INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON Socratic method of question and answer, his claim that he was

his claim that he was ignorant (or aware

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY? of his own absence of knowledge), and his claim that the unexamined life is not
worth living, for human beings.
 Philo, Philien; Sophia; Love; Wisdom or Knowledge
 Love of wisdom or knowledge Plato 
 Philosophy involves thinking, evaluating and engaging in arguments. It is Born circa 428 B.C.E., ancient Greek philosopher Plato was a student of
not just accepting everything as is.  Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle. His writings explored justice, beauty and
 Philosophy is working out and justifying reason the best way we know equality, and also contained discussions in aesthetics, political philosophy,
how to deal with life. theology, cosmology, epistemology and the philosophy of language. Plato
 Philosophy is about wisdom in relation to our search for truth. founded the Academy in Athens, one of the first institutions of higher learning in
 Aside from being defined as love of wisdom or knowledge, philosophy is the Western world. He died in Athens circa 348 B.C.E.
aptly conveyed as… Aristotle
o Life Greek Aristoteles, (born 384 BCE, Stagira, Chalcidice, Greece died 322,
o Comprehension Chalcis, Euboea), ancient Greek philosopher and scientist, one of the greatest
o Ethics intellectual figures of Western history. He was the author of a philosophical and
o Logic scientific system that became the framework and vehicle for both Christian
o Intellect Scholasticism and medieval Islamic philosophy. Even after the intellectual
o Semantics revolutions of the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment,
 The sensible and logical endeavor to… Aristotelian concepts remained embedded in Western thinking.
o Articulate In the view of the fact that the object of wisdom is the quest for truth, hence, the
o Comprehend and exploration of wisdom should not be place exclusively in the hands of academic
o Resolve important issues philosopher. Every individual has the right to examine and understand things that
Famous Philosophers matter to him. 
Pythagoras THREE KINDS OF LOVE
Born c. 570 BCE, Samos, Ionia Greece—died c. 500–490 BCE, Metapontum, 1. EROS - A kind of love that is passionate; Love of desire.
Lucanium Italy, Greek philosopher, mathematician, and founder of the 2. Agape - Represents that absolute and unconditional love of God for mankind;
Pythagorean brotherhood that, although religious in nature, formulated It surpasses the requisite of mutuality or reciprocity
principles that influenced the thought of Plato and Aristotle and contributed to 3. Philia - Involves a fondness and appreciation of qualities of the beloved; Form
the development of mathematics and Western rational philosophy. For a fuller of philia may be directed in friendship, family or profession
treatment of Pythagoras and Pythagorean thought, see Pythagoreanism. 
According to Pythagoras, human ca be classified into three groups: Philosophy: Classified
1. Those that Love Pleasure 1. Philosophy as academic discipline 
2. Those that Love activity 2. Philosophy as a set of beliefs or worldview 
3. Those that Love Wisdom
3. Philosophy as a study or inquiry
Socrates
Philosophy as an academic discipline
Socrates is one of the few individuals whom one could say has so-shaped
Simply refers to philosophy as something that is done within the confines of
the cultural and intellectual development of the world that, without him, history
the academic. It is regarded as an academic exercise attributed only for those
would be profoundly different. He is best known for his association with the
who are intellectually gifted.
Philosophy as a set of beliefs or worldview  Knowledge 
          Beliefs have been in existence probably long before the discovery of  It is the accumulation of facts, information, and data gained through… 
philosophy. Belief in the supreme being is very evident even the old testament. 1. Study 
Such beliefs mold us in the conduct of life as we continue our journey in this 2. Research 
world. 3. Actual Experiences 
Philosophy as study of inquiry   These are the particular and specific that may have been observed in
     As a rational inquiry, it is, therefore, an activity. Doing philosophy is exercising detail. 
our logic to come up with sensible answer to challenging questions. Wisdom 
 It is a gift or ability to…
BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY 1. Detect 
METAPHYSICS  2. Distinguish 
 A division of philosophy that is concerned with the fundamental nature 3. Decide 
of reality  It is therefore the ability to apply that knowledge as it is deemed worthy
 The study of the “ultimate reality” to the greater design that you are trying to project or convey. 
