INTRODUCTION

MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF PHILOSOPHY

The word philosophy came from two Greek words philia “love” and sophia “wisdom”
which means “love of wisdom.” By this, it means that philosophy is the “active pursuit of
wisdom;” it is a quest rather than a depository of attained and transmittable knowledge, or
merely by passively possessing wisdom.

Aristotle aptly defined philosophy as the science of beings in their ultimate reasons,
causes and principles acquired through the help of reason. As a science, philosophy is based
on knowledge obtain from logical observations of causes reduced into systems.

Western and Eastern philosophies developed independently of each other until about
200 years ago due to the difficulties of travel and communication. During the Middle Ages,
philosophy was considered as the “handmaiden” of Christian theology. Today, it is regarded
as an “auxiliary” of the natural and social sciences

Various philosophies have been anchored on man’s innate desire to know and
understand the reasons of his existence, the nature of truth, reality, and knowledge, and man’s
relationship with environment and society. Philosophy is a search for meaning and the quest
for truth- objectives needed by every human being to secure for him a full; meaningful,
satisfying existence. Thus, it can be said that everyone is a “philosopher” by force of necessity.

Every social institution – culture, government, economic system, religions, and the
family has philosophical roots. Philosophical beliefs, in many historical instances, had
influenced the overthrow of regimes; the changing of old economic systems, and the
introduction of new ones, because people held certain paramount views and values to
influence and guide their beliefs on to what extent should political institutions and economic
systems rule and affect their lives.
PHILOSOPHY – The Most Basic Study of Mankind

The best argument why philosophy is the concern of all is that, as the “matrix of all
knowledge”, it affords wisdom about the totality and essence of man, the nature and
purpose of the universe, and God. It also provides the necessary answers about how
individuals achieve good morality and happy lives – the ideal manifestations of a good and
civilized society. Through Philosophy, the fundamental questions about the nature of things
and the ends of life are also being addressed; thus, people will become practical and
productive elements of their communities or social groups. As the early Greeks would say:
A man who refuses to have his own philosophy will have the “characteristics of a brute
beast, and be left to his own instincts.”

Some people may think that philosophy is not only long formulations of concepts, but
also complicated contradictions from the diverse views of known philosophers. This is always
the reason why they take the subject for granted. Take for example, the significant issues of
today, like political killings and bureaucratic corruption, are alarmingly widespread and people
seemed unaffected. They tolerate them because they not want to understand them and at the
same time, they rationalize that anyway these problems do not directly affect them.

It is “why” and the “how” of things or of any phenomenon, which must be considered
first when we are tracing the roots of all problems or issues. In the Philippines, maybe, what
we need, like what Plato had prescribed, is not a politician who is a businessman, but a leader
who is a philosopher.

But man is always influenced by his own ideas or by someone’s idea even if at times, it
is contrary to his. Is there some truth, therefore, to the popular joke that “if you marry a nagger,
you will gradually become a philosopher?” What if the issues of a nagging spouse are about
vices and immorality, infidelity, immaturity or sexual incompatibility? Do you really need
Philosophy to contend with such issues?

Philosophy, therefore, is the concern of all human beings. It is not just the mastery of
complicated philosophical methodologies, or the adequate knowledge of experimental science
of pure theology that must necessitate one in the study of man; rather philosophy must start
with common sense. What takes a person to be a philosopher are the mind that Almighty
gave him and the true love of wisdom to know the ultimate truth.
APPROACHES TO PHILOSOPHY

1. Analytical Approach – Used by the Greek philosophers particularly Socrates and

Aristotle which defines, analyzes, and separates the different elements as parts of
the question. It also takes into consideration every possible interpretation of abstract
concepts and analyzes every possible answer to the question or questions.

2. Continental Approach – It was used by Hegel, Marx, Heidegger, and Sartre which
applies general and self-consistent theories to explain abstract concepts or ideas.

