Module 1: Introduction

Content:
Learning outcome:
a) to appreciate ethics as
A. philosophy
branch of philosophy,
B. Whatitsismeaning
determine philosophy?
and
identify its division, and
C. Branches of philosophy b)
to articulate the importance
D. uses
and Approaches
of philosophyorindivisions of philosophy
E. Importance
actual life. and uses of philosophy

•
A. Philosophy

Ethics, as one of the major branches of Philosophy, is sometimes referred to as Moral

Philosophy. It should be noted that Philosophy, in general, considers reflection as an
indispensable method of philosophizing. Without undergoing reflection, any philosophical
endeavor would be considered as lame and blind. In Ethics, as an important part of Philosophy,
we are invited and challenged to reflect on how we ought to make our existence meaningful
guided by various ethical theories and principles.

Ethics, then, as Philosophy, can deepen our reflection on the ultimate questions about
life: its main purpose, its proper importance, its real value, and its right direction. When we
engage in Philosophy, we learn proper and important intellectual skills. We develop how to think
rigorously about fundamental questions; understand and evaluate conflicting views; express
ideas clearly and consistently; and reason out in the proper way. Ethics also offers us better
perspectives for thinking, expressing and acting especially when we are confronted with ethical
dilemmas and moral issues.

Paul Tillich, a theologian and a philosopher, emphasized that goodness without

knowledge is weak; knowledge without goodness is dangerous. Before we can build a better and
just society, we first need to build a better man. All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is
that good people do nothing. Our purpose is not to make a living but a worthy, well-rounded, and
useful life. Ethics is not just a subject; it is a life in itself as genuine philosophy is all about life.

Before we delve into a serious study on the realm of ethics, it is but proper for us to have
an overview of the mother tree, which is Philosophy, its various branches or divisions, and its
uses.
B. What is philosophy?
Etymologically, the term “Philosophy” is derived from two Greek words; namely,
‘philos’ and ‘sophos’ which means love and wisdom; respectively. Literally, philosophy means
the Love of Wisdom. That’s why ‘philosophers’ are lovers of wisdom.

Philosophy, as a course, is quite different from other academic subjects. No brief

 Module 1: Introduction

definition can express the richness and variety of philosophy. It is unique both in its methods and
in the nature and breadth of its subject matter. Philosophy delves into the questions concerning
every dimension of human affairs. Its techniques can be applied to problems in any field of study
or endeavor.

There are various desirable descriptions of Philosophy. These are as follows:

a. Philosophy is a search for meaning or a quest for understanding.

b. Philosophy is a reasoned pursuit of fundamental truths.
c. Philosophy is a study of principles of conduct.
d. Philosophy seeks to establish standards of evidence to provide rational methods of
resolving conflicts, and to create techniques for evaluating ideas and arguments.
e. Philosophy develops the capacity to see the world from the perspective of other individuals
and other cultures.
f. Philosophy enhances one's ability to perceive the relationships among the various fields of
study.
g. Philosophy deepens one's sense of the meaning and variety of human experience.

Every aspect of human experience brings out questions to which its techniques and
theories apply, and its methods may be used in the study of any subject or the pursuit of any
vocation. Indeed, Philosophy is in a sense inescapable since life confronts every thoughtful
person with some philosophical questions, and nearly everyone is guided by philosophical
assumptions.

To a large extent one can choose how reflective one will be in clarifying and developing
one's philosophical assumptions, and how well prepared one is for the philosophical questions
life presents. Philosophical training enhances our problem-solving capacities, our abilities to
understand and express ideas, and our persuasive powers. It also develops understanding and
enjoyment of things whose absence impoverishes many lives such things as aesthetic experience,
communication with many different kinds of people, lively discussion of current issues, the
discerning observation of human behavior, and intellectual zest. In these and other ways, the
study of philosophy contributes immeasurably in both academic and other endeavors in life.
Philosophy, as a systematic study of ideas and issues, examines concepts and views
drawn from science, art, religion, politics, or any other endeavor. Philosophical appraisal of ideas
and issues takes many forms, but philosophical studies often focus on the meaning of an idea and
on its basis, coherence, and relations to other ideas.

Philosophy, in general, guarantees wisdom, leadership, and an excellent guide for our
genuine existence. Philosophy will never become obsolete as long as there is life.

C. Branches of philosophy
Knowing the various branches will help us have a good overview of what Philosophy, as
a course and a way of life, is all about.

Logic is the science and art of correct thinking. It is concerned with providing sound methods for
distinguishing good from bad reasoning. It helps us recognize that reason can be applied in every

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aspect of human affairs. Logic guides us in evaluating the arguments of others and in
constructing correct arguments for ourselves. It heightens our abilities in expressing our ideas
clearly and concisely.

