WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

A S S O C P RO F D R A L I N A A B D R A H I M FA C U LT Y S C I E N C E A N D T E C H N O L O G Y U N I V E R S I T I S A I N S I S L A M M A L AY S I A

1.1 INTRODUCTION 1.2 THE FIELDS OF PHILOSOPHY

1.3 THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY 1.4 THE USES OF PHILOSOPHY

1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.

DEFI N I TI ON S OF PH I L OSOPH Y : - L OVE OF WI SDOM - SEEK TO UN DERSTA N D

FUN DA MEN TA L TRUTH S A BOUT TH EM SEL VES, W ORL D TH EY L I VE A N D I TS REL A TI ON . 2. PH I L OSOPH Y EN GA GED I N A SKI N G, A N SW ERI N G A N D A RGUI N G.

1.1 INTRODUCTION
3. OBJ ECTI V ES OF PH I L OSOPH Y : - RA TI ON A L J USTI FI CA TI O N - H UM A N VA L UES - CRI TERI A FOR ESTA BL I SH I N G OF KN OW L EDGE - I N TERPR ETA TI O N OF N A TURE OF REA L I TY

1.2 THE FIELDS OF PHILOSOPHY

1. Philosophy pursues questions in every dimension of human life and its techniques apply to problems
2. Fundamental truths, a quest for understanding and a study of principles of conduct

1. It seeks to:
- To establish standard of evidence - To provide rational methods of resolving conflicts - To create techniques for evaluating ideas and arguments

1. Philosophy examine concepts and view drawn from science, art, religion, politics and etc.

2.Philosophical studies focus on meaning of an idea, coherence relations to other ideas. 3. Example: Democracy Human knowledge

the and

1.2.1 Traditional Subfields of Philosophy

1. Philosophy is divided into major areas of study

2. The broadest subfields are most commonly taken to be: A - logic C - metaphysics B - ethics D - epistemology

A. Logic 1. Logic is methods for distinguishing good from bad reasoning

2. It helps us: - to find arguments - to discover assumption - to formulate the claims

B. Ethic
1. Concerns what we ought to do and what it would be best to do. 2. Takes up the meanings of our moral concepts such as: - right action - obligation - justice and formulate principles

3. The ethicist attempts to answer such questions as: What is good? What makes actions or people good?

What is right? What makes actions right?

Is morality objective or subjective

Subfields of Ethics
1. Political philosophy Justification and limits Economy freedom Other problems concerning government Examines the nature of political organizations - laissez-faire, democracy and etc.

2. Social Philosophy
In combination with political philosophy

Treat social problems with large-scale social dimensions.

3. Philosophy of Law Explore topics of what is law, what kinds of laws, how law is and etc.

4. Medical Ethics
Addresses many problems arising in medical

practice and medical science

5. Business Ethics Addresses such questions as how moral obligations may conflict with the profit motive and how these conflicts may be resolved

C. Metaphysics

1. Metaphysics is the study of the nature of reality. 2. Seeks basic criteria for determining what sorts of things are real. 3. Wrestle with such questions as: What is truth? Is the world strictly composed of matter?

D. Epistemology

1. Epistemology is the study of knowledge 2. Concerns the nature and scope of knowledge 3. Typical questions of concern in epistemology are: - What is knowledge? - Do we know anything at all?

1.2.2 Special Fields of Philosophy

A. Philosophy of Mind
1. Metaphysical concerns with the mind and mental phenomena 2. Addresses the relations of the mental to the physical and essential mental elements (belief, desire, emotion and others)

3. Example of questions in the philosophy of mind are: What differentiates actions? What is required for our actions to be free?

B. Philosophy of Science

1. The largest subfield generated by epistemology 2. Usually divided to philosophy of natural sciences social sciences 3. It has been divided further into philosophy of physics, biology, psychology and etc 4. Clarifies both the quest and results

5. Exploring the logic of scientific evidence, nature of scientific laws, explanations, theories and the connections among the various branches of science

C. Philosophy of Art (Aesthetics)

1. It concerns the nature of art. 2. Major questions in aesthetics include: - How artistic creations are to be interpreted and evaluated? - How the arts are related to one another?

D. Philosophy of Language

1. Close ties to both epistemology and metaphysics. 2. It treats a broad spectrum of language: The nature of meaning Relations between words and things Various theories of language learning

1.3 THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY

1. The study of philosophy involves forming answers to such questions 2. Seeking to understand the way in which people to answer 3. Significant part of philosophy is its history 4. Explores the ideas such as Aristotle, Plato and etc.

5. Provides insight into other subfields of philosophy 6. Arguments and answers often motivates the study of philosophy 7. Philosophical questions arise in almost every discipline.

1.4 THE USES OF PHILOSOPHY

1. General Problem Solving It helps to analyze concepts, definitions, arguments and problems To organize ideas and issues To distinguish differences between views To synthesize a variety of views or perspectives

2. Communication Skills

Development of expressive powers

and communicative

Provides basic tools of self-expression To express what is distinctive of ones view, enhances ability to explain difficult material and helps to eliminate ambiguities.

3. Persuasive Powers

To develop the ability to be convincing

To build and defend ones own views To appreciate competing positions To indicate forcefully why one considers ones own

views preferable to alternatives

4. Writing Skills

Philosophy teaches interpretive writing To develop ability to establish ideas To use imagination and develop own ideas

5. The uses in Philosophy in Educational Pursuit

A. Understanding other discipline

Philosophy is indispensable for this Philosophy is essential in assessing the various standards of evidence by other disciplines

All fields of knowledge employ reasoning and must set standards of evidence, logic and epistemology

5. The uses in Philosophy in Educational Pursuit B. Development of Methods of Research and Analysis To contribute to ones capacity to frame hypotheses, do research and put problems into manageable form

Emphasizes clear formulation of ideas and problems, selection of relevant data and methods for assessing ideas
To develop the new directions suggested by the hypotheses and questions

6. The Uses of Philosophy in Non-Academic Careers

To analyze a problem carefully The ability to communicate ideas in a logically compelling form

The ability to handle many kinds of problems Immediate benefits for students planning Long-range value goes far beyond its contribution to ones livelihood

1.5 CONCLUSIONS
1. Philosophy is the systematic study of ideas and issues, a reasonable pursuit of fundamental truths, a quest
of

for
the

a
world,

comprehensive
a study of

understanding

principles of conduct

2. Philosophy training enhances our problem solving capacities, abilities to understand and express ideas

and persuasive powers 3. Develop understanding and enjoyment of things 4. Philosophy has traditionally pursed ideas

systematically such as wisdom, leadership, and the

capacity to resolve human conflicts.

RECAPITULATION
1. DEFINE WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
2. WHAT ARE THE TRADITIONAL SUBFIELDS

OF PHILOSOPHY?
3. BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE MAJOR

SUBFIELDS OF ETHICS.
4. BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE USES OF

PHILOSOPHY IN PROBLEM SOLVING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS