INTRODUCTION

TO THE
PHILOSOPHY
OF THE HUMAN
PERSON
1 LESSON ONE:
DOING PHILOSOPHY

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 What is
philosophy?

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What is philosophy?
The word philosophy came from two Greek
words:
1) philos (love)
2) sophia (wisdom)

Philosophy = “love of wisdom”

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What is philosophy?
People who engage in philosophy are called
philosophers or “lovers of wisdom”.

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What is philosophy?
Among the ancient Greeks, the philosophers
became the pioneers in various fields of
knowledge such as history, biology, medicine,
astronomy, and even physics.

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What does it mean to be a lover of wisdom?

What characteristics should a philosopher

posses?

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Questions regarding human
existence
◈ What is real? Are we able to perceive and
understand reality and everything in it?

◈ How do we know what we know? Are the

things that we know true?

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Questions regarding human
existence
◈ What is the ultimate cause of all things?
What is our purpose in this world?

◈ To what extent are our choices and actions

considered “free”?

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What are some philosophical questions have
you asked yourself?

What lead you to ponder those questions?

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Do you think that you will be able to figure out
the answers to these philosophical questions?
Explain.

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The most notable
ancient Greek
philosophers
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Pythagoras (570 BCE to 459 BCE)

• A mathematician and scientist.

• Credited with formulating the
Pythagorean Theorem.
• His work earned him many
followers, and he established a
community of learners who
were devoted to the study of
religion and philosophy. 13
Heraclitus (535 BCE to 475 BCE)

• Proposed that everything that

exists is based on a higher
order or plan which he called
“logos”.
• For him, change is a
permanent aspect of the
human condition.
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Democritus (460 BCE to 370 BCE)

• Devoted himself to the study

of the causes of natural
phenomena.
• Among the first to propose
that matter is composed of
tiny particles called atoms.

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Diogenes of
(412 BCE to 323 BCE)
Sinope
• A known advocate of living a
simple and virtuous life.
• For him, one should not talk
of virtue, but should show it in
words and actions.

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Epicurus (341 BCE to 270 BCE)

• Believed that philosophy

could enable a man to live a
life of happiness.

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Socrates (470 BCE to 399 BCE)

• Considered the foremost

philosopher of ancient times.
• He was credited with
formulating the Socratic
method.

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Plato (427 BCE to 347 BCE)

• A student of Socrates;
• Known for his dialectic – a
method of inquiry where two
opposing ideas as discussed in
an attempt to arrive at new
knowledge.

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Aristotle (384 BCE to 322 BCE)

• A prominent student to Plato;

• His studies in logic led to the
formulation of a formal
process of analyzing
reasoning which gave rise to
deductive reasoning.

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Why is there a need to philosophize?

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Sense of Wonder (PLATO)

◈ Whenever we are confronted with an

experience, we always wonder how it came
about.
◈ “Where did we come from?” “Why do we
exist?” “For what purpose are we created?”

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Doubt (RENE DESCATRES)

◈ Descartes was famous for rejecting or

questioning established ideas, and he even
went as far as doubting his own ideas.
◈ A critical and questioning perspective is
necessary to determine if indeed these ideas
or views are correct or true.
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Experience (KARL JASPERS)

◈ A man is often confronted by experiences

which challenges his ideas and frameworks.
◈ These challenges are called limit situations,
which are often accompanied by feelings of
hopelessness, anxiety, or dread.

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Love of Wisdom (SOCRATES)

◈ To love wisdom is to have an insatiable

desire for truth.
◈ A philosopher seeks to continue to question,
to probe, and to discuss in order to get to the
bottom of things.
◈ “An unexamined life is not worth living.”
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What are some situations that compel
a person to engage in philosophical
thinking?

How can a person benefit from

philosophizing? 26
What are the branches
of Philosophy?
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Branches of Philosophy
• Aesthetics
• Logic
• Epistemology
• Ethics
• Political philosophy
• Metaphysics
• Philosophy of the human person
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Aesthetic
• The philosophy which deals with beauty and
what makes things “beautiful”.

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Logic
• The branch of philosophy which deals with
correct reasoning.

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Epistemology
• Discusses the nature of knowledge and
knowing.

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Philosophy of the Human
Person
• The area in philosophy which understands
the human person from a philosophical
perspective – integrating and synthesizing
the different branches of philosophy and
other fields of study to know the truth about
the human person.
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Review
• What is philosophy?
• Why is there a need to philosophize?
• What are the branches of philosophy?
• What is “Philosophy of the Human Person”?

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Is it possible for any person to engage
in philosophical discussion?
Why?

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THAN
KS!
Any questions?
Activity 1
Make a list of 5 “Why?” Questions.

Example:
“Why do we cry when we are sad, and smile
when we are happy?”

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