PHILIPPINE TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF

SCIENCE ARTS AND TRADE, INC.

Tanay, Rizal

LEARNER’S MODULE
FIRST EDITION

INTRODUCTION TO
PHILOSOPHY OF THE
HUMAN PERSON

LESSON 1
PHILOSOPHY

QUARTER 1 (WEEK 1)
SY: 2020-2021

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LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this lesson, the learners will be able to:
1. Understand the meaning of philosophy;
2. Differentiate the meaning of philosophy as a body of knowledge and as an intellectual
activity; and
3. Explain the nature of the four major branches of philosophy.

ANALYSIS AND USE OF SOURCES

Use information from a range of sources (internet, textbook, published journal, etc…)

PRE – ACTIVITY
Directions: Read and answer the questions below.
1. Why do you have to pursue education?
2. What is your understanding of the saying, “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOU
LOVE YOURSELF

INTRODUCTION
  Does philosophy make progress? Is it in competition with science, or doing
something completely different, or neither? 
The key questions surrounding philosophy in new and provocative ways, showing
how philosophy begins in common sense curiosity, and develops through our capacity to
dispute rationally with each other. Discussing philosophy's ability to clarify our thoughts,
it explains why such clarification depends on the development of philosophical theories,
and how those theories can be tested by imaginative thought experiments, and compared
against each other by standards similar to those used in the natural and social sciences. It
also shows how logical rigor can be understood as a way of enhancing the explanatory
power of philosophical theories. Drawing on the history of philosophy to provide a track
record of philosophical thinking's successes and failures, Philosophers overturns widely
held dogmas about the distinctive nature of philosophy in comparison to the sciences,
demystifies its methods, and considers the future of the discipline. 

KEY WORDS
Philosophy, Logic, Opinion, Wisdom, Knowledge

PHILOSOPHY:
WHY IS IMPORTANT TO STUDY PHILOSOPHY?

People can clarify what they are believing. We can be stimulated to think of ultimate
question. Philosophy promises us better understanding of ourselves. The study of
philosophy enables us to think carefully and clearly about important issues. Studying
philosophy sharpens our analytical abilities, enabling to identify and evaluate the
strengths and weaknesses in any position. It hones your ability to construct and articulate
cogent arguments of your own.

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WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
 The Ancient Greek word “philosophia” was probably coined by Pythagoras and
literally means "love of wisdom" or "friend of wisdom".
 Philosophy is the study of the general and fundamental nature of reality,
existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.

Phytagoras said to have been the first man to call himself a “pholosopher’.in fact, the
world is endebted to him for the world philosopher. It is said that when Leon, the tyrant
of Philius, ask him of he was, he said, “ a Philosopher” and he likened the Pholosopher to
spectators and ancient games.
Before that time the wise man was called themselves sage, which was interpreted to
mean those who know. Phytagoras was more modest. He coined the word philosopher,
which he defined as one who is attempting to find out. According to him, men and
women of the world could be classified into 3 groups; 1. those that love pleasure, 2. those
who love ythe activity, and 3. those who love wisdom.

 Philosophy is the study of general and fundamenta problems, such as those

connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.
 Philosophy is the rational attempt to formulate, understand, and answer
fundamental questions.

MAIN LESSON
What are the Nature of Philosophy:
1. Philosophy is a set of views or beliefs about life and the universe, which are often held
uncritically.
We refer to this meaning as the informal sense of philosophy or “having” a
philosophy. Usually when a person says; “my philosophy is”, he or she is referring to an
informal personal attitude to whatever topic is being discussed.

2. Philosophy is the process of reflecting on and criticizing our most deeply held
conceptions and beliefs.
These two senses of philosophy --- “having” and ” doing”– cannot be treated
entirely independent of each other., for it we did not have a philosophy in the formal,
personal sense, then we could not do a philosophy in the critical, reflective sense.
Having a philosophy, however, is not sufficient for doing philosophy. A genuine
philosophical attitude is searching and critical; it is open-minded and tolerant – willing
to look at all side of an issue without any prejudice. To philosophize is not merely to
read and know philosophy; there are skills of argumentation to be mastered, techniques
of analysis to be employed, and a body of material to be appropriated such that we
become able to think philosophically. Philosophers are reflective and critical.

3. Philosophy is a rational attempt to look at the world as a whole.

Philosophy seeks to combine the conclusions of the various sciences and human
experience into some kind of consistent world view. Philosophers wish to see life, not
with the specialized slant of businessperson or the artist, but with the overall view of
someone cognizant of life as totality.

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 4. Philosophy is the logical analysis of language and the clarification of the meaning of
words and concepts.
Certainly this is one function of philosophy. In fact, nearly all philosophers have
used methods of analysis and have sought to clarify the meaning of terms and the use of
language. Some philosophers see this as the main task of philosophy, and a few claim this
as the only legitimate function of philosophy.

5. Philosophy is a group of perennial problems that interest people and for which
philosophers always sought answers.
Philosophy presses its inquiry into the deepest problems of human existence. Some
of the philosophical questions raised in the past have been answered in a manner
satisfactory to the majority of philosophers. Many questions, however have been
answered only tentatively, and many problems remain unsolved.
“ What is truth?”
“ What is the distinction between right and wrong”?
“ What is life and why am I here”?
“ Why is there anything at all”?

