Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person

1ST SEMESTER / FIRST QUARTER / PPT-BASED Mikaela Kristel Alcon (Mika)

> the systematic principles for thinking

LESSON 1 : Doing Philosophy
rationally
1. Philosophy 2.5. Political Philosophy
> comes from the Greek words philos (love) > studies governments and deals with
and sophia (wisdom) questions of justice, power, and rights
> the need to philosophize is driven by the love 2.6. Aesthetics
of wisdom. To love wisdom is to have an > explores the nature of beauty, art, and taste
insatiable desire for truth
LESSON 3 : Western Philosophy
LESSON 2 : Branches of Philosophy
1. Ancient Philosophy
1. Heraclitus of Ephesus > started in Athens, Greece
> one of the most important thinkers in history > Greek philosophers used reason (and
> known for his Philosophy of Change abandoned polytheism)
> “There is nothing permanent except change” 1.2. Pre-Socratic Period
2. Branches of Philosophy > world’s first philosophers
2.1. Metaphysics > shifted from traditional mythological
> beyond physics; knowledge science, deals explanations to natural law
with the true nature of reality 1.2.1. Philosphers
> explores fundamental nature of reality and > Thales - “Everything is composed of
being water”
2.1.1. Metaphysics of Plato > Democritus - “Universe was formed out
> World of Forms (ideal form) of chaos through the joining of atoms”
> World of Matter (Things) > Pythagoras - “Everything could be
2.2. Epistemology explained through mathematical
> explores the nature and limitations of theories and formulae”
knowledge > Heraclitus - “Everything is constantly
> how knowledge is obtained changing”
> relationship between belief, truth, and 1.2.2. Three Most Famous Philosphers
knowledge [Link]. Socrates
2.2.1. Rationalism > “The unexamined life is not worth
> real knowledge is based on logic, laws, living”
and methods that reason develops > founder of philosophy, left no writing
> “I think therefore I am” - R. Descartes > Socratic Method
2.2.2. Empiricism > Attainment of Good Life - being wise
> knowledge can be attained through and virtuous
senses/experiences > “Know thyself”
> “Mind is like a Tabula rasa” - J. Locke [Link]. Plato
2.3. Ethics > student of Socrates
> philosophical study on morality of humans > his teaching and writings were
2.4. Logic considered the foundation of
> rules for thinking Philosophy
Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person
1ST SEMESTER / FIRST QUARTER / PPT-BASED Mikaela Kristel Alcon (Mika)

> Theory of Forms - everything that 3. Modern Philosophy

exists is based on an idea that can > from darkness to light
only be perceived in the mind > the rise of rationalism, mostly in France and
> established The Academy Germany, argued all knowledge must begin
[Link]. Aristotle from certain “innate ideas” in the mind
> student of Plato 3.1. Humanism
> all ideas and views are based on > promoted the idea that man was the center
perception of his own universe
> greatly influenced the physical 3.2. Rationalism
sciences > R. Descartes - “doubt everything that can be
> we gain knowledge based on doubted”
experiences 3.3. Empiricism
> “people must live in moderation by > J. Locke - “knowledge is determined only by
being virtuous” experience derived from sense perception”
2. Medieval Philosophy > Niccolo Machiavelli - “it is better to be
> focuses on religion feared than be loved”
> tension between faith and reason arises 3.4. Existentialism
2.1. Scholasticism > emphasizing the absurdity of reality and the
> integrates into an ordered system both human responsibility to make choices and
natural wisdom of Greece and Rome and accept consequences
religious wisdom of Christianity > “existence precedes essence”
2.1.1. Thomas Aquinas > Albert Camus - “life is absurd.”
> Italian philosopher, leading Roman > Friedrich Nietzsche - the will to power;
Catholic theologian Ubermensch or superman
[Link]. 5 Ways of Proving God 4. Postmodern Philosophy
> Motion - unmoved mover (God) > emphasizes the diversity of human
caused things to move and change experience
> Causation - uncaused cause (God) > uncertainty or lack of absolutes
> Contingency - necessary being > Michel Foucault - argued that power and
(God) caused contingent things to be knowledge are intertwined
> Goodness/Perfection - degrees of
LESSON 4 : Eastern Philosophy
perfection, maximum perfection
(God) 1. Buddhism
> Way of Design - intelligence (God) > explains the meaning of life and the world
directed things as it is > Nirvana or liberation - highest state of
[Link]. Natural Law enlightenment
> underlying principles of moral > Siddhartha Gautama - “Enlightened One”
practice 1.1. Philosophy of Buddhism
> good should be pursued and done > life is suffering
while evil should be avoided > the cause of suffering is attachments or
cravings
Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person
1ST SEMESTER / FIRST QUARTER / PPT-BASED Mikaela Kristel Alcon (Mika)

