Lj Zaphan Lamboloto Notes

Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Person

In order to truly fully grasp the Philosophy of the Human Person as an academic subject, it is
important first to initially discuss the key concepts in Philosophy as an academic
discipline/course of study. In this way, the student will know how to situate philosophical
concepts or the philosopher himself in a historical manner. Hence, the study of philosophy could
be viewed as a development through the affirmation, critique, and transformation of
philosophical concepts throughout our all historical epochs.

Now, since this study is primarily focused on the Philosophy of the Human Person, I would not
particularly focus on all philosophers or philosophies that evolved in each philosophical epoch,
rather, I will briefly present the key concepts of each period/epoch through a semi-narrative
discussion of the intellectual history and the development of Philosophy. To cut the chase, let me
begin with a question.

I. What is Philosophy?

Philosophy, as we know, is the love of wisdom. But let me briefly illustrate how and why it is
called such.

Philosophy

“philia” (Love) and “Sophia” (Wisdom) = Love of Wisdom

Philia - is the attraction to possess a particular object

Sophia – Wisdom or the right application of knowledge

Hence, Philosophy is the pursuit to apply correct

knowledge.
However, it is important to further qualify the definition of knowledge. This is because if
philosophy is the act to pursue the application of correct knowledge. Then what is this correct
knowledge. If there is any such, how can we make sure that this knowledge is correct? If there is,
in fact, a correct knowledge, how can we attain such knowledge?

To answer this question, we have to venture the nature and dynamics of “knowledge” or of
knowing. Hence, let us briefly analyze the apparatus of knowledge. How can we know that we
know? In other words, how can we capture knowledge? Therefore, the problem ultimately
evolves to the question of the truthfulness of our knowledge. But first, let us try to define
knowledge as it is.
Put simply, knowledge is justified true belief. In other words, knowledge is whatever I believe to
be justified or proven TRUE. Hence, my observation that the sun is bright, for example, is
knowledge because this phenomenon is proven true through what we call scientific and
observational proofs. First, of course, we can scientifically prove the brightness of the sun
through objective scientific process and tools that measures the amount of light that is coming
from the sun. In essence, these tests are empirical evidences (however more complicated tests) to
prove that the sun is, indeed, bright. Secondly, we know that the sun is bright because our
biological bodies could sense the heat that is coming from the luminosity of the sun and of
course, through our eyes. However, a blind man, for example, could question such claims. But it
is a given fact that the sun is bright no matter how the perceiver perceives it as it is. In fact, this
is heavily emphasized by George Berkeley in his critique of Hume’s empiricism that “esse est
percipi” or to be is to be perceived. Hence, the implication is that if I do not perceive, therefore,
there is none. Here, he maintains that both the primary and secondary qualities of an object could
not be separated, that is, the qualities that are not perceivable by the senses and the ones that
could be. For him, the mind is an integral part of perception because without it, there wouldn’t be
a perceiver in the first place.

This philosophical example only serves as a depiction of how knowledge is thought to be

captured. In fact, this is just one of the many perspectives on how knowledge is possible.
However, going back to the question of what is knowledge, knowledge, as we can see, is
possible through the use of reason. Hence, a belief is justified through reason. Therefore,
philosophy, broadly construed, is also the study of ultimate causes, reasons, and principles
through the aid of reason alone. In this way, beliefs alone cannot stand in philosophy as it has to
be justified for it to become an object of pursuit in philosophy.

Now, let me briefly discuss the branches of Philosophy as an academic discipline.

II. The Four Branches of Philosophy

Philosophy has four branches, although, in some cases, others scholars believe that there are five
branches. But in this particular study, we will only discuss four.

(1) Metaphysics = meta (beyond) & physika (physical) = Beyond the physical or beyond
sensible experience
- This branch of philosophy primarily deals with concepts and questions regarding the
notion of God, soul, and even freedom.
(2) Epistemology = episteme (knowledge) & logos (study) = Study of knowledge
- This philosophical study ventures into the understanding of the nature and dynamics
of knowledge.
- Hence, this study also attempts to know how knowledge is acquired and if it could be
acquired, to what extent is knowledge possible.
(3) Logic = logos (word or study)
 -
“logic attempts to distinguish sound or good reasoning from unsound or bad
reasoning.”
(4) Ethics = ethos (custom, character or habit)
- A study that is “…concerned with questions of how human persons ought to act, and
the search for a definition of a right conduct and the good life.”

III. How do we philosophically reflect? How do we philosophize? How do we reason?

Philosophical Reflection is the act of giving time to think about the meaning and purpose of life.

For Gabriel Marcel, for example, there are two kinds of reflection:

1. Primary Reflection
- Thinking that calculates, analyzes, or recounts past events.
- Fragmented and compartmentalized thinking
- This cannot be a genuine thinking because it failed to make sense of the whole of the
mystery of life.
- This, in turn, is selfish thinking because it is Instrumental Thinking
- “Means-End” kind of thinking

2. Secondary Reflection
- Integrate the fragmented and compartmentalized experience into a coherent whole
- Genuine or unselfish thinking
- Completely opposed to “means-end” kind of thinking

Hence, for Marcel, a genuine Philosophical Reflection is Secondary Reflection!

However, it is important not to overlook the fact that:

Primary Reflection = ability to think logically (Critical Thinking)

- The ability of the mind to construct and evaluate arguments

- Important tool in doing philosophy

Therefore, the necessary skills needed in doing philosophy are simply:

- Philosophical Reflection – enables us to look deeper into our experiences and see the
bigger picture of reality
- Construction and evaluation of argument – allows us to express our ideas in a
systematic and logical way; allows us to examine the ideas of other people