DOING PHILOSOPHY

Doing Philosophy

 OBJECTIVES:
 Discuss philosophy and its importance as a
discipline and a means for understanding life;
 Appreciate the value of philosophy in daily life;
 become philosophical in dealing with life
situations.
 A criminal is sentenced into death. He has to
choose between three rooms. The first room is full
of furious flame. The second is full of murderers
with loaded guns. And there are lions in the third
room who had not been fed for many years.
Which room is the safest?
 Read and analyze the following conversation between a high
school teacher and her student in class. Teacher:
Teacher: Juan, what would you like to be when you
grow up?
Juan: Ma’am, I want to be happy!
Teacher: Juan, you did not understand my question.
Juan: Ma’am, you do not understand what life is all
about.
 Doing Philosophy
Processing Questions:
 1. Do you think that Juan’s answer was appropriate for
his teacher’s question?
 2. What do you think was Juan’s interpretation of his
teacher’s question?
 3. Based on his responses, what kind of student do you
imagine Juan to be?
 4. If you were Juan’s teacher, how would you respond
to him?
 5. How is philosophy related to this situation?
 Doing Philosophy

1.What is philosophy?
2. Why is there a need to
philosophize?
3. How to do Philosophy?
 Doing Philosophy
 Philosophy comes from the two Greek words:
philos (love) and sophia (wisdom) which were
used by ancient Greeks to refer to “love of
wisdom” and soon applied it to the study or
discipline that uses human reason to investigate
the ultimate, causes, reasons, and principles
which govern all things. Philosophers are
people who engage in philosophy or Lovers of
wisdom.
 Doing Philosophy
 Pythagoras was the
first one to
introduce the term
,” simply wanted to
call himself a lover
of wisdom, that is , a
philosopher.”
 But why should we value wisdom?

 “ Pythagoras thought that no man

could possess wisdom, which is most
comprehensive and profound
knowledge of things. Wisdom was
the priveleged possession only of
God. Therefore, he said that no man
could justly call himself wise.”
 Knowledge is  Wisdom is
knowing that a knowing not to
tomato is a fruit. put a tomato in a
 Knowledge is fruit salad.
knowing.  Wisdom is the
 It is obtained. capacity judge.
 It is developed.
 Never mistake knowledge for
wisdom, one helps you to
make a living, the other helps
you make a life.
-Sandra Carey
 We all have the potential to philosophize since
we have the tendency to wonder and doubt. We
possess the capacity to reflect on our
experiences, and we have a never- ending need
to learn and discover. The need to philosophize is
traced to a person’s sense of wonder (Plato) and
doubt (Rene Descartes), the need to make sense
of challenging experiences (Karl Jaspers), and
the love for wisdom.
 WONDER  DOUBT
 Being puzzled and  Feeling of
therefore wanting uncertainty
to be unpuzzled.
 Doing Philosophy
 The study of philosophy can be considered as a way
of analyzing ideas and frameworks. It is also
considered as a way of examining a particular area
of knowledge. Philosophy itself is a discipline with
its own goals, concerns, and ways of doing things.
It also makes use of information gathered from
other fields of knowledge and not just its own
conclusions. Finally, philosophy can be considered a
reflective and meditative activity.
 Doing Philosophy
Practical Uses of Philosophy in Our Lives:
 1. Philosophy enables a person to engage in critical
analysis and interpretation of concepts, definitions,
arguments, and problems.
 2. Philosophy also improves problem-solving and
decision making.
 3. A philosopher is a good communicator who can
clearly and adequately present his or her ideas.
 4. Wisdom is one intended product of philosophizing
that refers to a person’s ability to apply knowledge to
daily life particularly in making sound choices and
judgment.
 While a definition of philosophy may
be very helpful, it is more prudent
to begin from the act of
philosophizing BECAUSE THE
POINT IS NOT JUST TO KNOW
WHAT PHILOSOPHY IS BUT
TO DO PHILOSOPHY ON
YOUR OWN.
 Because, the reality of human life confronts every
person. But the human being is sometimes
confined to his routine, hence he loses track of
what truly matters in life.
 The truth that humans are looking for is the truth
about what it means to be human and how, as
human beings, we might be able to act more
freely.
 LIFE IS A GREAT
MYSTERY THAT WE NEED
TO UNRAVEL.
Activity test!

 Describe (through poster, slogan,

essay, song, poem, drawing, etc.) a
situation in your life when you
were able to engage in
philosophy. What circumstances
or dilemma brought about your
need to philosophize?
 What is an Insight?
 In a rebus puzzle, you need to
guess a phrase by reviewing a
group of pictures and words.
For example:
you just me - Just between you and
me
 What is an INSIGHT?

 If we examine our daily experiences, we can observe

that some things are superficial. Some people spend
most of their time doing things that do not really mean
anything substantial. The reason for this is that we are
so consumed by a world of mere
appearances.
 The PHILOSOPHICAL ACT
does not merely analyze the meaning
of words, but it is grounded in
EXPERIENCE.
 It is only in the realm of lived
experiences in which we may enter
into a dialogue with our inner selves.
MEANING, is anchored in our day to
day existence.
 According to Father
Ferriols, Insight -is an
understanding, it is seeing into
something more than what
meets the eye. It is a kind of
seeing with the mind. It is to
realize the meaning of
something.
 An insight is something that
emerges when we are thrown
into a situation and the process of
arriving at an insight is called
ABSTRACTION.
 Abstraction is one of the tools often used in the
analysis of the insights. An abstract thought is called
a concept and analysis by abstraction is called
conceptual analysis

 EXAMPLE :
A child in a car going somewhere with his parents ,
He asked.
 -Why do birds fly?

 -Where is heaven?

 -Why the moon is round?

 What am I  The History of
philosophy shows
trying to say is that human person
that one “sees” has seen and
into something noticed things
more than around him,
what meets the thought and
pondered on these
eye. and acted on their
reflections.
Kinds of Insights:

 a. Conceptual Idea
 b. Perceptual kind

 c. Intuition

*Reasons
*Experience
*Memory