Lets Review

1. The word Philosophy comes from two Greek word: what are they?
2. Was the first to call himself as philosopho, a term which means “a lover of wisdom”.
3. The first Philosophers are called ______ since they came before the time of Socrates.
4. Who was the earliest philosopher to inquire about the world and explain the composition of things
and the changes in physical reality?
5. Their aimed is to win arguments rather than arrive at the truth and They were excellent public
speaker?
6. He believed that the ultimate composition of all things is water.
7. A student of Thales, and his view is that all things are created and emerged from an indefinite and
boundless realm called apeiron.
8. He believed and considered that air is the source of all life.
9. He was considered the foremost philosopher of ancient time and made great contributions in the field
of ethics.
10. A student of Socrates, and his teaching and writings are considered as the foundation of Western
Philosophy and founded an institution called Academy.
11. A student of Plato and founded his own school called Lyceum.
 How did Western Philosophy develop into modern science?
The science and discipline of Philosophy, as we know
it at present, is primarily a product of developments
Rene Descartes
and changes in the Western world. From the early
developments in Ancient Greece, various historical
developments in Europe and the Western world led to Petrarch

the gradual shaping of Western Philosophy from an

ancient discourse into a modern science
Saint Thomas Aquinas

Soren Kierkegaard
Edmund Husserl Michel Foucalt
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Thought Main Features, Beliefs Notable Philosophers
Ancient Rome (1st century Stoicism Emphasis on morality, Seneca
BCE to 5th century BCE) virtue, calm, and Epictetus
emotional fortitude Marcus Aurelius
Medieval Period (5th to 15th Scholasticism Application of philosophy St. Thomas Aquinas
centuries) to define and explain St. Augustine
religious doctrines Meister Eckhart
Renaissance (14th to 17th Humanism Emphasis on the human Petrarch
centuries) person; use of philosophy Desiderius Erasmus
to understand and society, Niccolo Machiavelli
nature, and humanity Francois Rabelais
The Enlightenment (17th to Rationalism Reason and logic is
18th centuries) considered the basis of
knowledge and belief; man
has innate knowledge that
can be accessed through
intuition or deduction
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Thought Main Features, Notable Philosophers
Beliefs
The Enlightenment (17th to Empiricism Knowledge is gained David Hume
18th centuries) through the senses and Francis Bacon
experiences; reliance on John Locke
inductive reasoning to
arrive at generalizations

Social and Political Discussions on the ideal Voltaire

Philosophy human situation and Jean Jacques Rousseau
society; emphasis on Thomas Hobbes
individual rights and John Stuart Mill
liberties
Modern Period (19th Positivism Studies and observes the Auguste Comte
century) relation between things
and laws of science;
knowledge is based on
observable phenomena
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Thought Main Features, Notable Philosophers
Beliefs
Modern Period (19th Utilitarianism An action is morally right if Jeremy Bentham
century) it produces the greatest John Stuart Mill
good for the greatest
number of people.
20th century Pragmatism Emphasis on the practical Charles Peirce
use of knowledge and William James
ideas John Dewey

Existentialism Human experience is Soren Kierkegaard

defined by the views, Friedrich Nietzsche
emotions, and actions of Martin Heidegger
the individual Jean Paul Sartre
Simone de Beauvoir
Phenomenology Experience is studied Edmund Husserl
based on the subjective
viewpoint of the individual
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Thought Main Features, Notable
Beliefs Philosophers
20th century Absurdism Man will never Albert Camus
understand the human
condition and the
meaning of life
Postmodernism Jacques Derrida
Post-structuralism Analysis on how Michel Foucalt
knowledge, ideas, and
power relations are
defined
 What developments and characteristics define Eastern Philosophy

As the ancient Greeks were laying the foundation of Western philosophy

in Europe, several belief system and philosophies were already prevalent
in many communities in Asia. Eastern Philosophy consists of schools of
thought which are often closely tied with religious beliefs. Eastern
philosophies are often described as “wisdom” literature, where stories,
sayings, and texts encourage people to adopt an ethical and harmonious
way of life.
Eastern philosophies are classified according to theistic (based on belief
in a Supreme Being or deities) and nontheistic philosophies.
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Thought Main Features, Proponents, Major
Belief System (Region Beliefs Texts
or Area)
Ca. 2000 BCE Judaism Belief in one God Abraham, Moses, various
(Israel, the Levant) (monotheism), who has a prophets
role in the ultimate destiny
of mankind; the Jewish
people God’s chosen
people

The observance of God’s Tanakh, Torah, and various

commandments will result scriptures
in rewards. A deeper study
and understanding of
God’s laws as revealed in
the sacred scriptures will
lead to wisdom.
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Thought Main Features, Beliefs Proponents, Major
Belief System (Region Texts
or Area)
Ca. 1500 BCE Hinduism Belief in pantheon of gods, The Vedas
(India, South Asia) with three main gods-Brahma,
Shiva, and Vishnu

Belief in a cycle of birth and

rebirth (samsara), which is
broken when a person
achieves ultimate union with
the Divine (Moksha)

Emphasis on dharma, the

fulfillment of duties and
behavior in accordance with
the established order in the
world; individual actions
contribute to either a good or
bad effect (karma) in a
person’s life
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Thought Main Features, Proponents, Major
Belief System (Region Beliefs Texts
or Area)
Ca. 600 BCE Shinto An animistic religion Kojiki
(Japan) influenced by Japanese Nihon Shoki
myth and traditions. The
material and spiritual
worlds are closely
connected; rituals and
traditions are a way to
connect with spiritual
world

Mankind and the world

are essentially good and
pure.
Harmony and balance are
essential in maintaining
purity.
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Thought Main Features, Beliefs Proponents, Major
Belief System (Region Texts
or Area)
Ca. 600-500 BCE Jainism Rejects the idea of a Creator Mahavira
(India) and considers the universe as
eternal and unceasing; time is Jain Agamas
a wheel which goes through
cycles of prosperity and
suffering.