IMPORTANCE OF PHILOSOPHY
1. The study of Philosophy enables us to think carefully and clearly about important
issues.
2. In studying Philosophy, we learn to take a step back from our everyday thinking and to
explore the deeper, bigger question which underpins our thoughts.
3. The focus in the study of Philosophy is to learn not to believe, but how to think.
4. Studying philosophy sharpens your analytical abilities, enabling you to identify and
evaluate the strengths and weaknesses in any position.
5. It hones your ability to construct and articulate cogent arguments of your own.
6. It prompts you to work across disciplinary boundaries and to think flexibly and
creatively about problems that do not present immediate solutions.
7. Because philosophy is an activity as much as body of knowledge, it also develops
ability to think and work independently.

To understand the foundations of educational philosophies, it’s necessary to first

examine philosophy’s four main branches. Understanding educational philosophy will
contribute to the understanding of how these foundations have given rise to what is
commonly practiced and believed in the classroom today. Philosophy is the study of
general and fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind,
and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. The
term was probably coined by Pythagoras. That is, a way of thinking about the world, the
universe, and society. It works by asking very basic questions about the nature of human
thought, the nature of the universe, and the connections between them. The ideas
in philosophy are often general and abstract.
Philosophy an activity people undertake when they seek to understand
fundamental truths about themselves, the world in which they live,
and  their relationships to the world and to each other.
As per the given definition, simply to say that philosophy answers problems or
questions that do not require any scientific approach or experimentation,

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The four main branches of philosophy are metaphysics, epistemology, axiology, and
logic
1. Metaphysics
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that considers the physical universe and the
nature of ultimate reality. It asks questions like, what is real? What is the origin of the
world? What is beyond the stars? Your consideration of reality as an external creation or
an internal construct can influence your metaphysical beliefs and perspectives and your
teaching. Regardless of your definition of reality, the exploration and categorization of
the physical universe form the foundation of several school subjects.
2. Epistemology
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that considers how people come to learn what
they know. Derived from the Greek word episteme, meaning knowledge or
understanding, epistemology refers to the nature and origin of knowledge and truth.
Epistemology proposes that there are four main bases of knowledge: divine revelation,
experience, logic and reason, and intuition. These influence how teaching, learning, and
understanding come about in the classroom.
3. Axiology
Axiology is the branch of philosophy that considers the study of principles and values.
These values are divided into two main kinds: ethics and aesthetics. Ethics is the
questioning of morals and personal values. Aesthetics is the examination of what is
beautiful, enjoyable, or tasteful. In axiology education is more than just about knowledge
but also quality of life.
4. Logic
Logic is the branch of philosophy that seeks to organize reasoning. Students of logic
learn how to think in a structurally sound manner. Logic has two types: deductive and
inductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning involves examining a general case, deducing a
general set of rules or principles, and then applying these rules to specific cases.
Inductive reasoning involves taking specific examples and considering the general
principles, rules, or cases that caused them.
Studying Philosophy means, it is the study of ideas within knowledge. There are things,
ideas that requires logic, and Logic, the methods and principles used in distinguishing
correct from incorrect reasoning.

EVALUATION
Directions: Read and answer the following. Choose the correct answer.
1. The four main divisions of philosophy are metaphysics, epistemology, axiology, and
_____.
  a. bioethics b. logic c. aesthetics d. categorical
logic
2. For Socrates, an unexamined life is a tragedy because it results in grievous harm to
_____.
  a. the state b. the justice system c. the body d. the soul
3. For Socrates, the soul is harmed by lack of _____.
 a. knowledge b. wealth c. community d. courage
4. A question-and-answer dialogue in which propositions are methodically scrutinized to
uncover the truth is known as _____.
a. an argument b. the Socratic method c. the Socratic jest d. a debate

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5. If you assume that a set of statements is true, and yet you can deduce a false or absurd
statement from it, then the original set of statements as a whole must be false. This kind
of argument is known as _____.
a. modus tollens b. modus ponen  c. hypothetical syllogism
d. reduction ad absurdum *
6. The systematic use of critical reasoning to try to find answers to fundamental questions
about reality, morality, and knowledge is called _____.
a. the argumentative method b. the philosophical method
  c. propositional logic d. syllogistic reasoning
7. The famous statement “An unexamined life is not worth living” is attributed to _____.
 a. Aristotle b. John Locke c. Socrates d. Plato
8. The study of reality in the broadest sense, an inquiry into the elemental nature of the
universe and the things in it, is known as _____.
a. metaphysics b. epistemology c. quantum physics d. axiology
9. Questions like “What is knowledge?” and “What is truth?” are mainstays in the branch
of philosophy known as _____.
a. logic b. metaphysics c. epistemology d.aesthetics
10. According to Socrates, a clear sign that a person has _____ is her exclusive pursuit of
social status, wealth, power, and pleasure.
 a. philosophical ambition b. worldly wisdom c. exceptional desires
d. an unhealthy soul

ENRICHMENT
Directions: Describe the following Great Philosophers.
1. Aristotle
2. Plato
3. Socrates

SUMMARY
As philosophy covers a great deal of conceptual, complex and value-laden
processes, this lesson introduced how human persons learn philosophy as they go
beyond and rise to daunting challenges of modern experience. This lesson presented a
view that philosophical concerns include not only thoughts but also one’s soul, nation,
finances, and environment. Our broad understanding of philosophy concerns not only
humans but other living beings as well. Philosophy has many and special branches that
go beyond partial but stress holism.

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