INTRODUCTION TO THE + Deduction- Absolutely

certain
PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN
PERSON What is the use of Philosophy?
- It addresses questions that are relevant to us (ex:
Philosophy values, ethics, God)
- From the Greek word, philosophia - It teaches us to justify, defend and critically
+ “Philo” which means “To Love” evaluate beliefs and claims
+ “Sophia” which means “Wisdom” - It uses problem solving skills that are useful in
- Discipline or study that seeks to understand the professional and other contexts
most fundamental and general things
- It makes connections and studies relationship of Philosophical Skills and Methods
different subjects - Philosophical questions do not have determined
answers or defined methods
1. Holistic Point of View - Rules to apply in approaching philosophical
- Looks at all aspects of the given questions:
problem or situation + Analyze and clarify- Clarify the
- Ex: A teacher listens first to both problem, define terms, analyze the
stories of her two arguing students meaning of those terms
before making any conclusion about + Propose solutions- Be creative in
the issue. proposing solutions to questions that
don't have definitive answers
2. Partial Point of View + Evaluate proposed solutions- Step back
- Looks at only a limited number of and evaluate the merits of all proposed
aspects of the given problem or solutions
situation
- Ex: Two students fight over a pen and Pythagoras
the teacher only listens to the story of - Mathematician
one student and scolds the other - First to call himself “Philosopo”
+ Which means “a lover of wisdom”
Areas of Philosophy - Pythagorean theorem
- Established a community of devoted learners to
1. Epistemology the study of religion and philosophy
- Theory of Knowledge
- Provides an answer to skepticism Western Philosophy
2. Metaphysics - Uncovering truth through systematic
- Theory of existing objects/ Ontology argumentation and theory
- Tries to determine basic concepts - Emphasis on use of reason rather than as an
needed in other disciplines (ex: science, individual led to the development of the scientific
art) and theory- based approach
3. Philosophy of Science
4. Philosophy of Law Eastern philosophy
5. Philosophy of Mind - Consists of schools thought, closely tied with
6. Social and Political Philosophy religious beliefs
7. Ethics Pre- Socratics
- Study of the nature of moral
- First philosophers
judgements
- Came before Socrates
- Evaluates human actions
- distinguishes what is right or wrong
Sophists
- Intellectuals after the time of Socrates
8. Aesthetics
- Central belief was man did not need to know all
- Study of beauty
things about the world, but must continue to
9. History of Philosophy
inquire and seek to understand and learn about
the human condition
10. Logic
Eristic
- Study of arguments
- A way of argumentation
+ Validity- If premises are true,
- Aiming to win arguments rather than arrive at the
conclusions must be true
truth
+ Soundness- If premises are
true, argument is valid
+ Induction- Contains a degree Ancient Greek Philosophers
of truth
1. Thales
- Earliest philosopher to inquire about
the world and explain the composition
of things
- Father of Western philosophy
- 624 BCE- 546 BCE
- Believed all things take nourishment
from water
- Considered heat as generated and
maintained by the amount of moisture
in an object
2. Anaximander
- Student of Thales
- Agreed that all things come from a
single basic material
- Argued that matter is not composed of
water or any other element
- All things are created and emerged
from an indefinite and boundless realm
called Apeiron, when things are
destroyed they go back to the realm
3. Anaximenes
- Student of Anaximander and followed
Thales views
- He considered air as the source of the
element
4. Heraclitus
- Proposed that everything exists is
based on a higher order plan called
logos
- Change is a permanent aspect of
the human condition
5. Democritus
- Studies causes of natural phenomena
- Among the first to propose that matter
was composed of tiny particles called
atoms
6. Diogenes of Sinope
- Advocate of simple and virtuous life.
- One should show it in words and
actions
- Known as a vocal critic of known
philosophers like Plato and Aristotle
- His followers developed his teachings
and views and influenced the
development of Cynicism
Eastern Philosophy
7. Epicurus
- Practical philosopher. Philosophy could
enable man to live a life of happiness
- One should indulge in the needs and
pleasure of the mind instead of body
- His views gave rise to Epicureanism:
+ School of philosophy
+ Believes that wisdom and
simple living will result in
life free from fear and pain
School of Thought, Belief System (Region or Area)
8. Socrates
- Considered foremost philosopher of the
ancient times with significant
contributions to the field of ethics
- Known as a critic intellectuals
- Considered himself as a “midwife” that
helped inquiring minds achieve wisdom
- Formulated Socratic method:
+ Means of examining a topic
9. Plato
- Student of Socrates
- His teachings are considered the
foundation of western philosophy
- Focused on political theory and wrote
the republic
- Lasting contribution is his founding of
the Academy, an institution of higher
learning
- Known for Dialectic:
+ Method of inquiry where two
opposing ideas are discussed
in an attempt to arrive at new
knowledge
10. Aristotle
- Attended the Academy and a prominent
student of Plato
- Disagreed with Plato’s theory of forms
- For him all ideas and views are based
on perception and our reality is based
on what we can sense and perceive
- Involved in a great variety of
disciplines (ex: zoology, psychology)
- His studies in logic led to the
formulation of formal process of
analyzing reasoning
- Founded a school called Lyceum
11. Archimedes
- Mathematician, physicist, engineer,
inventor and astronomer
- His inquiries into mathematics lead to
the early development of modern
calculus
- Pioneered the use of mathematics to
analyze natural phenomena
- Also known for his several inventions
(Archimedes screw- device for raising
water and method to determine volume
using displacement
- Consists of schools thought, closely tied with
religious beliefs
- Often described as “wisdom” literature, where
stories, sayings and text encourage a ethical and
harmonious life
- Emphasis on social relations
- Classified according to theistic ( belief in a
supreme being) and nontheistic philosophies
1. Judaism
- Israel
- Belief in one God ( monotheism)
 - God has a role in the ultimate destiny - Yin and yang
of mankind, jewish people are God’s 8. Islam
chosen people - West Asia
- Believe in one God (Allah)
2. Hinduism - All muslims are a community- (
- India, South Asia ummah)
- Believe in a pantheon of Gods - Two major branches:
- Emphasis on dharma + Sunni Islam
+ Fulfillment of duties and + Shia Islam
behavior according to the - Practice of five pillars:
established order in the world + Testament of Faith- Shahada
+ Actions may contribute to a + Daily prayers- Salat
good or bad effect (karma) in + Arms- giving- zakat
a person’s life + Fasting during the month of
- Three main Gods ramadan- sawm
+ Brahma + Pilgrimage to the holy city of
+ Shiva Mecca- hajj
+ Vishnu
9. Sikhism
3. Shinto - God created the universe and is present
- Japan in everything
- Animistic religion, influenced by - Man communicates with god by
Japanese myth and traditions mediation or destiny in union with the
- Material and spiritual worlds are define
closely connected - Must devote themselves to selfless
- Rituals and traditions to connect with service and action
the spiritual world
Why do we need to study Philosophy?
4. Jainism - Helps us make a better decision
- Rejects the idea of a creator and - Enhances our problem solving ability,
considers the universe as eternal and communication skills, persuasive powers and
unceasing writing skills.
- Five main vows: - It helps us to think carefully and clearly about
+ Ahimsa- nonviolence important issues
+ Satya- truth - We learn to step back from our everyday thinking
+ Asteya- honesty and explore the bigger question which underpins
+ Brahmacharya- chastity our thought
+ Aparigraha - piety - The focus of philosophy is to learn not what we
believe, but how we think
5. Buddhism
- Southeast Asia, South Asia, East Asia METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIZING
- Describe worldly existence as
imperfect and influenced by earthly
desires and suffering (dukkha) Truth VS. Opinion
- To rid oneself of desire and freedom ● Truth- statement of actuality or occurrence, can
from suffering one must follow be proven
Eightfold Path Divided ● Opinion- expresses someone’s belief
- Two major branches:
+ Theravada Buddhism Theories of Truth
+ Mahayana Buddhism
1. Correspondence Theory
6. Confucianism - States that something is true if it
- East Asia corresponds to reality or the actual state
- Contemplation of the order that can of affairs
lead to self transformation that can lead - EX: A mammal is an animals which is
to the betterment of all warm- blooded, has hair and feeds it
- Individuals should perform their young with milk
intended roles 2. Coherence Theory
7. Taoism - States that something is true if it makes
- East Asia sense when placed in a certain situation
- Emphasis on unity and harmony or context
 - EX: For Muslims, this fact prevents
them from eating pork and other types
of food made from unclean animals.
The belief that eating pork will render
them unclean makes sense in the
context of Islamic Faith.

