AN INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY AND ITS EXTENT IN HUMAN LIFE

To fully understand the subject on ethics and how it stems out from its
origins, one has to fully appreciate its roots in philosophy. Philosophy has been
given various definitions, most of which are related to the meaning of life, and
perspectives on reality. From Richard Brown’s discussion on the topic,
however, I have learned that another way of understanding it is through
dissecting what the word means and what its historical importance on the world
is.
With history, people have conjured up a way to measure an event in relation
to year one or Christ’s birth. B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini; Latin
for “Year of our Lord”) were primarily used to place events in relation to year
one. However, people who did not believe or who were not entirely sure of the
actual birth of Christ have preferably used C.E. (Common Era) and B.C.E.
(Before Common Era) to measure a date that took place after and before the
presumed year one.
It is important to be knowledgeable on the placement of dates and events
set by man to appreciate the construction of human history based on little
pieces of evidence found today and be able to see the development of human
ability and thinking. In the timeline set below, one can observe the progression
of events that prove critical in the development of philosophy.

7000-10,000 1000 BCE 570 BCE

YEARS IN THE -Moses and the -Pythagoras coined the
PAST events of the Ten term, “Philosophy” from
-Farming is commandments Greek words, Phila
invented. took place. Sophia, which means
“Love of Wisdom”.

PRE-PHILOSOPHICAL WAY OF THINKING

3500-3300 BCE 600 BCE

-Civilization is established. Large -Origins of Philosophy in
cities compromised 1-2 thousand Ancient Greece started
people. with Thales of Miletus.
-Writing was invented around the
world. Systems of writing were the
earliest kinds of evidence of what
people
]] thought at the time and how
they viewed themselves in the
grander scheme.
-Epic of Gilgamesh and Code of
Hammurabi revealed pre-
philosophical way of thinking.
Pre-philosophical way of thinking was the only reality for humans before
philosophy was discovered. This way of thinking perpetuates the thought that
humans are not capable of knowing how the world works and that we rely on
divine revelation. The Code of Hammurabi, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and The Ten
Commandments all strengthened this way of thinking. Tables turned in 600
BCE, however, when philosophy originated in Miletus, spearheaded by Thales
and his use of reason and arguments. Philosophy focused not on the questions
itself, but by the method it employs in answering those questions. Philosophical
method utilizes reason, argument and observations as the sources of
knowledge about the world. Where religion says we can’t find answers without
divinities, philosophy counters that we can, in fact, find answers on our own.

With the development of human thinking in philosophy, the following four

branches rest on the foundation of philosophy.

● Metaphysics: Study of ultimate nature of reality

-questions about whether there are fundamental parts out of which
everything else is made
-nature of causation
-are actions free or determined
-Ontology (meaning of our existence)

● Epistemology: The study of knowledge

-What truth is
-what is knowledge
-is it possible to really know anything

● Ethics: the study of right/ wrong and good/bad. Right actions, good
persons. What we should do and not do.
-nature of value
-aesthetics and political philosophy
-morality of actions
-what life one should lead

● Logic: The study of good/bad reasoning/ arguments