GRADE LEVEL: SHS 12 WEEK: 2

SUBJECT: Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person LESSON: 1

TOPIC: DOING PHILOSOPHY
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OBJECTIVES:  He believed that water, through some natural
1. Distinguish a holistic perspective from a partial process, gave rise to everything else in the
point of view world.
2. Recognize human activities that emanated from Axial Age
deliberate reflection  In the sixth century BCE, an originality and
3. Realize the value of doing philosophy in fertility of thought and philosophy occurred all
obtaining a broad perspective on life over the world and at almost the same time. In
LESSON PROPER: Ionia, you had the Greek philosophers Thales
LESSON 1: WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY? and Anaximander. In Israel, you had the Hebrew
" Philos – “Love”, Sophia –”Wisdom” prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. In china,
 Philosophy is the knowledge of all things there was Confucius and Lao Tzu, the founder of
through their ultimate causes, acquired through Taoism. In India, there was the Buddha, the
the use of reason. founder of Buddhism as well as Mahavira, the
 Philosophy is a way of thinking about certain founder of Jainism. In Persia, there was
subjects such as ethics, thought, existence, Zoroaster.
time, meaning and value. That 'way of thinking' Anaximander
involves 4 Rs: responsiveness, reflection, reason  c. 611 -547 BCE
and re-evaluation. The aim is to deepen  Sixth century Ionian
understanding. The hope is that by doing  Rejected Thales’ view that water was the
philosophy we learn to think better, to act more original and basic substance.
wisely, and thereby help to improve the quality  Instead he suggested an indefinite substance,
of all our lives. which he simply called Boundless, the source of
The Meaning of Philosophy and Philosophy of the all things.
Human Person  The boundless, he believed, was the
 Philosophy applied to human experience or Anaximenes
everyday life denotes the use of philosophy as  Sixth century BCE Ionian philosopher.
an intellectual activity. Also known as  Basic primary substance was air.
philosophy in life, this concept is important  Rejected the commonly beliefs that rainbows
because it serves as the guiding principle on were the goddess Iris.
how one ought to live life.  He insisted that rainbows were caused by the
Meaning and Process of Doing Philosophy rays of the sun
 In the process of doing philosophy, it is critical Pythagoras
to have a holistic point of view—the perception  c. 580 – 507 BCE lived in
of looking at all aspects of a situation first Southern Italy
before making a conclusion. Some other skills  He believed and taught
involved in doing philosophy are critical, logical, that the underlying reality
and analytical thinking, observation, and of nature was not in any
communicative skills. basic or particular
Greek Philosophers and their Contributions: substance.
HOMER  Basic nature of things was
 Greek Poet who lived in the 8 century BCE in mathematical
(Before Common Era) about 2800 years ago. relationships which emphasized FORM.
 Homer reveals through his poem that ideas and  “Music of the Spheres” Unlike Ionians which
actions have consequences for human beings. emphasized MATTER and SENSE EXPERIENCE,
 A person of excellence, according to Homer, is Pythagoreans focuses on MATHEMATICAL
one who realizes the total human potential, LOGIC
who is both a speaker of words and doer of Parmenides
deeds.  c. 515-450 BCE from Greek city
 His two great poems, the Iliad and Odyssey of Elea in Southern Italy
which showed the deepest longings, fear,  Applied Logic of Mathematics
thoughts, feelings, hopes and conflict of human. in his philosophical thinking
THALES  Believed in “cosmos” which are external,
 c.624 – 546 BCE from Miletus, a city in Ionia. eternal, unchanging and material universe
 Ionian philosophy began with him  Ultimate reality known through reason alone,
 6th century philosopher belongs to what Karl which started the Western Metaphysics
Jaspers calls the “Axial Age”  Everything in the universe is CONSTANT
 He concerned himself mainly with nature, not  Everything is in a state of being
human nature especially the basic element of
nature was WATER. Heraclitus
  c. 544-483 BCE was a pre-Socratic Philosopher
 He was a contemporary of Parmenides
 Everything in the universe as fire, which as a
basic material in the world and the
fundamentals cause of all the change and
motion in the world
 Everything in the universe is always in change
 Everything is in a state of becoming
 Everything is in a state of FLUX-State of flux is
establishment of a new direction of actions- 2. _____________________
Democritus _______________________
 460-370 BCE from Greece _______________________
 Concerned with the world of matter which _______________________
made of atom that were eternal, indivisible and _______________________
invisible to the human eye
 Believed knowledge derived through the sense ASSESSMENT:
Socrates RECALL: Answer the following questions.
Write your answer in 1 whole sheet of pad paper.
 c. 469-399 BCE lived in Athens, Greece
 Great philosopher in the history of Philosophy
1. Who are Parmenides, Pythagoras and Plato?
 Focuses at human nature and human person 2. What is just state according to Plato?
 He asked questions like: What is the meaning of 3. How did Aristotle differ from Plato?
life? What is the purpose of life? How should 4. What was Plato’s theory on coming up with a
we regulate our behavior? What values should just state? On coming up with the best leader
govern our lives? 5. What are the two great poems of Homer?
 Believed that individuals should regulate their
lives based on rational reflection ASSIGNMENT: SKETCH A PHILOSOPHER
 True education meant values that are shaped INSTRUCTION: In a long size bond paper,
through the critical use of reason draw/illustrate 1 philosopher that you think contribute
 His goal was the perfect human existence: the a lot in the world of Philosophy. Justify/ explain why
man of excellence (Dialectics)-Dialectics is a you chose that Philosopher. Put your explanation under
method of inquiry through dialogue- your illustration/drawing. (30 pts.)
Plato
 c. 429 – 347 BCE a wealthy man transformed
REFERENCES:
when he encountered Socrates.
 For him “Philosophy was a passionate way of  Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human
life” Person book. (Sunil H. Stephens)
 Plato’s Philosophy is “Theory of Ideas”  Internet (PDF Files)
 True wisdom is gained through the knowledge
of Ideas, not perceived through senses.
Materials:
ACTIVITY 1:
INSTRUCTION: What can you say about the pictures  Notebook
below? Have you been in this kind of situation? What  Ball pen
are the things that you considered in making choices?
 Pencil
Write your answer in the space provided.
 Bond Paper

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