3. Pragmatic Theory
- Holds the view that something is true if
we can put it into practice or is useful
in real life - Vise versa of deductive reasoning
- EX: scientific method
Fallacies
1. Ad Hominem
- Instead of addressing the argument, you
irrelevantly attack the person or some
aspect of the person who made the
argument
2. Appeal to Force
- When force or coercion is used to
justify a conclusion
3. Appeal to Emotion
- Using emotions in place of reason in
order to win an argument
4. Appeal to Popular
Methods of Philosophizing - Using popularity as an evidence for its
truthfulness
1. Phenomenology: On Consciousness 5. Appeal to Tradition
- Inspection and description of - Using historical preferences of the
phenomena or appearance people or use these preferences as an
- Scientific study of the essential evidence
structure of consciousness 6. Cause and Effect
- Edmund Husserl- Founded - Considering that one thing causes
phenomenology another, simply because they are
2. Existentialism regularly associated
- Emphasizes importance of free 7. Fallacy of Composition
individual choice, regardless of the - Inferring that something is true of the
power of other people whole from the fact that it is true of
3. Analytic Philosophy/ Tradition some part of the whole
- Gottlob Frege- 19th Century - Opposite of the fallacy of division
- The philosophy should apply logical 8. Fallacy of Division
techniques to attain conceptual clarity - Inferring that something is true of one
- Also called linguistic philosophy or more of the parts from the fact that it
- Uses common experience and ordinary is true of the whole
language to analyze concepts and - opposite of fallacy of composition
language
4. Deductive Reasoning By: ays ays

- Conclusion come first

5. Inductive Reasoning