SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Introduction to the
Philosophy of the Human
Person
Quarter 1 – Module 1- Week 1
The Meaning and Method of Doing Philosophy

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Lesson 1
The Meaning and Method of Doing Philosophy
The study of this subject is an initiation to the activity and process of philosophical
reflection as a search for a synoptic vision of life. At the end of the course, you
should be able to reflect on their daily experiences from a holistic point of view,
acquire critical and analytical thinking skills and should be able to apply this
critical and analytical thinking skills to the affairs of daily life and become truthful,
environment-friendly and service-oriented. Actively committed to the
development of a more humane society and articulate their own philosophy of life.

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW?

Objectives: After going through this module, you are expected to understand the
meaning and process of doing philosophy, to:

1. Distinguish a holistic perspective from a partial point of view PPT11/12-Ia-1.1

2. Realize the value of doing philosophy in obtaining a broad perspective on life
PPT11/12-Ib-1.2
3. Do a philosophical reflection on a concrete situation from a holistic
perspective PPT11/12-Ib-1.3
WHAT I KNOW?
INSTRUCTION: Write your answer in the space provided below.
What words come to mind when you hear the word Philosophy? Why do we
need to study Philosophy?
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WHAT’S IN?
The word philosophy comes from two Greek words: philos (love) and sophia
(wisdom). The ancient Greeks used this term to refer to “love of wisdom” and they
soon applied it to the study or discipline that uses human reason to investigate the
ultimate causes, reasons, and principles which govern all things.
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental questions about existence,
knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.
Philosophy in simple words is a way of thinking about the world, the universe, and
society. It works by asking very basic questions about the nature of human thought,
the nature of the universe, and the connections between them. The ideas in
philosophy are often general and abstract.
Philosophy is the study of humans and the world by thinking and asking questions.
It is a science and an art. Philosophy tries to answer important questions by coming
up with answers about real things and asking "why?"

WHAT’S NEW?
Do you know of some Greek Philosophers? Philosophers- are people who engage
in philosophy.
Direction: Identify the following person in the picture below. Write your answer
on the space provided below.

____________ ___________ ___________ ____________ _______________

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WHAT IS IT?
The most notable ancient Greek philosophers are:
Pythagoras (570 BCE to 495 BCE)- A mathematician and scientist, he was
credited with formulating the Pythagorean theorem.
Heraclitus (535 BCe to 475 BCE)- He proposed that everything that exists is
based on a higher order or plan which he called logos.
Democritus (460 BCE to 370 BCE)- He devoted himself to the study of the
causes of natural phenomena.
Diogenes of Sinope (412 BCE to 323 BCE)- He was a known advocate of living
a simple and virtuous life.
Epicurus (341 BCE to 270 BCE)- He believed that philosophy could enable man
to live a life of happiness.
Socrates (470 BCE to 399 BCE)- He was considered the foremost philosophers
of ancient times. He was credited with formulating the Socratic method- means
of examining a topic by devising a series of questions that let the learner examine
and analyze his knowledge and views regarding the topic.
Plato (427 BCE to 347 BCE)- A student of Socrates, he wrote down his mentor’s
teaching and incorporated some of his own ideas into them. Plato’s most
significant ideas included his Theory of Forms, which proposes that everything
that exist is based on an idea or template than can only be perceived in the mind.
Plato is also known for his dialectic- a method of inquiry where two opposing
ideas are discussed in an attempt to arrive at new knowledge. Plato’s lasting
contribution to learning was his founding of the Academy, an institution of
higher learning.
Aristotle (384 BCE to 322 BCE)- He attended the Academy, and was the
prominent student of Plato. For him, all ideas and views are based on perception
and our reality is based on what we can sense and perceive. His studies in logic
led to the formulation of a formal process of analyzing reasoning which give rise
to deductive reasoning-the process by which specific statements are analyzed to
reach a conclusion or generalization.

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Lesson 1.2
The Value of Doing Philosophy in Obtaining a
Broad Perspective on Life

Why do we philosophize? We all have the potential to philosophize since we

have the tendency to wonder and doubt.
A philosopher is a good communicator who can clearly and adequately present
his or her ideas.
Doing philosophy can be applied in day-to-day activities and life perspectives.
Because it involves an evaluative process, doing philosophy allows a person to
make better decisions and act accordingly to situations with the help of various
philosophical skills. On life perspectives, philosophy enables reflective thinking
which greatly influences a person’s view of life, challenges, and relationships
In doing philosophy, a holistic perspective on the subject is always required.
Failure to do so or only using a partial point of view may lead to illogical or
incorrect conclusions.