Ethics takes up the meanings of our moral concepts such as right action, obligation and justice,
and formulates principles to guide our moral decisions, whether in private or public life. It also
exposes various ethical principles for us to learn and apply, if appropriate. [This branch of
philosophy will be discussed in detail and in depth for the whole semester as we go on.]

Metaphysics is the study of all beings. It helps us discover the essential, universal and the
ultimate laws of intelligibility of being as being. It seeks basic criteria for determining what sorts
of things are real. Are there mental, physical, and abstract things (such as numbers), for instance,
or are there just the physical and the spiritual, or merely matter and energy? Are persons highly
complex physical systems, or do they have properties not reducible to anything physical?

Epistemology concerns the nature and scope of knowledge. What does it mean to know (the
truth), and what is the nature of truth? What sorts of things can be known, and can we be
justified in our beliefs about what goes beyond the evidence of our senses, such as the inner lives
of others or events of the distant past? Is there knowledge beyond the reach of science? What are
the limits of self-knowledge?

History of Philosophy seeks to understand great philosophers, their influence on others, and
their importance for our contemporary time. This usually deals with the entire periods in the
development of philosophy. The history of philosophy is divided into the following:

1. Ancient Philosophy brings back in time the beginnings of Philosophy. It will start
with a brief survey of the thinking and writings of the Pre-Socratics, but will
concentrate on the works of the greatest classical philosophers, Socrates, Plato and
Aristotle. The students are introduced to these great minds via their works and their
influences throughout the history of philosophy.

2. Medieval Philosophy helps us understand the personalities and philosophy during the
Medieval period. It brings forth the thoughts and ideas of the famous saints of the
church such as St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Anselm, and others. It
attempts to reconcile philosophy and theology as well as faith and reason. It also paves
for better understanding of Modern Philosophy. The basic ideas of the great church
fathers will be tackled in our course in Ethics.

3. Modern Philosophy deals with the great philosophers of the Enlightenment period
such as the Rationalists (Rene Descartes, Baruch Spinoza, and Gottfried Leibniz) who
attempted to prove that philosophy can be as credible as mathematics and can have the
exactness of mathematical truths. These rationalists tried to come out with rational
principles that could be organized as a system of truth from which other truths could
be drawn. There are also the Empiricists (John Locke, George Berkeley, David Hume)
who, in their separate ways, challenged the continental rationalists who had launched

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modern philosophy upon an optimistic view of man's rational power. The course
stresses on Kant's philosophy that synthesizes the rationalists’ and the empiricists’
theories on knowledge.

4.Contemporary Philosophy introduces the major currents of philosophy in the

contemporary world and time (after Modern). The study includes currents such as that of
Life Philosophies: Idealism, Pragmatism, Contemporary American and European
Philosophies, Logical Positivism, Analytical Philosophy, Phenomenology, and
Existentialism. Great Philosophers like Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, Emmanuel
Levinas, Wilhelm Dilthey, Bertrand Russell, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and other
contemporary philosophers will be discussed in this philosophical realm.

Existentialism aims at the knowledge and understanding of the authentic existence of the
human person as Existenz. It intends to understand the human person in reference to his
nature as free and rational; his eagerness to find ways and means to know the truth and the
nature of things. Historical surveys, outstanding contributions, and the practical applications
of this branch of Philosophy will be shared with utmost importance.

Hermeneutics is the science of interpretation. Its main emphasis will be on the interpretation of
meaning and understanding. It delves on the main strands of contemporary hermeneutic
thought. The names of Friedrich Schleiermacher, Wilhelm Dilthey, Paul Ricoeur, Hans-
Georg Gadamer, and Jurgen Habermas will be the main figures in this course.

Process Philosophy focuses on the beginnings, developments, and justifications of the principal
thoughts of several process philosophers such as Friedrich Hegel, Teilhard de Chardin,
Alfred North Whitehead, and others. Their life, major works, and contributions to the field
and history of Philosophy will be presented in detail in this course.

Oriental Philosophy or Eastern Philosophy presents different thoughts of eastern countries

and how these developed into what is presently playing a significant role in the lives of our
Asian neighbors. Attention to Filipino Philosophy will be dealt on this field of Philosophy.

Philosophy of the Human Person delves into the philosophical method and inquiry leading to
the investigation of the meaning of being a human person. Through the selected readings, in-
depth discussions will be centered on the human being as embodiment, historical,
knowing and loving, inter-human, free and responsible, and his relationship towards death.
Philosophy of the Human Person seeks to enlighten the faculty and the students to realize
the true nature of philosophy and philosophical inquiry that will serve as guide in the quest
for the real meaning of existence. It hopes to develop a creative and continuous
philosophical evaluation of the human being that is geared towards becoming more and truly
human. It also aspires to remind the human person's responsibility to oneself, to others and
to the world.

