DOING

FR ​ FABRIKAM RESIDENCES ​

PHILOSOPHY

LEARNING

COMPETENCIES
1.Distinguish a holistic perspective ​from

a partial point of view. 2.Recognize

​
human activities that ​emanated from

deliberate reflection. 3.Realize

​ the value

of doing ​philosophy in obtaining a broad

perspective on life. 4.Do

​ a philosophical

reflection on a ​concrete situation from a

holistic ​perspective.
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Questions to ponder
upon:
• ​What is it about life that we
wonder ​about?

• ​Is it enough to just gain more and

more knowledge? to what extent?

• ​Can a better world be created

without good and innovative

ideas?

FR ​What is a Philosophical

Reflection?
• ​To think about an important question that does

not have a ​definite or ready answer. Man

usually ponder about things that puzzle him or

those things that which he cannot (fully)

understand. To think about it is to engage in a

philosophical ​reflection because it compels us

to look at a particular experience from a wider

perspective.
• ​From the dawn of time, man has contemplated

about many ​different things like his existence,

and the existence of other ​(worldly) things.

Given the technological advantage that we

currently have, still, no amount of research or

science would be able to conclusively answer

life’s greatest riddles – as such, ​the need for

Philosophy.

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PHILOSOPHY
‘Philosophy begins in wonder’ ​- ​Came
from two Greek words ‘Philos’ and

‘Sophia’ ​(meaning ‘love’ and

‘wisdom’ respectively) -​ ​- This

means that the etymological

definition of ​philosophy is love of /

for wisdom. -​ ​- However, the

etymological definition given
above ​is but a “surface-level”

definition only, and does not

encompass the entirety of

philosophy. -​ ​Thus, a more precise

definition of philosophy would ​be:

“The search for the ultimate

causes and reasons ​for being”

- ​Men who seek wisdom are called

Philosophers. They ​may be

considered as lovers of wisdom

since their goal is to grow wiser by

knowing the truth. -​ ​Philosophers

believe that to be wise is to be the

best ​that we can be. -​ ​The pursuit

of truth and wisdom is with the

use of ​reason. -​ ​The proper

exercise of our rational faculty

allows us to ​answer our questions

and overcome our ignorance.

FR ​PHILOSOPHY IS A
SCIENCE AND ART
 • ​Theoretical
As an ART
As a SCIENCE • ​Imagination
• ​Organized • ​Reflection
• ​Systematic • ​Sensuous
• ​Process

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Branches of Philosophy
1. ​Metaphysics ​– ​the branch of
philosophy which deals with the nature of
reality –
​ from the Greek word ‘meta,’
meaning ‘beyond’ ​– deals with ideas or
principles that are ‘beyond mere

physicality’ –
​ varies greatly from science,
in the sense that science deals ​with the

physical (the tangible, those perceived by

our senses) –
​ e.g. substance, essence,
matter, form, etc. ​– asks the fundamental
question ​“why is there something,

rather than nothing?”

2. ​Epistemology ​– ​branch of philosophy

which deals with the nature of truth ​and of

knowledge –
​ from the Greek word
‘episteme’ meaning ‘knowledge’ ​– asks
the fundamental question ​“how do I

​
know what I know?” ​3. ​Aesthetics ​–
deals with the nature of beauty – asks the
fundamental question ​“what is beauty?

​
and how have we come to understand

the beauty of something?”

4. ​Ethics (Moral Philosophy) ​– ​deals
with morality – asks the fundamental

question “what is good? And how ​have

we come to understand the idea of

goodness?” 5.​ ​Logic ​– ​more like a tool

rather than a particular branch, it deals
with proper or correct reasoning

HISTORY OF

PHILOSOPHY
ANCIENT ERA
• ​– ​can be characterized as a period

that held a ‘cosmocentric’ ​view of life.

From the word ‘kosmos’ meaning

universe, the ​question that concerned

them was the origin of the ​universe.

Philosophers back then wanted to

know more about the origin of

everything, and what makes up

everything. “Is there a singular

material composing ​everything?”

“Where did everything come from?”

These ​questions inquire about the

ultimate nature of the world.

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FR
• ​It is believed that in Western

philosophy, a man by ​the name of

Thales​, was the first philosopher. He

was the first one to have wondered

about the origin ​of the universe. He

was from Miletus, and his

observations of nature and

philosophical reflections led him to

the view that water is the underlying

principle of everything. This means

that for Thales, ​everything is made

up of water.
▪ ​Philosophers or thinkers who came from

Miletus are ​called ‘Milesians’

▪ Thus, Miletus is said to be the origin of

(Western ​Philosophy)
• ​Anaximander ​on the other hand,

contested the idea of ​Thales, that it is

impossible for water to be the source

of everything. He claimed that the

‘apeiron’ ​– ​translated as “the

boundless,” must be the source to

which everything came from.

• ​Anaximenes​, however, argued that

the source of ​everything is ​air

• ​Pythagoras​, a known
mathematician, thought that

everything is governed by
mathematical principles.​
• ​Leucippus and Democritus​, both

atomists, said that ​everything is

composed of tiny indivisible particles

called ​atom​s, from the Greek word

atomos
MEDIEVAL ERA
– is characterized by its ‘theocentric’ ​approach to

philosophy; became the ​fundamental line of thought

during this p
​ eriod. From the Greek word ‘theos,’

meaning God, philosophers during this ​period

contemplated on the existence and ​nature of God.

Hence, the church became the center of authority –

that whatever the ​church proclaimed to be true, must

utterly ​be believed as such, even when it is contrary

to evidence. Among the most famous

​ ​Avicenna ​– the first

philosopher-theologians are: o
Muslim philosopher ​o ​St. Augustine ​– combined
Greek philosophy ​with holy scriptures o ​St. Thomas

Aquinas ​– famous for his ‘5 ​ways’ and summa

theological. Combined ​Theology with Aristotelian

Philosophy.

MODERN ERA ​– utilized an

‘anthopocentric’ view in ​philosophizing; from the

Greek word ‘anthropos,’ ​meaning ‘man.’ This era in

the history of ​philosophy is characterized by

individualism, and ​focused on the capabilities of

mankind as it relied on the power of science, as it

diminished the ​authority of the church when it comes

to truth. To ​name a few, here are some of the

innovations or scientific discoveries which

propagated (scientific) ​knowledge: o

​
Circumnavigation ​– debunked the idea that the

​ ​Invention of the movable type

world is flat o
printing press ​– ​made books and other reading

​ ​Modern
materials more ​accessible to the public o
telescope ​– proved that the Earth is not ​the center

of the universe; other heavenly bodies, ​such as the

moon, is not perfect and has craters