WHAT I KNOW
Direction: Give a brief answer to the following question. Write your answer in
space provided below.
1. How can a person benefit from philosophizing?
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2. What are the reasons that compel a person to engage in philosophical
thinking?
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WHAT’S IN
Plato traced man’s need to philosophize to his sense of wonder. Whenever we are
confronted with an experience, we always wonder how it came about.
French philosopher Rene Descartes traced the need to philosophize to doubt. In
life, we will be faced with several ideas and arguments which present themselves
as “truths”. A critical and questioning perspective is necessary to determine if
indeed these ideas or views are correct or true.
Swiss-German philosopher Karl Jaspers saw the need to philosophize because of
experience. These experiences limit situation, philosophy provides us a means to
understand adverse or challenging conditions, and to rise above them and gain new
knowledge and perspective.
The need to philosophize is driven by the love for wisdom. To love wisdom is to
have an insatiable desire for truth.
Philosophy itself is a distinct area of knowledge with its own goals, concerns, and
ways of doing things.

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WHAT’S NEW?
Direction: Based on the picture below. Identify the branches of Philosophy. Write
your answer on the space provided.

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WHAT IS IT?
The following are the branches of philosophy that deals with a particular aspect of
life or phenomena.

Aesthetics is the branch of Philosophy which deals with beauty and what makes
things “beautiful”.
Logic is branch of philosophy which deals with correct reasoning.
Epistemology discusses the nature of knowledge and knowing.
Ethics is the branch which deals with moral questions and dilemmas.

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Political Philosophy studies governments and deals with questions of justice,
power and the rights and obligations of citizens.
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy which deals with questions regarding
reality and existence.
Philosophy of the Human Person-is an area in philosophy that understand the
human person from a philosophical perspective.

Lesson 1.3
Doing a Philosophical Reflection on a Situation
from Holistic Perspective
➢ Reflection requires a person to be willing to examine one’s thoughts,
feelings, and action and to learn more about one’s life and experiences.
➢ Human self-reflection is the capacity of humans to exercise introspection and
to attempt to learn more about their fundamental nature and essence.
➢ Philosophy has an important place in our daily lives. Engaging in
philosophical reflection leads to the development of beneficial skills that
individuals can apply in everyday situations.

WHAT I KNOW
Direction: Give a brief answer to the following question. Write your
answer on the space provided below.
1.Have you ever had an experience where reflecting on your actions benefitted
you?
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2. Has reflection ever helped you avoid making a bad decision?
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WHAT’S IN
Reflection is vital in ensuring that our actions and decisions are well thought out
and are done with due regard for their implications and consequences on ourselves,
others, and our surroundings.
When we reflect, we can judge whether our actions or decisions are reasonable or
not. Doing Philosophy enables a person to engage in critical analysis and
interpretation of concepts, definitions, arguments, and problems.
Doing Philosophy also improves problem-solving and decision making. The
ability to analyze a problem or dilemma, identify the significant aspects, and come
up with alternative solutions is an important skill learned through philosophy.
In the process of doing philosophy, it is critical to have a holistic point of view-the
perception of looking at all aspects of a situation first before making a conclusion.
Wisdom as it refers to a person’s ability to apply knowledge to daily life
particularly in making sound choices and judgment is the intended product of
philosophizing.
Finally, knowledge of Philosophy can contribute to self-development.
Examples of activities that emanated from a deliberate reflection

Learning from your previous mistakes and not repeating them again
Evaluating and knowing the best choice from a set of options
Gaining a holistic point of view first before making any conclusion

WHAT’S NEW?
Direction: Complete the table below. Write your answer on the space provided.
ACTIONS WHAT MUST BE DONE BEFORE
THE ACTION?
1. Buying a new gadget
2. Choosing friends
3. Eating food
4. Deciding where to study in College
5. Joining an organization in school

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6. Helping a stranger
7. Going out with friends
8. Posting your opinion or feelings in
the social media
9. Going out with the opposite sex
10. Confronting a person who verbally
hurt you

