PHILOSOPHY

Objective:
Provides training in the construction of good argumentation. Students learn to
accurate and defend their own views. To understand and appreciate competing views and to
indicate clearly and forcefully why their views are preferable to alternatives.

Philosophy
It comes from the Greek words, philos which means love and sophia which means
wisdom. It can be translated to love of knowledge of passion for learning. It is the investigation
of normal and fundamental issue’s. It concerns matters, for example, presence, information,
values, reason, psyche and dialect.
It is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence,
especially in an academic discipline.
A particular theory that someone has bout how to live or how to deal with a particular
situation.
Academic discipline concerned with investigating the nature of significance of
ordinary and scientific beliefs. Investigates the legitimacy of concepts by rational argument.
Concerning their implications, relationships as well as reality, knowledge, moral judgement. It is
used originally by the ancients Greek, the term PHILOSOPHIA meant the pursuit of knowledge
for its own sake, and comprised all areas of speculative thought, including the art, science and
religion. Philosophical questions are usually foundational and abstract in nature. Philosophy is
done primarily through reflection and does not tend to rely on experiment, although the methods
used to study it may be analogous to those used in study of the natural sciences.

ANCIENT PHILOSOPHERS

ARISTOTLE (469- 399 BC)

Considered Father of Western Philosophy
Plato, one of his students, kept his teaching and beliefs alive in his writing
documents, Socrates incarceration and eventually his execution.
Concerned with the problem of the self
“ the true task of the Philosopher is to know one self”
“ the un-examined life is not worth living”
Under went a trial for “corrupting the minds of the youth”
Succeeded made people think about who they are
The worst thing that can happen to anyone is to live but die inside
Every person is dualistic
 -Man= Body + Soul
Individual= imperfect/ permanent (body) + perfect (soul)

BELIEFS
Wisdom is awareness of own self-ignorance, especially through the acquisition of self-
awareness and self- knowledge
Self-awareness and self- knowledge were the key to becoming an individual who can
think and analyze for himself/ herself.
Seeking the truth in all things by asking questions and constantly dissenting all
viewpoints and ideas.
Free wheel discussion with the youth of Athens- to discover or expand upon new ideas
Questioned everything.

VIRTUES OF SOCRATES
=Humility- the quality or state of being humble (not arrogant/ proud)
=Frugality- characterized by reflecting economy in the use of resources
=Simplicity- uncomplicated

QUOTES
=“ as for me, all I know is that I know nothing”=
=“ false words are nit only in evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil”=
=“ true wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about
life, ourselves, and the world around us”=
=“ wisdom begins in wonder”=
DEATH SENTENCE
Drank Hemlock- poisonous herbs
=carrot family having finely cut leaves and small white flowers

~the poison hemlock, allegedly the plant used to poison the Greek Philosopher “Socrates, is a
common sight along Ohio Roadsides” all parts of this plant are highly toxic~

CONTRIBUTION
The opinion of the masses, one’s true self, according to Socrates, is not to be identified
with what we own, with our social status, our reputation, or even with our body. Instead,
Socrates famously maintained that our true self is our soul.
Is among the most famous figures in the world history for his contribution to the
Development of ancient Greek Philosophy which provided the foundation for all of Western
Philosophy. He is in fact, known as the Father of Western Philosophy.
The goal of philosophy was to know thyself

PLATO (427- 347 BC)

