Unit 1 – THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

MODULE 1
PURSUING WISDOM AND FACING CHALLENGES
IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

WEEK: 1
SUBJECT: Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
LEVEL: 12
PREPARED BY:

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

At the end of this module, you should be able to:
a. distinguish between a holistic perspective and a partial point of view;
b. recognize human activities that arose from deliberate reflection;
c. appreciate Filipino indigenous values and thinking; and
d. seek wisdom from within and from trusted sources.
The Meaning of Philosophy
Etymologically, the word “philosophy” comes from two Greek words, philo, meaning “to
love,” and sophia, meaning “wisdom.” Philosophy originally meant, “love of wisdom,”and in a
broad sense, wisdom is still the goal of philosophy. Philosophy is also defined as the attitude of
the mind that by natural light of reason studies the first causes or the highest principles of all
things. Under this definition, four things are to be considered:

1. Scientific Approach. It uses scientific approach because the investigation is

systematic. It follows certain steps or it employs certain procedures. In other words,
it is an organized body of knowledge just like any other sciences.

2. Natural Light of Reason. Philosophy investigates things, neither by using any

laboratory instruments or investigative tools, nor on the basis of supernatural
revelation, otherwise it becomes theology. Instead, the philosopher uses his natural
capacity to think or observe the world and people.

3. Study of all Things. This sets the distinction between philosophy and other
sciences. All other sciences concern themselves with a particular object of
investigation. For example, anthropologists study human beings in relation to the
society; sociologists study society; its form, structures, and functions; botanists focus
their attention to plants, linguists limit themselves to language; theologians
investigate God; whereas, a philosopher studies human beings, society, religion,
language, God, and plants, among other concerns.
The reason is that philosophy is not one-dimensional or partial. Rather,
philosophy is multi-dimensional or partial. Rather, philosophy is multi-dimensional
or holistic. In short, a philosopher does not limit himself to a particular object of
inquiry. He questions almost anything, if not, everything.

4. First Cause of the Highest Principle. An idea which means something is the main
and first cause why an event or situation took place. It is a principle because
everything in the world and every situation has a starting point or a beginning.

The first principles are:

 Principle of identity – whatever is is; and whatever is not is not;
everything is what it is. Everything is its own being, and not being is not
being. It means a thing, idea, or person always has a name, a concept, and
a characteristic for that thing to exist.
 Principle of Non-contradiction – it is impossible for a thing to be and not
to be at the same time, and at the same respect.
 Principle of Excluded Middle – a thing is either is or is not; everything
must be either be or not be; being and not being; there is no middle ground
possible.
 Principle of Sufficient Reason – nothing exists without a sufficient
reason for its being and existence
 Since its beginning, however, the focus and scope of philosophy have changed.
Early Greek philosophers studied aspects of the natural world and human civilizations
that later became separate aspects of the natural world and human civilizations that later
became separate sciences – astronomy, physics, psychology, and sociology. On the other
hand, certain basic problems – the nature of the universe, the standard of justice, the
validity of knowledge, the correct application of reason, and the criteria of beauty and
truth – have been the domains of philosophy from its beginnings to the present.
Universal and fundamental problems are the subject matter of the five branches of
philosophy – metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, logic, and aesthetics. These branches
will be discussed in the next topic. There are also special branches of philosophy like
philosophy of science, philosophy of state, philosophy of politics, philosophy of
mathematics, philosophy of education, philosophy of law, philosophy of language, and
others.
Finally, in attaining wisdom, there is a need for emptying. Emptying is
suspending one’s judgment and conclusion about a matter and mentally exploring the
pros and cons, the characteristics, and the purpose of an idea or situation. This means
pushing ourselves not to be affected by our personal biases and stereotypes so we can
make an objective and fair assessment of things. Emptying can be intellectual. For
instance, Taoists consider an empty cup more useful than a full one. This mean s
simplicity and humility. Emptying can be also spiritual. For Christian philosophy, por in
spirit means compassion. Emptying is also physical. The Buddhists refrain from misuse
of the senses, thereby emphasizing a unified whole (Elgin, 2009). Without the virtue of
emptying, students will only learn partial philosophy that is knowledge-based without
becoming holistic (i.e., acquiring wisdom through various dimensions of being human
including the psychologists, social, emotional, and moral aspects).