 It is focused on “how things really are”
EPISTEMOLOGY  A Philosophical Reflection on Concrete Situation from a Holistic Perspective
 The study of the nature and foundations of knowledge mainly with Creativity and Reason
reference to its bounds (limits) and validity A philosopher may actually conceive as well as smash-up ideas or beliefs. To be
 Its is the study of knowing how to determine if we really know effective, a philosopher must possess the following attributes.
something  1. Imaginative at the same time reserved
ETHICS  2. Artistic in addition to being a geek
3. Liberal along with being conservative
 Set of moral principles 
Open-mindedness: Misconception
 The discipline dealing with what is good and bad 
What you believe has nothing to do be classified as open-minded. Same thing
 The exercise of moral duties and obligation 
applies when you consider stuffs that are not customarily recognized.
LOGIC 
Seriously, and on the contrary, the more you are adept in accepting things to be
 The science of the formal, prescribed and proper principles of reasoning  true only on the basis that they are not collectively acknowledge makes you more
 The study of the rubrics of correct reasoning  narrow-minded. Outwardly, you are averse in accepting what is generally
established.
Distinguish a Holistic Perspective from Partial Point of View Being Critical: Misconception
When the person has love wisdom, it goes without saying that he has Many of us erroneously associate with the following metaphors
appreciation for knowledge-the object of philosophy.  1. Cynical
But what is the difference between wisdom and knowledge? Is wisdom knowing 2. Pessimistic
how to apply knowledge or is it the other way around?  3. Dismissive
4. Sarcastic
5. Negative
Being Critical: How to be One?  HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW IS TRUE? 
1. Contemplate on the belief first before passing any judgement either to: 
a) Accept  TRUTH 
b) Reject   A fact or beliefs that is in accordance with reality
c) Postpone Judgment 
 Something that is proven 
2. Consider other beliefs and make comparison, if necessary. Alternative
beliefs may be:  Authentic 
a) Complementary Socrates - Truth is found in ideas recognized only through reflection and
b) Unorthodox reason 
3. Being critical embraces the very (2) philosophical components (to be Aristotle - He saw ultimate truth in physical objects recognized through
applied in assessing alternatives beliefs). The components are: experience
a) Generation of conceivable ideas, theories, models, views, beliefs
or solutions with reference to a particular issue.
Realism 
b) Evaluate of those generated beliefs to determine which is
acceptable and which should be vetoed.  Just the facts; not hopes 
4. Undeniably, in dealing with challenges issues, critical thinking would play  A portrayal of how things really are
a vital part in philosophy.

Relativism Theory 
Philosophical Reflection Demands Critical Thinking
 The conviction that there’s no absolute truth 
 Difference people can have different views depending on one’s culture 
Elements of Critical Thinking
Pragmatism Theory 
o Think to challenge
 Pragmatic maxim: Consider the practical effects of the objects of your
o Think to understand
conception
o Think to reason
o Think to question  It identifies the nature of truth with the practical of actions
o Think proactively Correspondence Theory 
o Think with others  Affirms that principle of criterion of truth is the actual propositions agree
to the facts
Philosophical reflection   It asserts that correction beliefs and declaration are consistently parallel
The way we apply and develop the tools that philosophy offers us to assess and to the actual set of circumstance   
scrutinize our lives, including our beliefs, with the goal of realizing a higher degree Coherence theory 
of understanding which could yield more positive results by knowing which  The theory of truth that every true statement, insofar as it is true, depicts
among the (many) choices should be accepted or rejected.  or illustrates its subjects in the entirety of its association with all other
things. 
 There is no solitary set of such “logical universes”, but instead a
collection of viewpoints that are generally conferred.
 CHAPTER 2: METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIZING PHILOSOPHICAL DOCTRINES 
Ancient & Medieval Philosopher –Essentialist
There’s simple no Philosophizing without a love of wisdom,
absolutely -Cornel West Modern & Contemporary Philosophers  -Existentialist 
PHILOSOPHIZING can be defined in the following manner: 
 It is to theorize or speculate about fundamental or issues of utmost ESSENTIALISM IS…
important in tedious, grand and overbearing manner.  1. It is a philosophical theory asserting that metaphysical essences are real
 It is a process of explaining or arguing a point of view or idea in terms and intuitively accessible. 
of one’s philosophical theories.  2. It is philosophical theory giving priority to the inward nature, true
Characteristics of Philosophical questions which trigger wisdom to surface  substance, or constitution of something over its existence. 