Student of Socrates
 Wrote several literature that tackles politics, human nature, and established the idea of
virtue and intelligence
Father of Academy
= a place where learning and sharing of knowledge happens; later become one of the
pillars and basis of what school and education is now in the present
Followed the idea of Socrates in knowing thyself
Notable works are
Allegory of the cave
The apology
Perfect Government and Societal system
The Republic
Here he said that the world can only be led by a philosopher king, a person who
is virtuous, as well as intelligent
It is one of the longest works of Plato (more than 440 pages in length)
It is written in dialogue from (as are most of Plato’s books) and it addresses
major issues in almost all of the branches of philosophy
The selection in the text begins at a point in the republic after Socrates,
Glaucon, and other characters have been discussing the nature of justice and the marks of a just
political system for some time.
Socrates said Plato is a True Philosopher
Loves the whole of wisdom and is satisfied without nothing less
Recognizes the differences between particular things are likeness (e.g. beautiful things
vs. beauty itself)
Knows the difference between knowledge, ignorance and opinion
According to him, a person who is a follower of truth and wisdom will not be tempted
by vices and will always be correct/ moral/ ethical

BELIEFS
The division of a persons’s body and soul which forms the person as a whole aside from
the material things and that could be observed and associated with a person
He believed that has different views, leading to different behaviors.
3 Components to the Soul
Appetitive soul base desires (food, drink, sleep, sexual needs)
When these ate attained, the human person’s soul becomes just and virtuous
The part of the person that is driven by desire and need to satisfy oneself. This
satisfaction involves physical needs and pleasure and desires, object and situations.
Spirited soul emotion should be kept at bay
Courage part of a person one who wants to do something or to right the
wrongs that they observe. This is very competitive and is very active. Competitiveness drives
one to expect positive results and winning.
Rational soul reason and intellect to govern affairs.
The drive of our lives. The parts that thinks and plan for the future ( the
conscious mind) it decides what to do, when to do it and the possible results one could have
depending on their actions.
“Someone who really love’s something must love that thing as a whole and not just some
aspects of it. On that basis, he concludes that a true philosopher (lover of wisdom) must
desire wisdom as a whole and not be content with having just some wisdom .”

CONTRIBUTION
The mind is the sense of self and it desires an understanding of the forms. The souls is
the driving force behind body and mind. That the soul is eternal and, in his later works, he toys
with the idea of the afterlife. He also explains the soul as having three functions reason, emotion,
and desires.

ARISTOTLE (427- 347 BC)

He was born in the city of Stagira
His father was a physician and served the grandfather of Alexander the Great
Married the daughter dictator’s Pythias. She died when she gave birth to their only
child
He was a student of Plato. He disagreed with him in a lot things
Tutored the son of King Phillip II for four years
He has a school in Athens called Lyceum

BELIEFS
He argued that science could rationally treat only information gathered by senses
He numbered the so called five senses, vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch
He explored the nature of causes and effect
He pointed out that people differ from one other living things in their capacity for rational
thought
He outlined laws of associationism that have lain at the heart of learning theory for more
than 2,00 years
He also declared that people are more motivated to seek pleasure and avoid pain- a view
that remains as current today as it was ancient Greece.

CONCEPT
His concept of the self, that is, the human person is a “rational animal”
In other words, for Aristotle, the human person is simply an animal that thinks
How did Aristotle come up with the idea that the human person is just an animal that
thinks?
He defines the soul as the principles of life. And as the principle of life, it causes the
body to live this explains why for Aristotle all living beings have souls. Then it is follows that
plants and animals have souls too.
3 Levels of Soul
Vegetative Soul plants have souls because they possess the three basis
requirements for something to be called “living being “ that is the capacity to grow, reproduce
and feed itself.
Sensitive Soul also grow, reproduce and feed themselves; but unlike vegetative
souls, sensitive souls are capable of sensation.
 Rational Soul grow, reproduce feed themselves, and feel; but unlike the sensitive
souls, rational souls are capable of thinking this is the highest level of soul is present only in
humans.

Aristotle’s concept of the self is hylomorphic, that is the self or the human person is
composed of body and soul. The two are inseparable
The self is essentially body and soul
The self is unified creature

CONTRIBUTION
The human person is a composite of body and soul and that two are inseparable. And as
“ form” of the soul is the very structure of the human body which allows humans yo perform
activities of life , such as thinking, writing, imagining, desiring, and perceiving.