The Branches of Philosophy

A. Metaphysics

What is Metaphysics?
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy
responsible for the study of existence. It is the foundation
of a worldview. It answers the question "What is?" It
encompasses everything that exists, as well as the nature
of existence itself. It says whether the world is real, or
merely an illusion. It is a fundamental view of the world
around us.

Why is Metaphysics important?

Metaphysics is the foundation of philosophy. Without an explanation or an interpretation
of the world around us, we would be helpless to deal with reality. We could not feed ourselves,
or act to preserve our lives. The degree to which our metaphysical worldview is correct is the
degree to which we are able to comprehend the world, and act accordingly. Without this firm
foundation, all knowledge becomes suspect. Any flaw in our view of reality will make it more
difficult to live.
What are the key elements of a rational metaphysics?
Reality is absolute. It has a specific nature independent of our thoughts or feelings. The
world around us is real. It has a specific nature and it must be consistent to that nature. A proper
metaphysical worldview must aim to understand reality correctly.

The physical world exists, and every entity has a specific nature. It acts according to that
nature. When different entities interact, they do so according to the nature of both. Every action
has a cause and an effect. Causality is the means by which change occurs, but the change occurs
via a specific nature.

B. Ethics

What is Ethics?
Ethics is the branch of study dealing with what is
the proper course of action for man. It answers the
question, "What do I do?" It is the study of right and
wrong in human endeavors. At a more fundamental
level, it is the method by which we categorize our values
and pursue them. Do we pursue our own happiness, or do
we sacrifice ourselves to a greater cause? Is that
foundation of ethics based on the Bible, or on the very
nature of man himself, or neither?

Why is Ethics important?

Ethics is a requirement for human life. It is our means of deciding a course of action.
Without it, our actions would be random and aimless. There would be no way to work towards a
goal because there would be no way to pick between a limitless number of goals. Even with an
ethical standard, we may be unable to pursue our goals with the possibility of success. To the
degree which a rational ethical standard is taken, we are able to correctly organize our goals and
actions to accomplish our most important values. Any flaw in our ethics will reduce our ability
to be successful in our endeavors.

What are the key elements of a proper Ethics?

A proper foundation of ethics requires a standard of value to which all goals and actions
can be compared to. This standard is our own lives, and the happiness which makes them
livable. This is our ultimate standard of value, the goal in which an ethical man must always aim.
It is arrived at by an examination of man's nature, and recognizing his peculiar needs. A system
of ethics must further consist of not only emergency situations, but the day to day choices we
make constantly. It must include our relations to others, and recognize their importance not only
to our physical survival, but to our well-being and happiness. It must recognize that our lives are
an end in themselves, and that sacrifice is not only not necessary, but destructive.
 C. Epistemology

What is Epistemology?
Epistemology is the study of our method of
acquiring knowledge. It answers the question, "How do we know?" It encompasses the nature
of concepts, the constructing of concepts, the validity of the senses, logical reasoning, as well as
thoughts, ideas, memories, emotions, and all things mental. It is concerned with how our minds
are related to reality, and whether these relationships are valid or invalid.

Why is Epistemology important?

Epistemology is the explanation of how we think. It is required in order to be able to
determine the true from the false, by determining a proper method of evaluation. It is needed in
order to use and obtain knowledge of the world around us. Without epistemology, we could not
think. More specifically, we would have no reason to believe our thinking was productive or
correct, as opposed to random images flashing before our mind. With an incorrect epistemology,
we would not be able to distinguish truth from error. The consequences are obvious. The degree
to which our epistemology is correct is the degree to which we could understand reality, and the
degree to which we could use that knowledge to promote our lives and goals. Flaws in
epistemology will make it harder to accomplish anything.

What are the key elements of a proper Epistemology?

Our senses are valid, and the only way to gain information about the world. Reason is
our method of gaining knowledge, and acquiring understanding. Logic is our method of
maintaining consistency within our set of knowledge. Objectivity is our means of associating
knowledge with reality to determine its validity. Concepts are abstracts of specific details of
reality, or of other abstractions. A proper epistemology is a rational epistemology.

D. Logic

What is logic?
Logic is the art of conforming one's thoughts to the Law of Identity. In one respect,
thoughts have to conform to the Law of Identity, as does everything else. This has to do with the
nature of thoughts. Ideas have a different nature than memories, which are different from
emotions. In this respect, all thoughts conform to the Law of Identity.