WHAT IS IT?
Based on your answers in Table 1, what must before make actions? Do you
consider it helpful if you do this before making actions? Why or why not?
Simple action seems to take a whole new meaning when one engages in reflection.
Like buying a new gadget, think of the questions you asked yourself as you
consider buying the said item.
You may start with simple questions, but since we are in reflective and
philosophizing mood, we try and think of deeper questions and reflect on the
situation

WHAT’S MORE
Direction: TRUE OR FALSE. Write TRUE if the statement is correct otherwise
choose FALSE. Write your answer on the space provided.
__________1. Plato traced man’s need to philosophize to his sense of wonder.
_________ 2. The need to philosophize is driven by the love for wisdom.
__________ 3. This is an area in philosophy that understand the human person
from a philosophical perspective is holistic thinking.
__________ 4. Swiss-German philosopher Karl Jaspers saw the need to
philosophize because of doubt.
__________ 5. Aesthetics is branch of philosophy which deals with beauty.
__________ 6. Ethics is a branch of philosophy which deals with correct
reasoning.

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__________ 7. Logic is a branch of philosophy which discusses the nature of
knowledge and knowing.
__________ 8. Philosophy of the Human Person is a branch of philosophy which
deals with moral questions and dilemmas.
__________ 9. Metaphysics is branch of philosophy which deals with questions
regarding reality and existence.
__________ 10. Political Philosophy is branch of philosophy which studies
governments and deals with questions of justice, power and the rights and
obligations of citizens.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Direction: Fill in the blanks. Write your answer on the space provided.
Experience
Holistic Thinking
Knowledge
Partial Thinking
Greek
Lover of Wisdom

Philosophy – comes from two ____________________word philos (love)

and sophias (wisdom) is the study of general and fundamental questions about
existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophers – or
______________________ people who are engage in philosophy. A man
needs to philosophize because of his sense of wonder, doubt and
______________________. Philosophy does not limit itself to its own field
as it makes sense of information gathered from various fields of
_________________________ (e.g., science, psychology, economics, politics,
etc.,) Philosophy of the Human Person is an area in philosophy that
understand the human person from a philosophical perspective which involves
holistic thinking and _______________________. Philosophical reflection is
important in our daily lives as it ensures that our actions and decisions are well
thought by using a deeper, holistic perspective. In doing philosophy, critical,
logical, and analytical thinking, observation, and communicative skills were
involved.

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WHAT I CAN DO
Direction: Write your answer on the space provided below.
1. List down instances in your life that you were able to engage in philosophy.
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2. How did philosophy help you address your situation?
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ASSESSMENT
After our lesson, let us now check what you have learned.
Direction: encircle the letter of the correct answer.
___________1. The word Philos is a Greek word means_________.
a. Love b. Wisdom c. Philosopher d. Philosophy

___________2. Sophia is a Greek word for ___________.

a. Love b. Wisdom c. Philosopher d. Philosophy

___________3. The people who engages in philosophy are called________.

a. Love b. wisdom c. Philosophy d. Philosopher

___________4. He was considered the foremost philosophers of ancient times.

He was credited with formulating the Socratic method___________.
a. Plato b. Aristotle c. Socrates d. Democritus

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___________5. A student of Socrates, he wrote down his mentor’s teaching and
incorporated some of his own ideas into them included his Theory of
Forms________.
a. Plato b. Aristotle c. Socrates d. Democritus

____________6. It refers to a perspective that considers large-scale patterns in

systems______.
a. Doubt b. Academy c. Holistic Thinking d. Partial
Thinking

____________7. It focuses on specific aspects of a situation, as an individual

focuses on certain areas or aspects of a problem in order to understand it.
a. Doubt b. Academy c. Holistic Thinking d. Partial
Thinking

____________8. It is the process by which specific statements are analysed to

reach a conclusion or generalization.
a. Academy b. Deductive reasoning c. Holistic d. Partial

_____________9. It requires a person to be willing to examine one’s thoughts,

feelings, and action and to learn more about one’s life and experiences.
a. Reflection b. Observation c. Knowledge d. Doubts

______________10. The Greek term for philosophy, philosophia, means ___.

a. Holistic Thinking b. Partial Thinking c. Love of wisdom
d. Knowledge

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