 There are answers which are offered but in reality, did not give an
answer; the answer in itself becomes disputable.  
 It is in this light the we often hear students complaining that their
teacher tends to evade their questions by answer that questions
with another question.
 There is also the perennial or continuing interest which cuts through
the very meaning of man’s being like: why do we exist? What does
freedom mean when in fact in most cases, we never have a choice? 
 The perennial nature of the process showed that there are basic
questions that keep on repeating itself through time.
 This is typical among cancer patients and their families that
continually asked the questions: Why Lord?
Essentially, Philosophizing means searching for meaning.
Beyond that, Philosophizing should not merely be theoretical exercise. It must
also guide us to deeper understanding of “oneself”. It has to be approach in a
broader perspective for to philosophize.” one has to be open minded to know
something as it is and act upon it as it should be relevantly within priorities” this
will give way to the following:
1. A way to reveal the truth about the different stages of life and
everything. 
2. To reveal the fulfilment of the purpose of each stage of life. 
3. To express the way to realization of these things in relevant way in
order to obtain the best compromise of what we all face in life.  Essentialism, at its simplest, is the view that things have essences (the attribute,
4. To find an avenue for full and unrestricted expressions of philosophy
sentiments and stands concerning contemporary issues.
Plato 
One of the first essentialist who believed in the concept of ideal form. 
“The here and now is not the real world” 
“This world is just a shadow or a poor copy of the really real
world”. 
Essentialism believes on: 
 In the real true essence, which is invisible or fixed property that defines
what an entity is in truest sense? 
 There is ultimate reality which is 
1. Permanent 
2. Unalterable 
3. Eternal 
 The human nature more than just a physical body which is eternal and
with an unchanging nature.
A good example of essentialism is when a mother recalled that her first child is
naughty while the second child tends to do naughty things sometimes. This may
seen two of saying things but each implies something different.
Essentialism is a simple way to group individuals into categories, in can be a
serious problem in societies.
or set of attributes, that make an object or substance what it fundamentally is).
Thus, for any specific kind of entity, there is a set of characteristics (or properties
or traits), all of which any entity of that kind must have. A member of a specific
kind of entity may possess other characteristics but these neither establish nor
preclude its membership.
Types of Essentialism 
1. Mereological Essentialism  2. Ethical Essentialism 
3. Epistemological Essentialism  4. Sociological Essentailism 
5. Educational Essentialism 
Mereological Essentialism 
  Parthood relations: of the relations of part to whole and the relations of
part to part within a whole.
 It is the view that object have their parts essentially. 
Ethical Essentialism 
 The claim that some things are wrong in an essential or absolute sense,
breaking a universal, objective and natural moral law and not merely an
adventitious, socially or ethically constructed one.
Epistemological Essentialism
  The view that all entities have intrinsic properties that can be discerned
by reason (sometimes attributed to Aristotle).
Sociological Essentialism 
 Sociological (as opposed to philosophical) theory which states that
positions on gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity or other group
characteristics are fixed traits, not allowing for variations among
individuals or over time.
Educational Essentialism 
 Educational (as opposed to philosophical) theory that states that children
should learn the traditional basic subjects and that these should be
learned thoroughly and rigorously. An essentialist program normally
teaches children progressively, from less complex skills to more complex.
Other types of Essentialism
Essentialism may be further divided into three types:
The Sortal Essence is the set of defining characteristics that all and only members
of a category share.
The Causal Essence is the entity or quality that causes other category-typical
properties to emerge and be sustained, and that confers identity. The causal
essence is used to explain the observable properties of category members.
The Ideal Essence has no actual instantiation in the world. For example, on this
view the essence of "justice" is some abstract quality that is imperfectly realized
in real-world instances of people performing just deeds. None of these just deeds
perfectly embodies "justice," but each reflects some aspect of it.