> to stop suffering, you must release all > the slave that leaves the cave represents a
attachments or cravings philosopher. He understands more the reality
> the end to suffering is contained in the eight and truth than average people do
fold path > challenge us to seek the power of possibility
2. Confucianism and truth even if it needs letting go of previous
> founded by Kung Fuzi (Master Kong) from beliefs
ancient China 2. Theories of Truth
> focus on relationships should be 2.1. Correspondence Theory
emphasized, for it is often taken for granted > “to see is to believe”
> to be a gentleman, a person should follow > truth is when a proposition aligns with reality
the moral way, consisting of the virtues of 2.2. Coherence Theory
love, righteousness, wisdom and loyalty > truth is when a belief fits consistently with
3. Filipino Philosophy other accepted beliefs
3.1. Philosophers 2.3. Pragmatic Theory
> Rolando Gripaldo > truth is based on the practical effects and
> Florentino Timbreza usefulness of a belief
> Fr. Leonardo Mercado 3. Phenomenology
3.2. Dimensions > founded by Edmund Husserl
3.2.1. Loob > studies human experiences and how we
> sharing of one’s self to others perceive reality
> believes in the innate goodness of the > emphasizes understanding lived experiences
human being from a first-person perspective
> pakikisama, utang na loob 4. Existentialism
3.2.2. Concept of Time > founded by Jean-Paul Sartre
> Gulong ng Palad - life as a series of > centers on human freedom and the
ups and downs individual's role in creating meaning in an
> Filipino time - mistakenly interpreted as irrational world
always delayed 5. Postmodernism
3.2.3. Bahala Na > challenges the idea of absolute truth,
> Pre-Spanish people believed in a proposing that truth varies across contexts
Supreme Being, Bathala who keeps the and societies
balance of the universe 6. Logic
> means to leave everything to God > focuses on reasoning and the construction of
> puts complete trust in the divine arguments, including the identification of
providence fallacies
> perceived as courage to take risks 6.1. Ad hominem
> occurs when someone attacks the person
LESSON 5 : Theories of Truth
making an argument rather than addressing
1. Plato’s Allegory of Truth the argument itself
> it speaks of ignorance of humanity trapped 6.2. Appeal to Force (Ad baculum)
in the conventional ethics formed by society > uses a threat of force or an undesirable
Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person
1ST SEMESTER / FIRST QUARTER / PPT-BASED Mikaela Kristel Alcon (Mika)

outcome to persuade someone to accept a 4. Philosophers

conclusion 4.1. Plato
6.3. Appeal to Emotion > body is material, soul is immaterial
> manipulates people's emotions, such as pity > body’s existence is dependent on the
or fear, instead of using logic to win an soul, soul’s existence is independent of the
argument body
6.4. Appeal to Popularity (Ad Populum) > human person is just a soul using a body
> occurs when something is claimed to be true 4.1.1. 3 Part Soul
or good simply because many people > Rational Soul - the highest part,
believe it responsible for wisdom and reason
6.5. Appeal to Tradition > Spirited Soul - the emotional part,
> argues that something is correct or governing courage and willpower
acceptable because it has been done that > Appetitive Soul - the part responsible
way for a long time for desires and basic needs
4.2. Aristotle
LESSON 6 : Human Person as Embodied Spirit
> body and soul are in a state of unity
1. Human Person > soul is the realization of life
> the human being is not just a mere animal 4.2.1. 3 Aspects of Soul
> to be human is as simple as having a body > Vegetative Soul - shared by all living
and soul things
1.1. Body > Appetitive Soul - passions, appetites,
> material aspect as a human person that and emotions
makes it visible and tangible > Intellectual Soul - possessed only by
> our five senses makes it possible for us to be humans
sensed 5. What does it mean to have a body and soul?
> possesses material dimensions > recognize the limitations of our body
1.2. Soul > man is more than just a body
> not visible and tangible which makes the 6. Significance of having an Embodied Spirit
activities of the soul hard to identify > recognize the traits and behavior of the
2. Embodied Spirit human person
> union of body and soul > it enables us to realize our own limitations
> enables us to do and experience and see our potentials
all the things that make us a human person > man has limits but filled with potentialities
3. Traits and Behavior of Human Person
LESSON 7 : Transcendence of Human Person
> Self-awareness
> Self-determination 1. Transcendence
> Capability to reach out and interact with > ability to surpass limits
others and the world > “It is through our limitations that
> dignity possibilities become real”
> overcoming oneself or being in control
> essence of transcendence is to
Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person
1ST SEMESTER / FIRST QUARTER / PPT-BASED Mikaela Kristel Alcon (Mika)

acknowledge our limitations, identify

possibilities for development, and
change ourselves for the better
> transcendence gives the human person an
avenue to realize his limitations and improve
himself to be better