INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
investigation is systematic.
UNIT I: DOING PHILOSOPHY
(1) Holistic Perspective
“Like all activities, philosophizing is something which is
easier to do than to define. After you have begun to engage
in this activity, you might want to try to define it yourself.”
Roque Ferriols, 2001
“To understand philosophy is to engage in it.”Heidegger,
1958
The Six Blind Men and the Elephant
Partial Point of View is a perspective that looks at reality
based on a single or partial component of a system.
Holistic Perspective is the idea that all the properties of a
given system cannot be determined or explained by its
component parts alone, but the system as a whole
determines in an important way how the parts behave
Holism: “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”
Doing Philosophy entails a holistic rather than a partial
perspective.
How To Approach Philosophy in a Holistic Perspective
Recognize that we come closer to the truth about a thing
or someone when we look at that thing or person from
various perspectives.
Realize the power of insight – the ability to see and
understand the whole. It is basically ‘seeing with the mind.’
The movement from everyday experience towards a
more holistic point of view is a salient characteristic of
philosophical thinking.
Having a philosophical insight means being able to see
with the mind.
To be able to think philosophically, you must learn to look
beyond what is immediately before you and learn to and
see how a thing is related to everything else.
(2) What it means to be a philosopher?
“This is patiently absurd, but whoever wishes to become a
philosopher must learn not to be frightened by
absurdities.” Bertrand Russel
The word Philosophy comes from two Greek words, philo
meaning ‘love’ and sophia meaning ‘wisdom’.
It’s the science that by the natural light of reason studies
the first causes or highest principles of all things.
Science - It is considered as a science because its process of
Natural Light of Reason - Philosophy investigates things, not
by using any other laboratory instrument, but the
philosopher uses his natural capacity to think or simply,
human reason alone.
Principle of Identity - Whatever is, is; whatever is not, is
not; everything is what it is.
Principle of Non-Contradiction - It is impossible for a thing
to be, and not to be at the same time.
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 no middle ground.
Principle of Sufficient Reason - Nothing exists without a
sufficient reason for its being and existence.
Love of wisdom can be illustrated through the life and
death story of Socrates of Athens, Greece (470-399 BC).
“There is no man wiser than Socrates.” –Priestess, Apology
by Plato
Socrates was a notch wiser than they who thought of
themselves as wise, because he knew of his own ignorance.
A genuine desire to know begins with humble admission of
one’s own ignorance.
What does it means to be a philosopher?
No, a PHILOSOPHER is not a PILOSOPO because he/she
does not play with words, or twists reasonings just for the
fun of it. Yes, a PILOSOPO is a PHILOSOPHER, if his/her
intention in playing words and overturning usual forms of
reasonings is in order to view things in a different way. No,
a PHILOSOPHER is not a PILOSOPO if he/she raises
questions with the intention of showing off that he/she is
smart and inquisitive. Yes, a PILOSOPO is a PHILOSOPHER if
the questions he/she asks stem from a genuine confusion,
astonishment and wonder.
(3) What makes a Question Philosophical?
Philosophical questions move beyond specific concerns.
They are more and more abstracted from our everyday
concerns. It begins with unease. When we bravely and
patiently wait for answers to these questions, we might
find questions giving birth to more questions.
The French philosopher Gabriel Marcel (1889-1973) shares
that philosophical questioning begins with metaphysical
unease. The questions we ask cover something broader and
deeper than what is immediately before us, beyond what
we physically see.
Many of us have become less sensitive to this feeling of
inner disturbance because of what our world has become.
Our world today hardly encourages the asking of
philosophical questions.
You can only be a philosopher if you have the courage to be
open and committed enough to pursue the questions, no
matter how painful or how overwhelming it may be. There
is no immediate guarantee that your questions will be
answered. Philosophical questioning may appear to be
useless but there is value in philosophizing.