Philosophy of Religion treats various topics and related subjects such as the relation between
faith and reason, the nature of religious language, the relation of religion and morality, and
the question of how a God who is wholly good could allow the existence of evil. It also

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presents perennial sources and origins of atheism, arguments or reasons why contemporary
human beings find it difficult to talk about God, and why are there so many religious
movements emerging during our time.

Philosophy of Science clarifies the quest for scientific knowledge and the results yielded by that
quest. It does this by exploring the logic of scientific evidence; the nature of scientific laws,
explanations, and theories; and the possible connections among the various branches of
science. It also deals with science as a mode of knowing while taking into account the role
of science in the life of the human person and his relationship to society. It presents the
historical development of the human's conception of science, the current scientific
methodology, and an understanding of science relative to human existence.

Philosophy of Language treats a broad spectrum of questions about language: the nature of
meaning, the relations between words and things, the various theories of language learning,
and the distinction between literal and figurative uses of language. Since language is crucial
in nearly all human activity, the philosophy of language can enhance our understanding both
of other academic fields and much of what we ordinarily do.

Social-Political Philosophy treats moral problems with large-scale social and political
dimensions. It deals with the justification and limits of governmental control of individuals;
the meaning of equality before the law; the basis of economic freedom; and many other
problems concerning government. It also examines the nature and possible arguments for
various competing forms of political organization, such as laissez-faire capitalism, welfare
democracy, anarchism, communism, and fascism. It also tackles the basis of compulsory
education, the possible grounds for preferential treatment of minorities, the justice of
taxation, and the appropriate limits, if any, on free expression in the arts.

Philosophy of Law explores topics such as what law is, what kinds of laws there are, how law
is or should be related to morality, and what sorts of principles should govern punishment
and criminal justice in general.

Bio-Ethics or Nursing/Medical Ethics addresses many problems arising in medical practice

and medical science. Among these are the standards applying to physician-patient
relationships; moral questions raised by special procedures, such as abortion and ceasing of
life-support for terminal patients; and ethical standards for medical research, for instance
genetic engineering and experimentation using human subjects.

Business Ethics addresses questions such as how moral obligations may conflict with the profit
motive and how these conflicts may be resolved. Other topics often pursued are the nature
and scope of the social responsibilities of corporations, their rights in a free society, and
their relations to other institutions.

Philosophy of Art or Aesthetics concerns with the nature of art, including the performing arts,
painting, sculpture, and literature. Major questions in aesthetics include how artistic
creations are to be interpreted and evaluated, and how the arts are related to one another, to
natural beauty and to morality, religion, science, and other important elements of human life.

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Philosophy of Feminism or Women’s Studies gives an overview of feminist philosophies and

discusses issues based on feminist perspectives. It places women's own experiences in the
center of the process; examines the world and the human beings who inhabit it with
questions, philosophical analyses and theories built directly on women's experiences.

Other Branches of Philosophy. There are still many other branches or sub-divisions of
philosophy, and it is in the nature of philosophy as critical inquiry to develop new subfields
when new directions in the quest for knowledge, or in any other area of human activity, raise
new intellectual problems. Among the subfields not yet mentioned, but often taught at least
as part of other courses, are Philosophy of Logic, Philosophy of History, Philosophy of
Mathematics, Philosophy of Medicine, Philosophy of Education, Philosophy of Linguistics,
Philosophy of Criticism, Philosophy of Film, and Philosophy of Culture, Philosophy of
Work, Codified ethics for any Professionals such as Ethics for Nurses, Ethics for Medical
Practitioners, Marketing Ethics, Accounting Ethics or Legal Ethics, and so on.
such as, "where do rights come from?" and "what kind of beings have rights?"

D. Importance and uses of philosophy

Much of what is contributed by philosophy can be applied in virtually any endeavor. This
is so because philosophy touches on so many subjects and, especially, because many of its
methods and ideas are functional and useful in any field.

The following are some of the importance and uses of Philosophy:

Importance and Uses of Philosophy in General

1. For acquiring persuasive powers

• Philosophy helps develop one’s ability and charisma to be more convincing of himself
and of others.

• In Philosophy, one learns to build and defend one's own views, to appreciate competing
positions, and to indicate forcefully why one considers one's own views preferable to
alternatives.

