INTRODUCTION TO THE
PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN
N AT U R E
MODULE 1 DOING
PHILOSOPHY
Prepared by:
Revelyn M. Sampang
W H AT I S P H I L O S O P H Y ?
There is no best definition of Philosophy as a discipline. Hence, for
the sake of our understanding, we will looked into its etymological
and technical definition.
a. Etymological definition Philosophy comes from the two Greek
words philo meaning “love” or “friendship” and sophia meaning
“wisdom.” Thus, philosophy means “love of wisdom.” Love is an
urge or a drive of a will towards a particular object. As a drive, love
always seeks unity with its object and desires to possess its object.
Thus, wisdom cannot be dissociated from knowledge.
Truth is the ultimate object of knowledge. Philosophy is
absolutely committed to the truth, “the whole truth and
nothing but the truth.” Hence, truth is being shown and
practiced by a man of wisdom. Now, if philosophy means love
of wisdom, to philosophize, therefore, is to be in quest, or to
have a desire towards loving and living the truth (Babor,
2007)
b. Technical definition Philosophy is defined as “the science of
beings in their ultimate reasons, causes, and principles
acquired by the aid of human reason alone (Bittle, 1984).”
To better understand Philosophy, let us break down the statement
into the following:
1) Philosophy is a science. - Science is about acquiring a certain
kind of knowledge. Philosophy is a science because the
questioning is given more importance than the answers to the
questions, since answers can become questions themselves.
(Babor,2007)
2) Philosophy is a science of beings. - As a science of beings, it
covers all the things that can be reached by the human mind.
This includes man, the world, God, everything that is, or
becomes, or is known.
3) Philosophy searches for the ultimate reasons, causes and principles
of beings. - This means that philosophy studies the ultimate “whys and
wherefores” of beings. To illustrate: Philosophy does not investigate
plant life, but rather, it seeks an answer to the question: “What does it
mean to be a living thing as opposed to a non-living thing?”
4) Philosophy uses the power or natural light of reason. - The study of
philosophy help us acquired by the aid of human reason alone. Meaning,
philosophy doesn’t base its knowledge on authority, but solely on the
reasoning power of the human mind. Hence, divine revelation is
formally excluded as a source of information although it can and should
assist the mind of man by pointing out the proper direction for the
philosophic solution of a problem along purely natural line.
W H AT A R E T H E D I V I S I O N S O F
PHILOSOPHY?
Philosophy is classified into practical and speculative. Man’s
philosophical questions tend to fall into any of the following fields:
1. Practical Divisions of Philosophy - is composed of philosophical
fields, which study not only to obtain knowledge and wisdom but
also to use that knowledge and wisdom for practical purposes. It
includes logic, ethics, axiology, aesthetics, and semantics.
a) Logic (Questions related to Reasoning). Logic studies the laws of
thought. It is the science of correct reasoning. This covers the study of
simple apprehension and ideas, judgment and proposition, reasoning
and arguments.
Logic attempts to resolve the following questions: “What makes good
arguments good and bad arguments bad?”
b) Ethics (Questions related to Morality). Ethics deals with development of
a virtuous and moral character. It is the science of the morality of human
acts as ordained to the end.
Ethics attempts to resolve questions like: “What makes my action right or
wrong, and how could I know it?”. “Is there a norm good and evil?
c) Axiology (Questions related to Values). It is the science of value. It is
the study of the origin, nature, functions, types, and interrelations of
values.
Axiology attempts to resolve questions like: “How are values
experienced?” “What are the kinds of value?”
d) Aesthetics (Questions related to Beauty and Taste). It is
the science of beauty and art. Beauty means the quality
attributed to whatever pleases the beholder such as form,
color, and behavior. Art is creativeness and skill in making
or doing things that have form and beauty. It includes the
concept of creativity, expression, representation, form, and
style.
Aesthetics attempts to resolve questions like: “What are
the essential characteristics of beauty?” “What is aesthetic
value?” “Do the arts provide knowledge?”
e) Semantics (Questions related to Meaning). It is the science
of meaning. It studies the natural and artificial language
scientifically. This includes the study of the relations of words
to the objects denoted by them, the relations of words to the
interpreters of them, and, in symbolic logic, the formal
relations of signs to one another (syntax).
Semantics attempts to resolve questions like: “What sorts of
meanings do human grammars yield, and by what rules are
these meanings assembled?” “How does grammatical
knowledge develop in children?”
2. Speculative Division of Philosophy - is made up of philosophical
fields whose main concern is the acquisition of knowledge without
any thought of applying it for any practical use. It includes
epistemology, theodicy, cosmology, philosophical psychology, and
metaphysics.
a) Epistemology (Questions related to Truth and Knowledge).
Epistemology is the science of knowledge. This includes the
statement and solution to the critical problem, nature, origin,
objectivity, and validity of knowledge, truth and certitude.
Epistemology attempts to resolve questions like: “What is
knowledge?” “What is fact?” “What is truth?”
b) Theodicy (Questions related to God). Theodicy is the science of
God - His nature, existence, essence, attributes and operations.
Theodicy attempts to resolve questions like : “Does God exist?”
“Why God allows evil?”
c) Cosmology (Questions related to Universe). Cosmology is the
science of the universe – its origin and development with its
parts, elements, laws, especially its characteristics with regard to
space, time, causality and freedom.
Cosmology attempts to resolve question like: “How did the world
begin and where will it end?”
d) Psychology (Questions related to Soul). Psychology is science of soul.
The study deals man not only as a sensing or thinking subject but also
as a being composed of body and soul.
Psychology attempts to resolve question like: “Is there really a soul?”
e) Metaphysics (Questions related to Being and Existence). It studies the
nature of the mind, the self, and consciousness. It is the science which
deals with the nature of being, its attributes, constituent principles, and
causes.
Metaphysics attempts to resolve the following questions: “What is
being?” “Why is there being rather than non-being?” “What is
existence?” “What is essence?
W H Y T H E S T U DY O F P H I LO S O P H Y I S I M P O RTA N T ?
• According to Zunjic (2011) studying or doing philosophy could be
beneficial in many regards such as:
1. Philosophy enlarges our understanding of the world. It expands our
intellectual horizons and freedom of thought.
2. Philosophy raises public awareness and helps in forming engaged and
responsible citizens.
3. Philosophy can increase our sensitivity for universalistic moral values and
stimulate our readiness to stand up for the principles of justice and fairness.
4. Philosophy can give one self-knowledge, foresight, and a sense of
direction in life.
WHY IS THERE A NEED TO PHILOSOPHIZE?
1. Men have the tendency to wonder (Plato). For example: we asked
questions about our existence
2. Men also have the tendency to doubt ( Rene de Cartes). For example:
Men have to test and verify information before accepting it.
3. Men do philosophize because of his/her experience ( Karl Jaspers). Our
daily experience challenged our ideas and way of thinking. For example:
Giving money to a beggar, and found out that he uses it for gambling.
4. Men’s love for wisdom (Socrates). Men’s desire for truth or seeking of
knowledge is not to claim ownership of it but to get the bottom of things.
W H O A R E T H E M O S T N O TA B L E
ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHERS?
