as existing in a state of perpetual change. Famous for his quote “You can never step
on the same river twice.”
• Parmenides - The question of what things must exist by necessity, what things cannot possibly exist,
and in what ways things can exist.
• Zeno of Elea – Zeno’s Paradox: Strict rules of logic, movement across space should not be possible.
However, from observation, it was clear that things did move.
• Democritus - The void was postulated by him in order to explain the motion of atoms. The “full”,
which was an infinite number of indivisible particles, differing one from another only in quantity.
• Pythagoras - Believes that the cosmos is a structured system ordered by numbers. Things become
knowable because they are structured in this way: the structure can be apparently expressed in a
numerical ration. Hence, they believe that the nature can be quantified.

c. The Sophists
• Protagoras - Homo Mensura: Only that was true which appears true to the individual. Truth only
consisted in perception, only in what the individual perceives.
• Gorgias - His thesis was that an argument could be twisted to prove just about anything, so the wise
individual would use rhetoric to become rich and powerful. Held that neither “truth” nor “morality”
existed. Existence, knowledge of anything and the communication of knowledge of anything is
impossible.
• Thrasymachus - Arguments about right or wrong did not matter. The only important detail was who
held the gun and who didn’t. “Justice was merely what was to the advantage of those in power”
• Callicles - Traditional morality was only a clever way for the weak masses to restrain strong-willed
individuals.
• Critias - Taught that the Gods were non-existent, but clever rulers and priests should hypocritically
encourage common belief in them as a means of controlling less intelligent people and preserving
political order

2. Socratic Period
• Socrates - He wrote no books, but his student Plato recorded his conversations. He is best known
for the Elenchus, or the Socratic method. He would pose a problem and ask strangers about it.
He would become excited when they claimed to know the answer. He would then find minor
flaws in his companions‟ definitions and began to unravel them, forcing then to admit their
ignorance. They would agree to pursue the truth seriously and further refined their definitions.
 Introduction to Philosophy of the
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600 Human Person
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade/Section: 12 FIRST TRIMESTER S.Y. 2020-2021

Module 2– Philo Subject Teacher: MS. PATRICIA D. FLORESCA

He is regarded as the one who urged self-examination and claimed that “the unexamined life
is not worth living”. Famous for his quote “All I know is that I know nothing”. He was put on trial
for corruption of the youth and condemned to die by drinking hemlock. “To fear death, my
friends, is only to think ourselves wise, without being wise: for it is to think that we know what we
do not know. For anything that men can tell, death may be the greatest good that can happen
to them: but they fear it as if they knew quite well that it was the greatest of evils. And what is
this but that shameful ignorance of thinking that we know what we do not know?”
• Plato - Plato is the completion and extension of the philosophy of Socrates. Socrates taught that
the knowledge through concepts is the only true knowledge – to which Plato as concluded that
the concept, or the idea is the only reality. Thus, for Plato, philosophy is the science of the idea,
or, as we should say, the unconditioned bases of the phenomena. The world of true ideas had
a reality of its own beyond the physical world. Physical reality was at best a shadow or dim
outline of these abstract concepts, and at worst it was a distraction or a lie. Wrote “The
Republic”, one of the most famous works which discusses his social and political philosophy and
his belief that the Greek city states, to flourish must be led by philosopher Kings, and justice is the
best manifested if persons would do what is suited to each of her/ his soul. He also urged humans
to detach themselves from what is corporeal because the soul without the limitation of the body
can better recognize the eternal truth, beauty and goodness
• Aristotle - He became the student of Plato. But his philosophy is often described as an opposition
to the Platonic philosophical tradition. Aristotle believes that the perpetual and cognitive
faculties of people are dependable. Such beliefs place humans in direct contact with the world
which is to be studied and therefore engaged in substantive philosophy. For him, human beings
philosophize because they wonder about the world. And as they do, more things of their
experience appear puzzling. He believed that the aim of philosophy is truth. And the
endowment of senses will lead a person in a direct contact with the world, and therefore allow
him to analyse whether what appears upon close scrutiny and analysis is correct.

WESTERN PHILOSOPHY

Historical Period School of Thought Main Features Notable

Philosophers
Ancient Rome Stoicism Emphasis on morality, virtue, Seneca
calm, and fortitude Epictetus
Marcus Aurelius
Medieval Period Scholasticism Application of philosophy to St. Thomas Aquinas St.
define and explain religious Augustine
doctrines
Renaissance Humanism Emphasis on the human person; Petrarch
use of philosophy to understand Desiderius Erasmus
society, nature and humanity Niccolò Machiavelli
Francois Rabelais
 Introduction to Philosophy of the
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600 Human Person
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade/Section: 12 FIRST TRIMESTER S.Y. 2020-2021

Module 2– Philo Subject Teacher: MS. PATRICIA D. FLORESCA

The Rationalism Reason and logic considered the Rene Descartes

Enlightenment basis of knowledge and belief; Immanuel Kant
man has innate knowledge that Gottfried Leibniz
can be accessed through
intuition or
deduction