Bertrand Russel points out as the arrogant dogmatism that
most of us have as a general disposition. A dogmatic person
can be likened to someone sheltered in a unbreakable
shell. Within the shell, the person is convinced that only the
things he believes are true. All who say otherwise are either
stupid or arrogant. But as soon as we welcome these
philosophical questions by allowing them to disturb u, the
hard shell of dogmatism begins to break.
What is philosophy for?
A philosopher or ‘person devoted to wisdom’ is someone
who strives for systematic expertise at working out how
one may best find individual and collective fulfillment.
Being wise means attempting to live and die well, leading
as good a life as possible within the troubled conditions of
existence. The goal of wisdom is fulfilment.
KEEP IN MIND! As persons engaging in philosophy or as
lover of wisdom…
-Do not be afraid to ask questions.
-Do not simply assume it must be right because it is popular
and long-established, instead ask whether an idea is logical
-Know yourself.
-Be wise by getting more precise about the activities and
attitudes that really can help our lives to go better.
-Think about our emotions, rather than simply have them.
-Do not lose perspective when things go wrong.
To “do” philosophy is to ask QUESTIONS.
(4) Doing Philosophy: Eastern and Western Approch
The practice of doing Philosophy could be contrasting and
different in Eastern as against Western philosophy.
For WESTERN PHILOSOPHY, the basic task for philosophers
was to satisfy their curiosity. They make heavy use of logic,
reason, and categorization. An idea is presented, reasons
are given for believing in the idea, and then conclusions are
made based on the idea. They veered away from
mythological tradition and recognized rationality of
thought.
Thales (624-546 BC) recognized for breaking from the use
of mythology to explain the world and the universe, and
instead explaining natural objects and phenomena by
theories and hypotheses.
Pythagoras (570-495 BC) - first man to call himself a
philosopher, or lover of wisdom; believed that the primary
constituent of reality would be numbers, hence, anything
could be explained through numbers.
*Rene Descartes (1596-1650, a French philosopher says
that only the mind not the body can arrive at a clear and
distinct ideas which cannot be doubted. Descartes comes
to the conclusion that there is one thing that cannot be
doubted, and that is, doubt itself. He realizes that doubting
is thinking. The more he doubts that he is thinking, the
clearer it appears that he is actually thinking. When one
thinks, one intuitively or immediately realizes that he exists.
Thinking implies the thinker’s existence. This method has
shown that the search for truth leads to detachment from
the material world outside of one’s minds and a focus on
the inner world of consciousness and thinking.
For EASTERN PHILOSOPHY, philosophy and religion are one.
When they are doing philosophy, they are also practicing
their religion. PHILOSOPHY IS A WAY OF LIFE.
*Oriental method to understanding truth is by striving to
achieve balance in everything – a balance between thinking
and moving, resting and working, taking in and letting go.
(Yin and Yang of Taoism)
Instead of asking: “What is the correct way of
philosophizing?”, it is better to consider whether or not it is
proper to impose one’s method on the other. We have to
appreciate both worlds, the East and the West. After all,
they are both trying to explain the same phenomena, from
different points of view.
3 Dimensions of Filipino Thoughts
1. Loob - Kagandahang-loob; Kabutihang-loob; Kalooban.
Filipino believes in the innate goodness of the human being
2. Filipino Philosophy of Time - Gulong ng Palad (Wheel of
Fortune)
“If one has reached the lowest ebb, there is no way but to
go up.” Time is cyclic; Pakikisama; Filipino time/Siesta time
3. Bahala Na - “Bathala na” Leaving everything to God;
Filipinos accept whatever the outcome of his problem
might be
This makes the journey of philosophizing a very personal
journey. Hence, it is important that we constantly engage
others to help us examine these truths we hold.
References:
Corpuz, Brenda, et.al., (2016) Introduction to the
Philosophy of the Human Person. Lori Mar Publishing. pp.1-
20;
Ramos, Christine (2016) Introduction to the Philosophy of
the Human Person. Rex Book Store. pp.2-26