INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

Definition of Terms and Historical Development

 Review

WHY STUDY PHILOSOPHY?

Explain
Explore/ask questions

Provide answers Food for thought

TRUTH
 Origin

Ancient
philosopher’s
questions
CURIOSITY What is the ultimate material of
sense of wonder in the
world the universe?

How can we explain the process of

change in things?
 A meeting place to
discuss/discourse
Deployment of reason for naturalistic
explanations of observable
phenomena

Center for commerce and trade

Slaver’s bay

Seaport town of Miletus

Birthplace of philosophy
 Origin
“Water is the ultimate material of the universe.”

EARTH

Thales of Miletus
(625-545 BC)

Father of Philosophy
 Anti-thesis to Thales

EARTH

Anaximander Anaximenes
(611-547 BC) (550-475 BC)

The Boundless Air

(primordial element)
 Anti-thesis to Thales

“Fire is the primordial element; everything in

the world is in a constant state of flux.”

Logos (universal/cosmic law)

Heraclitus
(535-480 BC)
 Empedocles
(5th c. BC)

Synthesized the 4 elements

“Earth, water, air, and fire mingle together to form objects.”

 Origin and definition
“The structure of the world must be understood
through numbers.”
The first to use the term

philein + sophia
to love wisdom
LOVE OF WISDOM Pythagoras
(circa 580-500 BC)
 Origin and definition
“Is a human, and therefore social activity
which consists in a human person, a
perennial and a disinterested search
for the intelligible structure of the
totality of being.”
 Origin and definition
PHILOSOPHY AS A HUMAN ACTIVITY

Incapable of
rationalizing

Not a divine activity

Only creature given

the gift of wisdom
 Origin and definition
PHILOSOPHY AS A SOCIAL ACTIVITY

A human person is a social being

A human person is concerned about

the existence of others
 Origin and definition
PHILOSOPHY AS PERENNIAL

A never-ending search for truth

Always asking about the meaning of

life
 Origin and definition
PHILOSOPHY AS A DISINTERESTED SEARCH

Less attractive/thrilling
Anything and everything under the
sun
Unaffected by self-interest
 Origin and definition
PHILOSOPHY AS INTELLIGIBLE STRUCTURES

An activity of the mind MIND

The human person uses HEART

reason to attain his/her
APPETITE
objects and goals
 Origin and definition
PHILOSOPHY AS THE TOTALITY OF BEING

Man gives meaning to the world

 WHY DO WE STUDY PHILOSOPHY?
WE LOOK FOR MEANING

- origin and nature of the world

- explanation of one’s knowledge
and belief
- meaning of life

The meaning of life is happiness

How to attain happiness?

 Branches of Philosophy

Metaphysics Being and knowing (reality)

Ethics Morality of the human act
Logic Correct reasoning
Aesthetics Beauty and harmony
Epistemology Validity of human knowledge
Social Philo Philosophical study of the society
Political Philo State and political institution