I.

The Process of Doing Philosophy

The Meaning of Philosophy and Philosophy of the

Human Person
Philosophy, meaning "love of wisdom," is a science where reason and logic are
used to understand reality and answer questions of knowledge, morality, and
human nature. It can be described as either a body of knowledge or an
intellectual activity.

Philosophy as a body of knowledge provides methodologies and insights on

how societal questions, such as moral dilemmas of euthanasia or same-sex
marriage, can be answered.

On the other hand, philosophy as an intellectual activity is an analytic

procedure of addressing individual thought processes such as resolving conflict
and confusion, testing positions, and analyzing beliefs. In all instances, doing
philosophy is prescribed by logic, reason, and ethics leading to wisdom.

Philosophy applied to human experience or everyday life denotes the use of

philosophy as an intellectual activity. Also known as philosophy in life, this
concept is important because it serves as the guiding principle on how one ought
to live life.

Importance of Philosophical Reflection

Philosophical reflection is the process by which a person undergoes a
reflective state or evaluates his or her experiences first before making any
related action. The use of philosophical reflection is important as it enables
thought to be looked into using a deeper, holistic perspective. In effect, actions
are directed towards greater sources of wisdom and truth.

Human Activities Emanated from Deliberate Reflection

In the process, one can learn more about himself or herself, including personal
beliefs, ideals, or values. Previous experiences may be seen as important
aspects of making reflections because they facilitate deeper thinking and
understanding of the self. Aside from knowing the self, many other activities also
emanate from reflection.

Examples:
  learning from your previous mistakes and not repeating them again
 evaluating and knowing the best choice from a set of options
 gaining a holistic point of view first before making any conclusion

Meaning and Process of Doing Philosophy

Doing philosophy means engaging oneself in “matters of utility” and
methodologies to eliminate any practical problem or abstract idea.

In the process of doing philosophy, it is critical to have a holistic point of view—

the perception of looking at all aspects of a situation first before making a
conclusion. Some other skills involved in doing philosophy are critical, logical,
and analytical thinking, observation, and communicative skills.

Holistic and Partial Points of View

Before engaging in philosophical inquiry, one must be able to distinguish

between a holistic and partial point of view. This is critical for anyone doing
philosophy because it sets a limit in coming up with conclusions about a given
situation.

It is important to remember the following:

Looking at the characteristics of holistic and partial points of view, it can be
concluded that using a holistic perspective is more desirable in doing philosophy
than using a partial perspective. Partial points of view only promote limited
knowledge on the situation. This leads to wrong conclusions.

Learning philosophy requires learning to look into all available perspectives and
work on their relationship to come up with sound, logical, and valid conclusions.
In the process, doing philosophy helps one to develop the skill of broadly looking
at the situation first before concluding anything.

Importance of Doing Philosophy

Doing philosophy can be applied in day-to-day activities and life perspectives.
Because it involves an evaluative process, doing philosophy allows a person to
make better decisions and act accordingly to situations with the help of various
philosophical skills.

Furthermore, on life perspectives, philosophy enables reflective thinking which

greatly influences a person’s view of life, challenges, and relationships. Doing
philosophy directs how a person will perceive these factors in life and how they
will be faced.

In any setting, wisdom is always gained when philosophy is applied to formulate

a conclusion about a certain concern.

Tips
 In doing philosophy, a holistic perspective on the subject is always
required. Failure to do so or only using a partial point of view may lead to
illogical or incorrect conclusions.
 In the process of doing philosophy, it is critical to have a holistic
perspective—the perception of looking at all aspects of a situation first
before making a conclusion. This point of view is different from holistic
thinking which is a mental activity of recognizing the interconnectedness of
systems and procedures to form a general picture of an issue.
 The process of doing philosophy should not be mistaken for the Filipino
activity of pamimilosopo or pedantry where a person displays useless
knowledge or minute observances of small details.
Keypoints
 Philosophy, meaning "love of wisdom," is a science where reason and
logic are used to understand reality and answer questions of knowledge,
morality, and human nature.
 Philosophy may be a body of knowledge or an intellectual activity.
 A holistic point of view looks at all aspects of the given problem or
situation. Meanwhile, a partial point of view looks at only a limited
number of aspects of the given problem or situation.
 Philosophical reflection allows a person to look back on previous
experiences and evaluate the meaning or significance of his or her life.

II. Methods of Philosophizing: Socratic

Your teacher asked you to give a concrete definition of love. You confidently
answered the question: “Love is kind. Love is patient.”

However, instead of accepting your answer, she responded to you with another
question: “Yes, but what do you mean by kindness and patience?”

