Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

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FIRST TRIMESTER SY 2020-2021

IMPORTANCE OF PHILOSOPHY
KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND OPINION
KNOWING AND TRUTH

I. Lesson 3: The Importance of Philosophy

A. The Charge of Futility
Bertrand Russel – “The Value of Philosophy”
Two reasons behind the charge that philosophy is a futile activity:
1. Indefiniteness of philosophy with regard to the answers that it provides to philosophical
questions.
- Simply, this means philosophy does not provide final answer to the questions that it
deals with, for the answer it offers differ from one philosopher to another; and there
seems to be no objective war to determine whose answer is better.
- It is thought that philosophizing would lead to nowhere.

2. Impracticality of philosophy
- It is thought that the activity of philosophizing has no practical benefits and does not
help us satisfy our material needs such as those related to the nourishment of our body.

Internal (Scientific) and External Question (Philosophical).

• Scientific questions are questions already known with some degree of certainty to be
capable of being answered in a precise and definite way. It has already been established
that there is a precise and objective means of answering these questions. While
philosophical questions are questions in which it has not been established yet whether
there is a precise and objective means of answering.
• Most scientific questions did not start out as scientific questions. They started out as
philosophical questions, questions that were thought to be indefinitely answerable.
o Reasons: unavailability of the technology that could test hypothesis and; the
imprecise formulation of the questions.
• When philosophy deals with scientific questions (indefinitely answerable questions), one
primary goal is precisely to determine whether such questions can be eventually become
scientific – whether they could eventually become scientific.
In short, philosophy does the preliminary work for science in finding definite answers to certain
questions. And so, if we value science for the definiteness of its answers to the questions that it
deals with, the more we should value philosophy for making it possible for science to deal with
such problems.
With regard to the charge of being an impractical activity, it is true that philosophy does not
satisfy our material needs. But Russell explains, this is only because philosophy is focused on
satisfying another kind of valuable human needs: the need of the mind. Some tools of
philosophy such as logic and skills of critical thinking, can also be used to address questions
directly related to the satisfaction of our material needs.

B. Some Major Achievements

Among these achievements are the following:

1. One of the goals of philosophy is to provide a holistic view of life. It supplements what is lacking
in scientific explanation to come up with holistic explanations of things or events in the world.
- Aristotle’s division of causes into four kinds is a good model for explaining how
philosophy does this.
a. Material cause –composition of something, what a thing is made of.
b. Formal cause – refers to the design or form of something that makes it what it is.
c. Efficient cause – refers to the one that initiates the change in an object.
 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
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d. Final cause – refers to the purpose of something.

• Generally science would explain the material, formal, and efficient causes. Philosophy
would handle and investigate the final causes of things.
2. Philosophy contributes to the development of some disciplines or areas of knowledge.
• Ancient Period – Pre-Socratic philosophers broke away from mythological explanations of
natural processes and started the methods of explaining these processes in terms of
observing and reasoning (SCIENTIFIC METHOD).
• Medieval Period – Philosophy contributed to the strengthening of the foundations of
Christian theology.
• Modern Period – Philosophers (Descartes, Hume, Kant, among others) helped solidify the
foundations of science.
• Contemporary Period – Some philosophers (like Frege and Russell, Wittgenstein, Quine,
Carnap, among others) clarified and justified certain features of the foundations of
mathematics.

3. Philosophy through its investigations in the area of ethics, provides ethical guidelines for the
use of modern technology. With the invention of modern technology, new ethical issues arise.
Such examples are:
a. Computer sciences - Piracy, cyber bullying, hacking, pornography etc.
b. Biology –gender selection, genetic mutation, sex-change, surrogacy etc.
c. Biomedicine - stem cells, blood transfusion, human cloning, human and animal
experimentation, medical marijuana, abortion
d. Business sector – usury, advertisements, intellectual and property rights, networking

4. Philosophy through its investigations in the area of social and political philosophy, has
significantly contributed to social transformation and the modern concept of government. An
example is our present concept of democracy, constitutional approaches (the principle of
separation of powers, principle of check and balance), jurisprudence, and etc.

5. Philosophy continues to explore what is possible and consequently expand the boundaries of
knowledge or of what we can know.

II. Lesson 4: Knowledge, Wisdom, and Opinion

A. The Allegory of the Cave
B. Socratic Method
C. Methodic Doubt

III. Lesson 5: Knowing and Truth

The Nature of Truth

➢ We earlier noted that one of the essential traits of a wise person is that he/she is aware of
his/her ignorance. This means that he/she knows when they either now or do not know. Now
what is it that we know or do not know? The truth. Being wise involves knowing the truth and
knowing when we do not know it. Philosophy as love of wisdom is also considered as a
search for truth. Truth is a kind of property, the opposite is falsity.

Theories of Truth
➢ The different theories of truth provide us with insights as to how we can find out that one
statement has the element of truth and falsity.

1. Coherence Theory – Proposes that something is true if it makes sense when placed in a
certain situation or context. This could lead to varied truths from different perspectives. An
idea or statement is true because it makes sense in its own context and that it has a certain
degree of consistency which renders it truthful.
 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
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**Relativism – A philosophical concept which contends that there are no absolute truths.
An idea or principle is only true within a particular context and thus, it is possible for
alternative truths to exist in various contexts or situations.

