Philosophy – Preliminaries a.

Ancient Era – cosmocentric

b. Medieval Era – theocentric
-Came from two Greek words, Philo “to love”,
c. Modern Era – focus is man
and Sophia “wisdom”, hence “love of wisdom”
d. Contemporary Era – mind of man
-Goal of Philosophy is wisdom
-Emptying – a person recognizes that he lacks in
-Defined as science that by natural light of something for him to accept more knowledge,
reason studies the first cause or highest simply means humility and simplicity
principles of things
-Famous Philosophers in Ancient Era :
a. Science – it is systematic and follows a certain a. Thales of Miletus – Father of Western
procedure Philosophy. Universe/world is made up of water
b. Natural Light of Reason – purely based on b. Anaximander – Student and contemporary of
man’s natural capacity of thinking and unaided Thales, world comes from the original stuff, the
reason Apeiron, the intermediate boundless.
c. Study of all Things – covers a wide range of Everything is finite, but there is only one source
subject matter, both seen and unseen that is infinite
d. First Cause or Highest Principle c. Anaximenes – Air is the primary substance
from which all things have originated.
I. Principle of Identity – Whatever is is, Loosening (hot) and tightening (cold) of the air
whatever is not is makes all things
II. Principle of Non-Contradiction – it is d. Pythagoras of Samos – Everything must have
impossible for a thing to be and not to be at the come from numbers.
same time, and at the same respect e. Heraclitus of Ephesus – Everything is in a
III. Principle of Excluded Middle – A constant flux, in constant motion or change.
thing is either is or is not. Nothing should stand f. Parmenides of Elea – He did not agree with
in the middle Heraclitus-sensei and told change is an illusion.
IV. Principle of Sufficient Reason – Proposed that fire is the origin of all things
Nothing exists without a sufficient reason for its because everything that passes through fire
being and existence changes
-In the idea of Act and Potency, every being is g. Empedocles – Change and motion are made
considered as a changing being, thus, a being possible because objects are composed of many
which is an actual being always have a particles, which in are themselves changeless.
potentiality of becoming something Four changeless elements are air, earth, fire,
and water.
-The existence of a being is based on its h. Leucippus – Founder of atomist school,
presence where Democritus of Abdera elaborated his
-Why and How people are philosophizing are: philosophy. Stated that everything is made up
a. Wonder of atoms moving in empty space
b. Doubt -Greek Triumvirate are Socrates, Plato, and
c. Limit-Situation Aristotle. Socrates is the teacher of Plato, and
d. Metaphysical Uneasiness Plato is the teacher of Aristotle.
-Different Philosophical Eras: -Major Branches of Philosophy:
a. Metaphysics – to drive to know what’s real -An Elan or spirit permeates the Filipino as
b. Ethics – explores the nature of moral values Filipino, and without which, he feels certain
and evaluates human actions dissatisfaction
c. Epistemology – deals with the nature,
-Abundance came from Latin word “abundare”
sources, limitations, and validity of knowledge.
There are two types of knowledge: -Abundance is becoming a person to others
I. A posteriori – from experience – Empiricism
II. A priori – Pure Reason – Rationalism -Philosophizing helps us understand things
deeper
d. Logic – art of correct thinking
-Phenomenology is the scientific study of the
e. Aesthetics – Science of beautiful in its various essential features of the consciousness
manifestations. Hans Georg Gadamer argues -Pioneered by Edmund Husserl with his
that our tastes and judgments regarding beauty book “Logical Investigations”. Inspired by
works in connection with one’s own personal philosophy of Immanuel Kant.
experience and culture -Husserl is a mathematician that’s why
he used some mathematical terms in
-Difference between Western and Eastern
phenomenologizing
philosophical thoughts:
-States that consciousness is intentional
a. Western thoughts -According to Husserl, there are steps
I. Linear manner – everything has a for us to understand our consciousness:
beginning and end a. Epoche – bracketing – our suspension of
II. Philosophy is about reason judgments. All ideas about the consciousness
III. Truth is their goal on a certain topic should be accepted without
IV. The known and knower are two any bias
different entities b. Eidetic Reduction – from the word “eidos”
b. Eastern thoughts which means essence. This is the process where
I. Circular manner – everything ends but one trims down the gathered ideas to the most
enters again into the circulation essential features of the consciousness.
II. Philosophy is religion and religion is c. Transcendental Reduction – consciousness of
philosophy things beyond your former understanding.
III. Philosophy in action is their goal Result of the series of reductions that you’ve
IV. The known and knower are one done.
entity
-Existentialism was introduced due to the
-Some of the Filipino Philosophies: society’s questions on one’s existence and role.
a. The idea of the Loob It simply states that a person is the one in-
b. The Filipino Philosophy of Time – the wheel charge of shaping his own destiny.
of fortune -Existentialists argue that one’s search
c. Bahala na – Our dependence of God, from the for the truth might be based on one’s attitude
word “bahala na” or outlook in life.
d. Bayanihan – Our idea of helping one another -Soren Kierkegaard, one of the leading
at all times existentialists, said that there should be a
unique identity in every person, public “herd”
identity vs. authentic self
-It was supported by Nietzsche and
Heidegger. Later on, Jean Paul Satre said that to
have an authentic life, one must have a “good
faith”

-Existence for some philosophers is

equivalent to responsibility

-Postmodernism is a movement, and not

considered a philosophy. They proposed that
man should come at truth beyond the rational
to the non-rational elements of human nature
and spiritual

-Analytic Tradition helps people solve the

problems and puzzles of the society

-The philosophers of the Analytic

tradition are called “critics”

-Analysis is a method

-Diversity makes each person unique

-For Socrates, to be happy is to live a virtuous

life

-William Edward Burghart Du Bois raised “The

Problem of the Negro” and he used Hegel’s
dialectic. In this dialectic, it should be composed
of Thesis – Anti-thesis – Synthesis

-Mary Wollstonecraft promoted gender equality

and looked at woman more than just a woman
in her work “The Vindication of the Rights of
Women”

-Allan Turing is widely considered as the Father

of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence
(AI)