Wisdom is developed through

the practice of the five main
vows: ahimsa (non-violence),
satya (truth), asteya
(honesty), brahmacharya
(chastity), and aparigraha
(piety)

Meditation, discipline, and

respect for all life are
emphasized.
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Thought Main Features, Proponents, Major
Belief System (Region Beliefs Texts
or Area)
Ca. 400 BCE Buddhism Shares number of main Siddharta Gautama
(South Asia, East Asia, beliefs (samsara, dharma, (Buddha)
Southeast Asia) moksha) with Hinduism Tripitaka
The four Noble Truths
describe worldly existence as
imperfect and influenced by
earthy desires and suffering
(dukkha); to rid oneself of
desire and achieve liberation
from suffering, one must
follow the Eightfold path.

Divided into two major

branches: Theravada
Buddhism and Mahayana
Buddhism
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Thought Main Features, Proponents, Major
Belief System (Region Beliefs Texts
or Area)

Ca. 400 BCE Confucianism The contemplation of the Confucius

(East Asia) order of things can lead to
self-transformation. Self- The Five classics’
transformation can lead to The Four Books
the betterment of the
family and society

Ca.200 BCE Taoism Emphasis on the unity and Lao Tzu

(East Asia) harmony among opposing Zhuangzi
elements (yin and yang);
individuals must seek to I Ching, Tao Te Ching
understand and act in
accordance with the
natural order
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical Period School of Thought Main Features, Beliefs Proponents, Major
Belief System (Region Texts
or Area)
Ca. 610 BCE Islam Belief in one God (Allah); Muhammad
(West Asia) commitment to faith is shown
through the practice of Five Quran
Pillars: testament of faith
(shahada), daily prayers
(salat), alms-giving (zakat),
fasting during the month of
Ramadan (sawn), and
pilgrimage to the holy city of
Mecca (Hajj).

Sunni Islam and Shia Islam

Ca.1440 BCE Sikhism God is believed to have Gru Nanak

(India) created the universe and is
present everywhere and in Guru Granth Sahib
everything
 How do we characterize the study of Philosophy?

Dividing the discipline of Philosophy into Western Philosophy and Eastern

Philosophy is just one way of classifying the discipline based on
developments that defined it throughout history. When viewing Philosophy
as a field of study, we can see that it is a discipline with great variety and
diversity.

One way of looking at Philosophy is to consider it a way of analyzing

framework.
 How do we characterize the study of Philosophy?

A framework is defined as way of thinking about the world and is composed

of the views and beliefs of a person.

Internal Questions – questions dealing with our own correctness and values
which can be addressed using our own reasoning from our personal
frameworks.

External questions – that seek to question the very frameworks upon which
people base their own beliefs and views..
 How do we characterize the study of Philosophy?

Philosophy can also be thought of as an examination of a particular area of

knowledge.

There is a Philosophy of the Human Person, which looks into the nature of
man. The philosophy which deals with beauty and what make things
“beautiful” is called Aesthetic.

Logic is the branch of philosophy which deals with correct reasoning, while
Epistemology discusses the nature of knowledge and knowing.
How do we characterize the study of Philosophy?

Ethics is the branch of which deals with moral questions, dilemmas, and
standards for human behavior while Political Philosophy studies governments
and deals with questions of justice, power and the rights and obligations of
citizens, and right governance. Finally, Metaphysics is branch of philosophy
which deals with questions regarding the nature of reality and existence.

However complex and varied the perceptions are, they suggest 2 important
facts about philosophizing: Philosophy is a reflective and meditative activity
and it is a way of exercising critical thinking on any type of experience.
Why is there a need for man to Philosophize?

Philosophers have often wondered and argued about the role of philosophy
in man’s life. One view is that each one of us is a philosopher, whether or not
we have studied Philosophy as a science.

The Greek philosopher 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.

The 15th-century French philosopher Rene Descartes, meanwhile, traced the

need to philosophize to doubt.
 Why is there a need for man to Philosophize?

The 20th-century Swiss-German philosopher Karl Jaspers saw the need to

philosophize because of experience. Jaspers believed that man is often
confronted by experiences which challenge his ideas and frameworks. Jasper
called these experiences limit situations, and these are often accompanied by
feelings of helplessness, anxiety, or dread.

Finally, the need to philosophize is driven by the love of wisdom. To love

wisdom is to have an insatiable desire for truth. A philosopher does not seek
knowledge to claim ownership of it; and one who engages in philosophy is not
satisfied with figuring out the answer to a question.