SSCI-114. Understanding Self.

Historical Development of Philosophy:

• Philosophy concerns itself with acquisition of truth

• Basically, it is a search for meaning
• Because it focuses on the acquisition of truth, philosophy
therefore: - involves critical thinking.

It deals:
• With the systematic kind about the origin and nature of the
world;
• The explanation of one’s knowledge and belief
• The manner of life
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:

I. The Pre-Socratic Philosophers (Ancient Philosophy)

• Primarily concerned with the nature and origin of the
world
• Early philosophers were “metaphysicians”
- Because their concern was the establishment of the nature
of existing beings as a whole.

During the Ancient Period:

• So concerned with the world of nature
• Inquired why things were the way they were
• Focused on the origin and nature of the universe.
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:

• The Ancient Philosophy is considered …

“COSMOCENTRIC” – centering on the (cosmos) or

universe.
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:

II. Middle Ages Philosophers (Medieval Philosophy)

• Philosophy became religious in nature

• Philosophers began drawing on the metaphysics of Plato,
then on Aristotle’s in order to defend religious beliefs.
• “was also metaphysics”

• Medieval Philosophers like the ancient philosophers – were

also trying to formulate an answer as records the origin of
things.
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
II. Middle Ages Philosophers (Medieval Philosophy)

Difference:
Ancient:
- Material things as the origin of things.

Medieval:
- Beginning of everything must be something outside the
complexus of finite things.
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
II. Middle Ages Philosophers (Medieval Philosophy)

Arguments:
“ If the origin of things is within the complexus of finitude, the
question still stands as to where would this material thing have
come from.”
Conclusion:
Beginning of everything must be something that has no
beginning and has no end but is the source of existence of all
things.
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
II. Middle Ages Philosophers (Medieval Philosophy)

• whereas the classical was predominantly secular, medieval

mind was chiefly theological.
• Philosophy turn from the study of cosmos and the human
person thru: the sophists; the triumvirate of Socrates, Plato
and Aristotle to “other worldly” inquiries and the study of
God.
• “Theocentric” focus of attention in the existence of God
and the Nature of His Being.
• Greek word – “Theos” - God
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
II. Middle Ages Philosophers (Medieval Philosophy)

During this Period:

• Philosophy endeavored to provide explanation on the
existence of God and the Nature of His Being.

• It is also identified as “The Christian Medieval Ages”

• Making the Act of Faith as the conclusion for logical

processes and negating the “supra-rational” character of
faith.
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
II. Middle Ages Philosophers (Medieval Philosophy)
Discovering the Truth:

Ancient:
• Reason and science

Medieval:
• Studied church doctrine
• Biblical theology in order to explain what God chose to
reveal.
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
III. Modern Philosophy

Development:
• By 17th Century-development in modern science
• Combined with a decline in authority of a single (Roman
Catholic) church
• Signaled the end of the Medieval Era and the beginning of
= as the modern world view.

• In Philosophy – the result of these changes was a shift away

from metaphysics toward Epistemology.
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
III. Modern Philosophy

• This is actually in order to ratify and to accommodate to

religion the new development of natural science.
• This was spearheaded by:

1. Francis Bacon (1561 - 1626), more influentially by:

2. Rene Descartes (1596 -1650)
3. John Locke (1632-1704)
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
III. Modern Philosophy
Rene Descartes (1596 -1650)

• To study the process of thinking itself.

• “epistemological turn”
• A great shift in the characteristics of philosophy from
metaphysical inquiry towards epistemological reflections.
• “cogito ergo sum”- marked the beginning of a new trend in
philosophy.
• He was given the title to the “Father of Modern
Philosophy”
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
III. Modern Philosophy

Observation:
Earlier Philosophers.
• Sought knowledge about:
1. Good life
2. Nature
3. The soul
4. God
5. Ideal society and so forth
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
III. Modern Philosophy

Observation:
Modern Philosophers.
• Relate forward
• Devoted to acquiring knowledge about KNOWLEDGE
• Focus on: acquisition of knowledge; capacity of the human
person to acquire the TRUTH.
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
III. Modern Philosophy

Observation:
Modern Philosophers.
• Considered as “IDEOCENTRIC”
• It tried to focus on the certitude of human knowledge
• Prevailing question was:

Is the human mind capable of obtaining certitude?

SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
IV. Contemporary Philosophy
Focused on:
• Not on the human mind anymore but on the human person
himself.
• “ANTHROPOCENTRIC” (Greek word, “Anthropos”
means “man”
• Philosophers focused on the human person:
- Brought about by the person of the political and cultural
forces;
- Growing dissatisfaction of the masses
- Mid-Nineteenth Century – Europe lived in political
REPRESSION
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
IV. Contemporary Philosophy
Focused on:
Mid-Nineteenth Century – Europe lived in political
REPRESSION

• Looking for change

• Social reformations and economic improvements
• Industrial Revolution
- Inventions of new machines
- To speed up production and transportation
- Brought on the absence of social conscience
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
IV. Contemporary Philosophy

Question.
How to ground human value?

• Rediscovery of human dignity as the main goal of

philosophy.
• Philosophers tried to reflect on the mystery of human
existence.
• “wonder” – is the beginning, the starting point or the
origin of philosophy search for every individual.
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:
IV. Contemporary Philosophy

“philosophical wonder” – LED THE HUMAN PERSO TO:

• To search for the meaning of life

• To philosophize (queries on the nature and dignity of
human existence; constitute the philosophical awe)
• Innate desire to search for TRUTH AND MEANING
ACCORDINGLY, “this intellectual search is inevitable insofar
as man is alleges bewildered by the tremendous paradox of
human life”.
SSCI-114. Understanding Self.
Historical Development of Philosophy:

Branches of Philosophy:
1. Metaphysics
2. Epistemology
3. Ethics
4. Social Philosophy
5. Political Philosophy
6. Aesthetics
7. Logic