↳ These abilities and positive reinforcements can be developed not only through
reading and writing in philosophy, but also through philosophical dialogue, in
and outside the classroom, which is so much a part of a thorough-going
philosophical endeavor.

2. For better communication skills

• Philosophy helps one to express properly one's views; enhances one's ability to explain
difficult and challenging reading materials; and helps one to eliminate ambiguities and
vagueness from one's writing and speech.

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↳ Philosophy, through its methods and approaches, contributes uniquely to the

development of expressive and communicative powers.

↳ It provides some of the basic tools of self-expression, like for instance, skills in
presenting ideas through systematic and well-constructed arguments.

3. For enhancing better writing skills

• Philosophy helps one to use his philosophical reasoning and imaginations, and express
his ideas through writing. Creativity and originality are also encouraged.

↳ Philosophy teaches interpretive writing through its examination of challenging

texts, comparative writing through emphasis on fairness to alternative positions,
argumentative writing through developing students' ability to establish their
own views, and descriptive writing through detailed portrayal of concrete
examples.

4. For problem solving

• Philosophy helps one to distinguish fine differences between views and to discover
common ground between opposing positions.

• It helps one to analyze concepts, definitions, arguments and problems.

• It helps one to synthesize a variety of views or perspectives into a unified whole.

↳ Philosophy contributes to one's capacity to organize ideas and issues, to deal with
questions of value, and to extract what is essential from the acquired and shared
information.

Importance and uses of philosophy in educational pursuits

The importance and uses of philosophy in general just discussed above are obviously of
great academic value. The study of philosophy has both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards as an
unlimited quest for knowledge and wisdom. It is very much beneficial in the pursuit of
education.

1. For better understanding of other academic disciplines

• Philosophy is helpful and useful in assessing the various standards of evidence used by
other academic disciplines.

↳ Philosophy comes into the picture since many important questions about a
discipline, such as the nature of its concepts and its relation to other disciplines,
do not belong to that discipline, and are not usually pursued in it.

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↳ Examples:

a. Philosophy of Science is needed to supplement the understanding of the natural

and social sciences which one derives from scientific work itself.
b. Philosophy of the Human Person can augment our understanding of the various
psychology subjects especially in understanding the individual.
c. Logic and Ethics are indispensable since all fields of knowledge and
professions employ and necessitate sound reasoning and ethical standards.

2. For enhancing and developing sound methods of research and analysis

• Philosophy emphasizes clear formulation of ideas and problems, selection of relevant

data, and objective methods for assessing ideas and proposals.

• It contributes to one's capacity to frame hypotheses, do research, and put problems into
manageable form.

↳ A person with philosophical training can readily learn from the mistakes and
successes of others. It is the practice of philosophers to regularly build on both the
successes and failures of their predecessors.

3. For those undergraduates who wants to pursue post- graduate studies

• Philosophy, as a course, is a good preparation for post-graduate degrees such as Law,

Medicine, Master in Business Administration, Master in Public Administration,
Master in Educational Management, and other master’s program.

The importance and uses of philosophy in non-academic careers

1. For personal development

• Philosophy helps one to gain better self-knowledge, better foresight, and a better sense
of direction in life.

↳ Philosophy broadens the range of things one can understand and enjoy.

↳ It can provide, to one's readings and conversations, special pleasures of

insight.

↳ It can lead to self-discovery, expansion of consciousness, and self-renewal for

one’s development.

↳ Through its contribution to one's expressive powers, it nurtures individuality

and self-esteem.

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↳ It provides positive attitude of looking at life as a “dwelling” into one’s

culture, family history, heritage and tradition.

2. For professional advancement and promotion

• People trained in philosophy are not only prepared to do many kinds of tasks; they can
also easily cope with change, or even move into new careers, more readily than others.

↳ Recent studies show that employers want and reward many of the capacities
which the study of philosophy develops. The ability to solve problems, to
communicate clearly, to organize ideas and issues, to assess pros and cons,
and to boil down complex data to simple ones are the examples of such
capacities.

↳ A recent long-term study by the Bell Telephone Company, determined that

majors in liberal arts fields, in which philosophy is a central discipline,
"continue to make a strong showing in managerial skills and have experienced
considerable business success" (Career Patterns, by Robert E. Beck).

“Remember that everyone can philosophize in any way and many ways
if we think deeply about the reality of life.” FMBS

References:
Audi, Robert. (2000). Philosophy: A Brief Guide to Undergraduates. The American Philosophical Association.

Compilation of Philosophy Syllabi (1997-2002). Department of Philosophy, Saint Louis University, Baguio
City, Philippines.

Gensler, Harry J. (1998) Ethics: A Contemporary Introduction. New York: Routledge.

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