Surprised, you answered her question again, this time giving some examples to
raise your point. Your teacher continued to ask you further questions as
responses to your statements.

 Why did your teacher do that?

 What was she doing?
 What did she want to get from you in doing so?

Find out the answer in this lesson!

In the given scenario, the teacher kept on asking about your responses to the
questions. What she did is called Socratic questioning−a type of interrogative
statement that clarifies points through understanding the deeper meaning of a
claim.

Methods of Philosophizing
A method of philosophizing is a process of determining the truth or drawing a
conclusion from a statement using various philosophical methods, such as:
  Socratic,
 dialectic,
 scientific, and
 historical.

Socratic Method of Philosophizing

The Socratic method, also known by the Greek term elenchus that means "to
inquire or to cross-examine", is an exchange of ideas using Socratic questioning.

 It was developed by Socrates, a Greek philosopher and teacher, who laid

the groundwork for Western systems of philosophy and logic.
 In this process, statements are deconstructed or questioned to come up
with the actual truth that is believed to rest on the roots of the argument.
 Conflicting ideas are seen as invalid sources of the truth, and probing
questions are immediately derived from the given statements.
 In a classroom setting, this method is used not to intimidate students, but
to produce a deeper understanding of thoughts and ideas through further
questioning statements or claims.
 There is no particular end goal aside from reaching an absolute truth from
probing statements and, in the process, eliminating ideas that are
questionable or contradicting.

Examples:

 A psychologist is trying to dig deeper into the story of his patient who only
mentions vague and general ideas.
 A lawyer is asking further questions about the suspect’s whereabouts
during the crime because she is not entirely convinced by his alibi.
 A mother is questioning her son’s real reason for his excessive absences
from school.

Opinion, Fact, and Truth

In using the Socratic method, it is important to analyze expressions and
statements that show the differences of opinion, fact, and truth.

Opinion

An opinion is an expression of one’s feelings based on facts, emotions, beliefs,

or views. It is not based on evidence.

Examples:
  Filipinos are the most resilient and hospitable people in the world.
 Manny Pacquiao is the best Filipino boxer.

Fact

A fact is a statement that can be checked and backed up with evidence. It is

often used in conjunction with research and study.

Examples:

 Based on the Miss World Organization records, Megan Young was the first
Filipina to be crowned as Miss World. She won the title in 2013 in Bali,
Indonesia.
 According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country's total
population is 92,337,852. It is based on the recent May 2010 census.

Truth

A truth is something that has actual and proven existence scientifically and
spiritually regardless of one’s opinion and beliefs. It is undisputed, objective,
universal, constant, exact, and factual.

Examples:

 All things that can be seen are temporal. (undisputed)

 Two plus two equals four (2 + 2 = 4). (exact)
 The Philippines, as proven in geographical and anthropological properties,
is a country in Southeast Asia. (factual)

Opinion is what someone believes or thinks. A fact is firmly planted in the

material world, while truth extends to the spiritual realm.
Socratic Method Leads to Wisdom and Truth
The Socratic method has been emphasized to use statement deconstructions
and creative questioning to delve deeper into an issue. It is a systematic process
whereby random and ambiguous ideas are eliminated to reach a sound
conclusion. Reaching an endpoint, therefore, would only mean that truth has
been realized, and new knowledge has been acquired.
Tip
Regardless of how deep the probing process has been, the primary area of focus
during the Socratic method would be the first statement. All succeeding
statements are brought about to support or refute the claim of the initial
argument.

Keypoints
 A method of philosophizing is a process of determining a truth or
conclusion from a statement through the use of various philosophical
methods such as Socratic, dialectic, historical, and scientific.
 Socrates was a Greek philosopher and teacher who laid the groundwork
for Western systems of philosophy and logic.
 Socratic questioning is a type of interrogative process that clarifies points
through understanding the deeper meaning of a claim.
 The process of deconstructing or questioning statements to come up with
the actual truth is called the Socratic Method.
 Opinion is what someone believes or thinks. A fact is firmly planted in the
material world, while truth extends to the spiritual realm.
 The Socratic method of philosophizing leads to wisdom and truth.
 III. Methods of Philosophizing: Dialectic

Dialectic Method
In the previous example, your two classmates were able to conclude that it is
better to study in the morning after having analyzed the facts that they presented
to each other. To come up with that, they used a process called dialectics or
the dialectic method.