PHILOSOPHY AND THE SCIENCES

Is the obsolete in our present scientific and modern technological age? Francis Bacon
declared that “Science gives us power.” The dictionary defines sciences as a branch of
knowledge that deals with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the
application of general laws. The sciences, either natural or social sciences, study physical and
social phenomena which enable human beings to exercise control and mastery of h, and in the
process, use this knowledge to create or produce things either constructively or destructively
(for example, guns and the atomic bomb.)

However, according to the philosopher Mortimer Adler, science itself is not morally
neutral, that is, indifferent to the value of the ends for which the means are used to; it is totally
unable to give human beings any moral direction for it affords them no knowledge whatsoever
of the order of goods and the hierarchy of ends. The utility or application of philosophy is moral
or directive, in while science, particularly natural or modern science, the utility or application is
technical or productive. While Science provides man with the means he can use, philosophy
directs him to the moral ends he should seek.

Philosophy, therefore, according to Adler, teaches man the difference between right and
wrong and directs him to the goods that befit his nature. Philosophy should be uppermost in
any culture or civilization. The more science humanity possesses, the more man needs
philosophy, because the more power he has, the more he needs direction
A. PHILOSOPHY AND MATHEMATICS

According to Plato, the study of Mathematics is the ideal preparation for philosophical
thought because it draws the mind away from visible and tangible objects to the consideration
of purely abstract things such as numbers, figures, and proportions. Mathematics affords exact
knowledge and makes the quantitative aspects of the universe tangible.

B. PHILOSOPHY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE

Politics refers to the study of the different aspects of the state, such as Government, its
processes, its institutions, political power, and political behavior. Political philosophy evolved
from concepts and forms of government, which originated from the classical philosophers like
Plato and Aristotle. Theories on Human rights, equality and liberty were enriched by
philosophical thoughts of Jocke, Rousseau, and Marx. Questions are: Is there a perfect form of
government for all peoples? How much control should the State have over the lives of its
citizens?” What constitutes the Common Good for society? What rights and obligations the
citizens should have?

B. PHILOSOPHY AND HISTORY

Philosophical questions about history are: Do people have a history or just patterns? Is
there any meaning or purpose of the social, political, and cultural patterns in history that had
been experienced by mankind?” Were certain histories written by victors for their benefits and
perpetuation in power? Does history repeat itself? Are we condemned to repeat it?

History refers to the chronological record of past and significant events that affect the
nation or its institutions, usually including the explanation of their causes. History is seen as
either cyclical or continuous movement. The ancient Greeks saw history moving in recurrent
cycles, that is, government and societies move through stages of birth, growth, decline, and
death, and then the cycle starts all over again. The continuous or progressive movement on
the other hand, states that history moves continuously toward a goal or fulfillment. Christians
and Marxists have this conception of history. According to St. Augustine, human history under
the guidance of Divine Providence, leads toward the City of God at the end of time, while, Karl
Marx saw the goal and fulfillment of history in a classless society of perfect and equality, to be
attained after the victory of the workers in a world revolution.
D. PHILOSOPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY

Psychology originally meant the study of the soul (psyche), and later the study of the
mind. In the modern sense, it is the science that studies systematically the human mental
process and human behavior. Psychology studies man as a rational, sentient and bodily
substance. Examples of questions are: Is the brain a thinking matter? Is human behavior both
a result of nature and nurture?

E. PHILOSOPHY AND LAW

Law and Jurisprudence are regulations established by public authorities and backed by
the collective power of the state to which it applies. Modern laws trace their legal concepts and
origins from classical philosophers. The Code of Justinian, which later became Roman law,
has had the most significant influence on modern law and Jurisprudence. There can be no
sound and humane system of justice without the prior establishment of a philosophy of law;
and there can be no just and appropriate law without an appropriate and relevant philosophy to
guide the lawmakers. Examples of philosophical questions are: “What are appropriate laws
should be; how laws came into being” What constitute egalitarian or utilitarian laws? Can a law
be legal but not moral at the same time?