In a different respect, though, it requires focused action to conform to the Law of

Identity. Ideas have content. This content is generated by the thinker from perceptual data.
However, it may be generated incorrectly. Logic requires the content to be clear and identifiable.
It requires that no contradiction exist within the idea.
Why is logic important?
Logic is used in integrating ideas as well. Again, it is the process of conforming to the
Law of Identity. What this means in practice is combining information clearly, and without
contradiction. It must be combined into a specific, identifiable package, that doesn't contradict
itself.
 Logic is the art of non-contradictory identification. It is the mental tool that sets the
standard for proper thought. It is the foundation of knowledge. It is the means of understanding
and clarity. Without logic, we could not distinguish between the true and the false. We could
not throw out bad ideas because we could not judge them as bad. Without logic, our minds
would be cluttered with so many absurdities and falsehoods that if there was some truth, it would
be lost in the garbage of contradictions, fuzzy thoughts, and non-integrated mental images.

E. Esthetics/Aesthetics

What is Esthetics?
Esthetics is the study of art. It includes what art consists
of, as well as the purpose behind it. Does art consist of music,
literature, and painting? Or does it include a good engineering
solution, or a beautiful sunset? These are the questions that
aimed at in esthetics. It also studies methods of evaluating art,
and allows judgments of the art. Is art in the eye of the
beholder? Does anything that appeals to you fit under the
umbrella of art? Or does it have a specific nature? Does it
accomplish a goal?

Why is Esthetics important?

Art has existed through all of recorded human history. It is unique to humans because of
our unique form of thinking. Its importance is based on this nature, specifically, man's ability to
abstract. Art is a little understood tool of man to bring meaning to abstract concept. Esthetics is
important because it delves into the reason why art has always existed, the burning need of
mankind through the ages to see the world in a different, clear way. It further evaluates art by
the standard of human life, and whether it accomplishes the job of satisfying man's intellectual
needs, or whether it tends to hurt or make worse those needs.

What are the key elements of a proper Esthetics?

Art is a selective recreation of reality. Its purpose is to concretize an abstraction to bring
an idea or emotion within the grasp of the observer. It is a selective recreation, with the selection
process depending on the value judgments of the creator. These value judgments can be
observed and evaluated via the field of ethics.

Attaining a Comprehensive Outlook in Life

A. Western and Non-Western Culture
The culture of a community or a nation depends upon the surroundings, the values and
beliefs that they are brought up upon. Hence different parts of the world feature different
cultures that vary very much from one another. Today, the cultures of the world can be divided
into two main parts such as the Eastern and Western culture. However throughout the years, the
two have come to influence one another constantly due to globalization, and shaping and
moulding one another in the process.
What is Eastern Culture?
Eastern culture is the ensemble of beliefs, customs and traditions that distinguishes the
people of eastern part of the world, made up of the Far East, West Asia, Central Asia, North Asia
and South Asia. Based mostly on Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Islam, Taoism and Zen,
the Eastern culture explores the spiritual aspect of exploring the inner world of a human being
believing that the universe and its existence is a never-ending cyclic journey with no limits.
Eastern culture encourages its people to gain control over their emotions and state of mind
through meditation and practices the principal of virtue in all aspects of life. It is also a culture
that is built upon community and collectivism as Eastern culture believes that a human being is a
social creature and is an integral part of the society.

What is Western Culture?

Western culture is a term that refers to the heritage of ethical values, traditions, customs,
belief systems, technologies, and artefacts that define the lifestyles and beliefs of people from the
Western part of the world. The roots of the Western culture has its origins in Europe and carries
a heritage of Germanic, Celtic, Hellenic, Slavic, Jewish, Latin, and other ethnic and linguistic
groups. Mainly based on Christianity, one sees oneself as an element of the divine and life in
service of God. Beginning in Ancient Greece and ancient Rome, Western culture continued to
develop with Christianity during the middle ages, nourished by the experiments of enlightenment
and discoveries of science and spread itself throughout the world between the 16th and 20th
centuries as a result of globalization and human migration.