 The term 'dialectic' comes from the Greek word dialektike which means
'the art of conversation.'
 It is the act of talking back and forth, disagreeing with one another, and
arguing about contentious issues.
 In philosophy, it is a method of coming up with a conclusion from an
exchange of contradicting logical arguments.
 The aim of dialectics, as a process of the dialogue, is the clarification of
controversial notions and arguments with other people. In this process,
personal and shared conceptions should be considered and corrected.
 Many philosophers, such as Hegel, Aristotle, and Socrates, had their own
beliefs and explanations about this approach; however, the basic concept
remains to be the same.

Examples:

 discussing the pros and cons of a variety of human resource strategies as

forms of managing employees in the workplace, then choosing the best
option
 evaluating two physical activities regarding their ability to increase work
performance

Dialectic or Socratic
Both the Socratic method and the dialectic method are based on a dialogue
between two or more people who may hold differing views but wish to pursue the
truth by seeking agreement with one another. To avoid confusions between the
two methods, study the chart of comparison below.
Now, how do you compare and contrast the dialectic method and Socratic
method as methods of philosophizing?

Opinion and Truth

The dialectic method may involve both opinions and facts as long as they are
logical and lead to the truth. It is therefore important to distinguish opinion from
truth.

 An opinion is a personal view formed about a particular matter, such as

your perception of using e-books rather than actual books.
 Truth is something that has real and proven existence regardless of one’s
opinion, such as the fact that the heart is a muscle.

Read the statements below, then distinguish the opinion from the truth.

Statement A is an opinion since there is no proof or evidence that the president is

indeed the most intelligent person in the country.
Statement B is a truth because the president is the head of the state and the
chief officer of the country. Thus, he is the most powerful leader of the country.

The Dialectic Method Leads to Wisdom and Truth

The dialectic method can easily be seen in the day-to-day interactions of people.
It is much like a debate that poses two clashing but valid arguments to determine
an endpoint that is correct and true. In this sense, the truth of both arguments is
always expected to rise from each conversation.

Tips
 The dialectic method deals largely with logical ideas. Opinionated points
are allowed as long as they are logical and they help in coming up with the
truth; however, the endpoint should always be the truth.
 Dialectics, as a philosophical method, should not be mistaken for
dialectical materialism. Although both concepts fall under philosophy,
dialectical materialism is a Marxian topic that caters to a more liberal
readership.
Keypoints
 Dialectics is a method of coming up with a true conclusion based on
contradicting logical ideas.
 The dialectic method may involve both opinions and facts as long as they
are logical and lead to the truth.
 An opinion is an expression of a person’s feelings based on facts,
emotions, and beliefs, while the truth is something that has actual and
proven existence scientifically and historically regardless of one’s opinion
and beliefs.
 Hegel, Aristotle, and Socrates were so convinced in the validity of the
dialectic method that they postulated their own versions and explanations
of the whole process.
 The dialectic method of philosophizing leads to wisdom and truth.

IV. Methods of Philosophizing: Scientific

Doing experiments are standard in science classes. In the previous example,

knowing whether a mixture is heterogeneous or homogeneous can easily be
done just by performing a simple test. This lesson involves the process of
experimentation and observation referred to as the scientific method of
philosophizing.

The Scientific Method

 The term "science" is derived from the Latin word scientia that means “to
produce knowledge.”
 The scientific method, also called empirical method, is a process of
determining truth or knowledge through experimentation, inductive and
deductive reasoning, and hypothesis or theory testing.
 The scientific method could trace its history from the Classical period
with Aristotle giving the earliest structured theory on the scientific
approach.
 The process begins with an idea about any given topic. Hypothesis testing
is done to prove the validity of this idea.
 In a philosophical view, the means of hypothesis testing and its results are
considered the most important feature of the method.
  The scientific method also values observation as an important aspect
because it contributes to further understanding the results of the
hypothesis testing.

Examples:

 exposing one plant to sunlight while limiting the exposure of another is

done to test which setting promotes better plant growth
 testing and quantifying morality, love, mercy, justice, or compassion which
are all realities that do not dwell in the realm of materialism

The Scientific, Dialectic, and Socratic Methods

Both the Socratic and dialectic method are based on a discussion between two
or more people who may carry differing views but wish to pursue the truth by
seeking an agreement with one another. Meanwhile, the scientific method is a
process of determining truth or knowledge through experimentation, inductive
and deductive reasoning, and hypothesis or theory testing.

Study the chart below.

Opinion and Truth

It is important to remember that the scientific method involves only the truth.
However, differentiating between the two is still important.

 An opinion is a personal view formed about a particular matter. An

example of this would be your take on who among your science teachers
is the best.
  Truth is something that has actual and proven existence regardless of
one’s opinion. For example, raspberry plants that receive the most water
grow the biggest.

Try to analyze the given situations. Distinguish the opinion from the truth.