PHILOSOPHICAL INQUIRY

Philosophical may investigate into any subject and may study practically everything in
the universe. John Dewey referred to inquiry as the controlled or directed transformation of an
indeterminate situation into determinate one where a problem may be solved. The
departments of Philosophy are:

a. Logic: from the Greek word “logos” which means study, discourse or reason. The study of
philosophy starts with logic, the art and science of proper and correct methods of thinking and
reasoning. Logic, however, is not an empirical science, but a speculative science- It is
concerned with what is right and why is it so. Thus, there is correct reasoning if it conforms to
the laws and principles of logic.
b. Epistemology refers to the study of the theories that validate human knowledge. A person
can attain the truth only if he or she is certain that his or her philosophy rests on solid bases.
c. Ontology The branch of Metaphysics dealing with the nature of beings in general. It also
studies the nature of intimate reality of things. An ontological question is: Do all objects have a
soul?
d. Cosmology- deals with the study of a problem of the universe or inorganic matters. It
argues that whatever comes into existence is caused by something that actually exists. Can
something come out from nothing?
e. Psychology. Philosophy of Mind tries to ascertain exactly what the mind is and how it
interacts with our body. How do other people’s minds exist and work? Is the human mind and
consciousness part of the evolutionary process? Is man condemned to be free because he is
conscious of himself?
f. Theodicy studies the nature and existence of God. Is God according to Aristotle the prime,
unmoved mover of the universe? Did His divine reason establish the natural and immutable
laws of the universe? Or is He apart from and outside of the universe?
g. Ethics refers to the study of the accepted rules of conduct and moral principles of an
individual. The principles of honor and morality pose this question: “Which human acts are
morally right, and which are wrong? Why should people be always moral?” are there absolute
standards of morality?

Other Areas of Philosophical Study

a. Metaphysics – Metaphysics or what Aristotle called the “first philosophy” surveys the
entire field of knowledge, its ultimate principles and causes. Metaphysics can be effectively
used for studying man from the Christian standpoint; as it focuses on the essence and totality
of being man.
b. Phenomenology – it seeks to uncover the essences of things as they appear within human
consciousness. Man must delve into the objective function of the mental process, and the
logical structures that led to the essences of things.
c. Language - Philosophy of language or Linguistic Philosophy is concerned how languages
affect our thoughts. It was popularized by Wittgenstein, who asserted that the limits of our
languages mark the limits of our thoughts.
d. Religion – Philosophy of Religion and Theology are concerned with the study of God,
religious traditions and practices and how religion should shape people’s lives. Theology,
however, uses religious works such as the Holy Bible as its authority, while philosophy of
religion uses reason as the ultimate authority.
STUDY – GUIDE QUESTION

GROUP ACTIVITY

1. Why is the study of Philosophy important?

2. Define Philosophy and its nature
3. Discuss why philosophy the primary tool in the study of man
4. Enumerate and explain the subjects of philosophical inquiry
5. Discuss the other areas of philosophical inquiry

Explain the relationship between the Philosophy and Science

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Are there differences between Philosophy of Religion and Theology?

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 CHAPTER 1

IMPORTANCE OF PHILOSOPHY

Name ______________________________________________ Prof: ___________________

Room/Time __________________________________________Date:___________________

ACTIVITY 1

1. Cite the different definitions of Philosophy and discuss your own understanding of the said
discipline.

2. Discuss the importance of Philosophy and relate it to the understanding and evaluation of
your life.
 You are who you are for a reason.

You’re part of an intricate plan.

You’re a precious and perfect unique design,

Called God’s special woman or man

You look like you look for a reason.

Our God made no mistake.

He knit you together within the womb,

You’re just what he wanted to make.

Read the poem written above by Russell Kelfer. Discuss its message
and relate to the process of a person’s relation to philosophy

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