2. Correspondence Theory – Has to do with the correspondence or alignment of knowledge

claims being made with the state of affairs in the world. Different philosophers depending
on their philosophical inclinations would have different interpretations of what this state of
affairs should be. The theory assumes that there is something given outside, in the realm of
sense experience that we perceive as an objective reality. Our perceptions become the
basis for verifying something as true or false about the world. (e.g. The dog is in the dog
house. Harry is a bachelor. These are statements that require us to check the state of affairs
in the world to determine if it is indeed true that the do is in the dog house and that harry is
a bachelor.).

3. Constructivist Theory – Holds that knowledge is shaped by social forces and influenced by
culture and history. What is true or what a person considers true, is shaped by his society
and culture. It also believes that knowledge is gained as part of social experience and
requires interaction and collaboration. It is also possible for knowledge and truth to change
as influenced by historical developments and social struggles.

4. Consensus Theory – Views knowledge as based on agreement and that something is true if
almost everyone agrees that it is true. Certain beliefs, traditions, and practices are often the
product of consensus as they may be imposed by the influential groups or institutions such
as governments or religious organizations.

5. Pragmatic Theory of Truth – Holds the view that something is true if we can put it into
practice or is useful in real life. It also believes that ideas should be continually tested to
confirm their validity.

**Verificationism – considers that ideas must be verified using the senses or experience.
The scientific method, where experiments are designed to test hypotheses or confirm
conclusions is an example of a pragmatic approach in determining the truth.

Types of Truth
➢ Statements and beliefs are either true or false; however, there are certain questions and
considerations about certain aspects of the truth or falsity of statements and beliefs, which
have given rise to the different types of truth. Most of these different kinds of truth, as will be
seen later, are closely related.

Regarding the question of whether the truth of a belief or statement is established or

arrived at by means of sense experience or reason.

1. Empirical Truth
o This is established by means of sense experience. This is technically described as a posteriori –
meaning that it can only be known after some relevant experience. Example: It is raining.

2. Rational Truth
o This is established by means of reason. Technically described as a priori, rational truth can be
known before some relevant experience. Example: 5 and 5 is equal to 10.

Regarding the question of whether or not knowing the truth of a statement or belief
extends our knowledge or adds to what we already know.

3. Synthetic Truth
o Extends our knowledge that is, the information provided by the predicate is not contained in
the information provided by the subject. All empirical truths are synthetic truths.
 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
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4. Analytic Truth
o Does not necessarily extends our knowledge since the information provided by the predicate
in a statement is already contained within the subject. All rational truths are analytic truths.

Regarding the question whether a statement or belief is true in all possible situations.

5. Contingent Truth
o This is not true in all possible situations. Empirical truths are contingent truths. Simply, this is not
always true.

6. Necessary Truth
o This is true in all possible situations. Rational truths are necessary truths. Simply, this is always
true.

Regarding the question whether the truth of a statement or belief can only be known by
the person who has the belief or makes the statement.

7. Private Truth
o Can only be known by the person who has the belief or makes the statement considered to
be true. Example: The truth of psychological statements or one’s mental states.

8. Public Truth
o Can, in principle, be known by everyone, which means that the occurrence or presence of
the necessary conditions like that the knowi.ng person is a normal adult. Example: Rational
and Empirical Truths are public truths: My skin is cut and bleeding – public truth; I feel great
pain because of my cut – private truth. Only I can know that I am in great pain but everyone,
in principle, can know that my skin is cut and bleeding.

Regarding the question whether or not the truth of a statement or belief is dependent on
the attitudes, preferences, or interests of a person or a group of persons.

9. Objective Truth
o This is not dependent on the attitudes, preferences, or interests of a person or a group of
persons. An example of this could be factual judgments. Example: Rock music is one of the
major kinds of music.

10. Subjective Truth

o This is dependent on the attitudes, preferences, or interests of a person or a group of persons.
An example of this could be Value judgments like aesthetic judgments. Example: Rock music is
the best kind of music.

Regarding the question whether a statement or belief is acknowledged to be true by

everyone or only by some people.

11. Universal Truth

o The truth is acknowledged by everyone. Objective truths are usually universal truths.

12. Relative Truth

o The truth is acknowledged by some people. Subjective truths are usually relative truths.

Regarding the question of under what area of study does the topic or content of a belief
or statement that is held to be true falls.

13. Disciplinal Kinds of Truth

o Truths contained within varied disciplines and fields of thought.
 Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 3 – Philo Subject Teacher:

a. Religious
b. Scientific
c. Psychological
d. Biological
e. Economic

REFERENCES
English 9.2.4 (Logical fallacies). Quizlet. Retrieved from https://quizlet.com/236186301/english-924-
logical-fallacies-flash-cards/
Fallacies. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/fallacies/
Plato’s allegory of the cave – Alex Gendler. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RWOpQXTltA
The basics of philosophy. Retrieved from
https://www.philosophybasics.com/branch_phenomenology.html