What are the differences between Western Culture and Eastern Culture?
• Eastern culture is based on the main schools of
Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Islam, Taoism,
and Zen whereas the Western culture is based mostly
on Christianity, scientific, logical, and rational
schools.
• Eastern culture has a circular view of the universe that
is based upon the perception of eternal recurrence
whereas Western culture has a linear view of the
universe that is based on the Christian philosophy that
everything has a beginning and an end.
• Eastern culture uses the spiritual and missionary
approach of searching inside oneself for answers
through meditation whereas western culture takes on a
pragmatic and emotional approach in searching
outside oneself through research and analysis.
• Eastern culture believes that the key to success is through spiritual means. Western
culture believes that the key to success is through material means.
• Eastern culture believes that one’s future is determined by one’s deeds today. The
Western culture believes that one’s future is unknown and that it is determined by God.
• Eastern culture believes that a human being is an integral part of the society as well as the
universe and practices collectivism. In Western culture, individualism is stronger,
believing that a human being has an individualistic and is an independent part of the
society and the universe.

B. Three Dimensions of Filipino Thought

1. Loob: Holistic and Interior Dimensions

The Filipino looks at himself as a self, as a total whole – as a “person,”
conscious of his freedom, proud of his human dignity, and sensitive to the
violation of these two (Mercado 2000).

2. Filipino Philosophy of Time

The Filipino proves that he believes in the “gulong ng palad”
(literally, “wheel of fortune” and hence, looks at life as a series of
ups and downs (Timbreza 1992).
Often, Filipino time is mistakenly interpreted as always
delayed in the committed time of arrival.
The concept of “siesta time” or “power naps” s also
important for Filipino culture that must not be necessarily considered
negative.

3. Bahala Na
Bahala na literally means to leave everything to God who is Bathala
in the vernacular.
The bahala na philosophy puts complete trust in the Divine
Providence; it contains the element of resignation. Thus, the Filipino accepts
beforehand whatever the outcome of his problem might be (Mercado 2000).
It is one of the most outstanding Filipino virtues. It is one aspect
perceived as courage to take risks. Bahala na, on the other hand, is seen as
fatalistic; sort of leaving everything to God or to chance – such is the uncertainty
of life. On the other hand, fatalism is universal. The will of God/ Allah, tao to
the Chinese, rah to the Indians and fate in Buddhism – all signify, in one way or
another, fatalism.

C. Filipino Thought and Values: Positive and Negative Aspects

As we consider our duty, it should not be bounded by
utang-na-loob (indebtedness to patrons) but to help to uplift the
life not only of one’s own family (micro perspective) but of others
as well (macro perspective).
In this vein, we should stress other positive Filipino values
such as bayanihan or helping others in times of need.

D. Philosophy: Transcending and Aiming for a Life of Abundance

 Abundance comes from the Latin term, “äbundare” (Aguilar 2010) meaning,
to overflow nonstop.
Abundance is out flowing than incoming. It is not about amazing material
things or people but our relationship with others, ourselves, and with nature.
Our very life belongs to God. (Aguilar, 20210)
 Abundance is not what we gather but what we scatter.
 Abundance is not what we keep but what we give away.
 Abundance is not what we hold but what we share.
 Abundance is a choice.
 Abundance is to evolve into a higher being.

ACTIVITY #1
Direction: Jot down the happiest and worst occurrences in your life. Write down the lessons
that you have gained from those situations.

HAPPIEST MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE WORST MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE

Event/Situation: Event/Situation:

People involved: People involved:

Place/Location: Place/Location:

Learning/lessons gained: Learning/lessons gained:

ACTIVITY #2
Direction: Answer the following questions:

1. What Filipino value do you have that you are proud of? Why?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. What Filipino value annoys you a lot? Why?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. What does this saying means, “A job gives you money, a calling gives you meaning?”
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4. How important is the responsibility of repaying borrowed money in relation to “kagandahang

loob” and “kabutihang loob?”
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

5. How can education do away with colonial and crab mentality for the country to be
economically strong?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
References:

Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

Written by: Christine Carmela R. Ramos, PhD
Published by: Rex Book Store

Importance of Philosophy
Written by: Jeff Landauer and Joseph Rowlands
Link: http://www.importanceofphilosophy.com/Metaphysics_Main.html

Difference Between Eastern and Western Culture

Link: https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-eastern-and-vs-western-
culture/

Loob puts one in touch with fellow beings three

Link: https://www.coursehero.com/file/p3o5bcf0/Loob-puts-one-in-touch-with-fellow-
beings-Three-Dimensions-of-Filipino-Thought/