DOING PHILOSOPHY

Objectives:

1. To recognize the meaning and process of doing philosophy

2. To realize the value of Doing Philosophy in obtaining a broad perspective in life
3. To learn to reflect on a concrete situation from a holistic perspective

From ancient to contemporary period, thinkers have searched for truth and grappled on the sense of
existence. Such pursuit which describes a discipline termed as philosophy has helped us explore the
diversity of man’s views and acquire wisdom on how to live a good life.

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

Philosophy comes from the Greek words philein (to love) and sophia (wisdom); love of wisdom. It is an
attempt to think rationally and critically about life’s most important questions in order to obtain
knowledge and wisdom about them (Craig & Moreland, 2003).

It is the science that by natural light of reason studies the first causes or highest principles of all things
(Ramos, 2016).

 It is called science because of the systematic investigation is required to arrive at

conclusion.
 It doesn’t use laboratory instrument; instead the philosopher uses human reason--
his natural capacity to think.
 All other sciences concern themselves with a particular object of investigation;
whereas a philosopher studies all things: human beings, society, religion, language,
God, plants, etc. It is multidimensional or holistic.
 It is the study of first causes or Highest Principles.

A principle is a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a

system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning (Oxford Dictionary).

The First Principles (Ramos, 2016):

Principle of Identity – whatever is is; whatever is not is not; everything is what it

is. Everything is its own being, and not being is not being.

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; between being and not-being, there is not middle ground
possible.

Principle of Sufficient Reason – nothing exists without a sufficient reason for its
being and existence.
 THE NATURE OF PHILOSOPHY

1. Philosophy is a Human Activity `- Among all creatures, humans are the only ones who have the
capacity not just think but also to think about thinking.

2. Philosophy is a Social Activity – Humans think for the others, with the others, and by the ideas of
the others.

3. Philosophy is a Perennial Search – Philosophy is a never-ending search for truth.

The Four Necessary Questions:

ORIGIN: Where did I come from?
MEANING: Why am I here?
MORALITY: How do I understand what is right or wrong?
DESTINY: What happens to me when I die?

4. Philosophy is a Search for the Intelligible Structure – With its goal to attain the truth, philosophy
engages the mind and utilizes reason.

5. Philosophy Deals with the Totality of Being – It deals with the search for meaning of life and the
reason for the existence of the universe. It is a quest to understand the totality of being of self,
others, the world and what’s beyond it.

PHILOSOPHICAL PROBLEMS
Match these
Reality, certainty, causality, and morality are the four major subjects philosophers branches to the
ponder upon. Reality refers to “the existence of things independent of human subjects they are
connected with.
consciousness (Abella, 2016, p. 28).” It involves physical things that we see, feel, taste,
and smell, along with things that we cannot recognize and understand easily. Things that ETHICS
existed, presently exist, and yet to exist belong to this topic.
ETIOLOGY
Objects of study: time, space, nature of the universe, nature of the human being.
METAPHYSICS
Certainty, on the other hand, means having absolute
With 5 being the highest, rate EPISTEMOLOGY
knowledge that is free from doubt or error. The concept of
the existence of each being
according to your level of truth (the goal of inquiry) and knowledge (means of inquiry)
certainty. are central in this type of investigation.
SOUL 0 1 2 3 4 5
JUPITER 0 1 2 3 4 5 A priori: knowledge based on reasoning without the aid of experience.
TOMORROW 0 1 2 3 4 5 A posteriori: knowledge acquired from experience.
GOD 0 1 2 3 4 5
OXYGEN 0 1 2 3 4 5
Causality pertains to the causes of events and phenomena. Questions about
the origin and purpose of things fall under this inquiry.
 Does man have free will which enables him to choose among different options?

In morality, concepts such as right and wrong, duty, virtue, and the “greater good” are analyzed and
applied in given situations and contexts.

DOING PHILOSOPHY RIGHTLY

During the Ancient Greek Period, there was a group of teachers who used their skill to make money.
People loved to listen to them until Socrates appeared and unmasked their deceitful strategy through
his proper way of asking questions. Eventually, people discovered their ignorance as they failed to give
answers to the series of questions Socrates asked. Sophism, a word attributed to these group, was
termed to a type of reasoning they used in able to make a bad reasoning appear to be good and the
good reasoning appear to be right.

When we use reason in order to deceive or ridicule, we are acting in a way similar to that of the
sophists. When we do philosophy in order to obtain truth, we are becoming a philosopher in the true
sense of the word (Buenaflor et. al, 2017).

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSIONS:

1. What value does philosophy play in our (a) personal lives, (b) interaction with others, and (c)
relationship with the world?
2. How is sophistry seen these days?
3. Among the four philosophical problems, which subject would you like to explore further? Why?

ASSESSMENT:

Group reporting of the questions discussed.

References:

Abella, Roberto D. (2016). Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City, Philippines: C & E Publishing, Inc.

Buenaflor, L. et. al (2017). Understanding the Human Person: Introduction to the Philosophy of Persons for Senior High School
Students. Mandaluyong, Philippines: Books Atbp. Publishing Corp.

Ramos, Carmela Christine (2016). Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person. Quezon City, Philippines: Rex Bookstore.

Zacharias, Ravi. Think Again – Deep Questions. RZIM. Retrieved on August 9, 2019 from https://www.rzim.org/read/just-
thinking-magazine/think-again-deep-questions.