Situation A reveals the truth because it is proven scientifically.

Situation B expresses an opinion because it is a personal view about the topic.

The Scientific Method Leads to Wisdom and Truth

The scientific method leads to wisdom and truth because it uses an evidence-
based approach to come up with its conclusion. In this method, all truths are
supported by facts that can easily be tested or proven again through
experiments, logical reasoning, or observation. The knowledge and truth gained
from the scientific method are assured to come directly from valid conclusions.
Tips
 The scientific method should always be concluded with supporting
evidence. However, ideas to be tested may or may not be derived from
existing facts.
 The use of observation in the scientific method is a critical aspect of
supporting empirical conclusions. Be sure that all your senses are actively
engaged to observe during experimentation.

Keypoints
 A method of philosophizing is a process of determining the truth or a
conclusion of a statement through the use of various philosophical
methods such as Socratic, dialectic, historical, and scientific.
 The scientific method or empirical method is a process of determining
truth or knowledge through experimentation, inductive and deductive
reasoning, and hypothesis or theory testing.
 An opinion is a personal view formed about a particular matter, while
the truth is something that has actual and proven existence regardless of
one’s opinion.
 The scientific method of philosophizing leads to wisdom and truth.
 V. Methods of Philosophizing: Historical

The Historical Method

 The term "history" is from the Greek word iotopia which means “to
investigate" or "to find out.”
 The historical method is the process of gathering evidences, examining
them, and formulating ideas about the past to come up with present truths.
 In this approach, it is believed that history has a “divine order” or a large
“cyclical or progressive” pattern that enables events to repeat themselves
and record information through historical accounts or archaeological
findings.
 The process of learning the truth is simply through looking at past records
to validate the present hypothesis.
 If viewed in a more general perspective, the historical approach would
include only a historical account to differentiate truth from opinion.
 History is seen as more important than logic and a more valid source of the
truth.
 Using the historical approach is much like researching for an answer to a
particular question. Reviewing what has been done in the past is the
primary method of looking at a solution for a problem at present.

Examples:

 You are going to Baguio for the first time with your family. You have the
option to use one of two routes. You look for reviews published in the
internet to determine which of the two routes is better.
 An entrepreneur wants to open a café in a middle class residential area in
the city. Before buying the property, she looked first at previous business
ventures that were established within the area to determine the feasibility
of her plan.

Historical, Scientific, Dialectic, or Socratic Method

Both the Socratic method and the dialectic method are based on a discussion
between two or more people who have differing views, but wish to pursue the
truth by seeking agreement with one another. The scientific method is a process
of determining truth or knowledge through experimentation, inductive and
deductive reasoning, and hypothesis or theory testing. Meanwhile, the historical
method deals with examining the past to come up with present facts or truths.

Study the table below.

Opinion and Truth
It is important to distinguish opinion from truth when using the historical method.

Remember:

 An opinion is a personal view formed about a particular matter, such as

your preference for Japanese cuisine.
 Truth, on the other hand, is something that has actual and proven
existence regardless of one’s opinion, such as the fact that the Philippines
is made up of more than 7,100 islands.

Try to analyze the given situations. Distinguish the opinion from the truth.

Situation A reveals the truth because this account is derived from historical
evidence.

Situation B expresses an opinion because it is a personal view.

The Historical Method Leads to Wisdom and Truth
Because history is repetitive, it is believed that the things that are occurring at
present already happened in the past. Following this logic, the historical method
serves the purpose of digging into historical data and analyzing together the
findings to come up with a conclusion. The use of the method, therefore, leads to
knowledge that is true and evidence-based.

History is repetitive. Only technology and political systems change. Everything

revolves around war for conquest, whatever the specific reasons. Greed is the
brace no matter what the system may be.
Tips
 The historical method does not accept logic as the primary source of the
truth. Instead, it relies on factual information or evidence-based
conclusions to confirm a present idea as the truth.
 The historical method, as a method of philosophizing, should not be
mistaken for historical materialism. Although both concepts fall under
philosophy, historical materialism is a Marxian topic that caters to a more
liberal readership.
 History, as a discipline, should be considered a separate topic from the
historical method. While both concepts focus on past events as significant,
the latter only uses history to produce its main goal which is the truth.

Keypoints
 A method of philosophizing is a process of determining truths or
conclusions from a statement through the use of various philosophical
methods such as Socratic, dialectics, historical, and scientific.
 The historical method deals with examining the past to come up with
present truths.
 An opinion is a personal view formed about a particular matter, while
the truth is something that has actual and proven existence regardless of
one’s opinion.
 The historical method of philosophizing leads to wisdom and truth.