Empiricism Knowledge is gained through David Hume

senses and experience; reliance
Francis Bacon
on inductive reasoning to arrive
John Locke
generalizations

Social and Political Discussions on the ideal human Voltaire

Philosophy situation and society; emphasis on Jean Rousseau
individual rights Thomas Hobbes
and liberties

Modern Period Existentialism Human experience is defined by Soren Kierkegaard

the views, emotions, and Friedrich Nietzsche
actions of the individual Martin Heidegger
Jean Paul Sartre
Simone de Beauvoir

Pragmatism Emphasis on the practical Charles Peirce

use of knowledge and ideas William James
John Dewey

Phenomenology Experience is studied based on the Edmund Husserl

subjective viewpoint
of the individual

Absurdism Man will never understand the Albert Camus

human condition and the
meaning of life

Analysis on how knowledge,

Postmodernism, Jacques Derrida
ideas, and power relations are
Poststructuralism Michel Foucault
defined

EASTERN PHILOSOPHY

Historical Belief System Main Features Proponents, Major

Period Texts
2000 BCE Judaism Monotheism; God’s chosen people; Abraham, Moses,
observance of God’s Tanakh, Torah
commandments will result in
reward
 Introduction to Philosophy of the
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600 Human Person
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade/Section: 12 FIRST TRIMESTER S.Y. 2020-2021

Module 2– Philo Subject Teacher: MS. PATRICIA D. FLORESCA

1500 BCE Hinduism Belief in a pantheon of gods, with The Vedas

three main gods – Brahma, Shiva,
Vishnu; karma, samsara, moksha
600 BCE Shintoism Harmony and balance are None
essential in maintaining purity, nature-
centered
400 BCE Buddhism Four noble truths describe worldly Siddhartha
existence as imperfect and Gautama,
influenced by earthly desires and Tripitaka
suffering (dukkha); eight-fold path to
achieve nirvana
400 BCE Confucianism Human relationships are based on Confucius, The Five
mutual obligations, individuals should Classics
perform their intended roles and
contribute to social order

200 BCE Taoism Emphasis on the unity and harmony Lao Tzu, Tao Te
among opposing Ching
elements (yin and yang)

610 CE Islam The Five Pillars: shahada, salat, zakat, Muhammad,

sawm, hajj Quran
1440 CE Sikhism Apart from meditation, believers must Guru Nanak, Gur
devote themselves to selfless service Granth Sahib
and action

BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy can be divided into a number of areas, each of which can be defined in terms of
the key questions it tries to answer.

Metaphysics
Metaphysics was derived from the Greek words meta, a prefix meaning “after” or “beyond”
and the noun phusi, meaning “nature.” Metaphysics studies reality or phenomena, seeking its ultimate
causes in an absolute sense, the questions “What is out there” and “How the world looks like” are the
prime concern of metaphysics since it seeks the most intimate aspect of every reality, that is, it’s being;
it studies the causes that in the final analysis account for the being and the diverse manners of being
of things.

Epistemology
Epistemology was derived from two Greek words: episteme, meaning “knowledge” and logos,
meaning “study of.” Epistemology literally means the theory of knowledge. The question “How do we
know?” is the focus in this area of philosophical activity.

Ethics
Ethics was derived from the Greek word ethos which means “custom” and is therefore
concerned with a particular kind of value, specifically esteem as it applies to individual actions,
decisions, and relations. It studies action and it asks the question,” What should I do?” and “How should
I act?”
 Introduction to Philosophy of the
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600 Human Person
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade/Section: 12 FIRST TRIMESTER S.Y. 2020-2021

Module 2– Philo Subject Teacher: MS. PATRICIA D. FLORESCA

Aesthetics
Aesthetics was derived from the Greek word aisthetikos or “one who is perceptive of things
through his sensations, feelings, and intuitions”. It is likewise the study of a particular kind of value such
as the values which are part of the arts and our experience of beauty. It asks the question “what can
life be like?” It addresses issues such as the relationship of beauty to art, whether there can be any
objective measures by which creative works might be judged or is the way of judging beauty purely
subjective?

Logic
Logic is the study of principles by which we distinguish sound from unsound reasoning and of
different types of reasoning. Simply put, “it is the formulation of the standards of right thinking.” Logic
seeks to know the conditions for valid knowledge; hence, it is an instrument that in a general way
affects all rational knowledge of reality.

REFERENCES:
➢ Sy, Dennis B. and Basas, Allan A. (2018). Philosophy of the Human Person An Introduction. Abiva
Bldg., 851 G. Araneta Ave., Quezon City: Abiva Publishing House, Inc.

➢ Abella, R. (2016). Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person: C& E Publishing, Inc.

➢ Gonzalvo, R. Jr. (2016). Philosophy of the Human Person: Mindshapers Co., Inc.