WHAT IS

PHILOSOPHY?
Learning objectives
 Know the definition of Philosophy
 Understand the material and formal object
of philosophy
 Appreciate the importance of philosophy
 Differentiate theoretical and empirical
philosophy
 Compare philosophy with other sciences
and theology
WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
 Etymological definition
 Real definition.
 Etymological definition of
philosophy.

 The word philosophy comes from the two

greek words philo and Sophia, which mean

“love of wisdom”.

 Thus ethymologically philosophy is love of

wisdom and its student is a lover of wisdom.

 REAL DEFIFITION
 The real definition in latin were “scientia
rerum per causas primas sub lumine
rationis naturalis.” In English when
translated it means, the science of being
in their ultimate reasons, causes, and
principles acquired by the aid of human
reason alone”.
 Philosophy is a science
 It is not based on mere opinion or theories or
hypotheses, but is certain knowledge derived
from reasoned demonstration of causes and
reduced to a system.
 Philosophy is a science of all
things.
 It is the science of beings; meaning of all

things which can be reached by the human

mind. This includes man, the world , God;

everything that is, or becomes or is known.

Searches for the
ultimate reasons,
causes and principles
of all things.
 Reason
It is that by which a thing
is known and can be
understood
 CAUSES

a cause is that which

contribute in any positive
manner toward the
production of a thing
Principle

a principle is that
from which
something proceeds
 The other sciences give the proximate

causes of things, while philosophy

searches for the ultimate reasons and

causes and principles. Philosophy studies

the ultimate whys’ and wherefore of all

things.
Philosophy is the knowledge
acquired by the aid of human
reason alone.
This means that philosophy
does not base its knowledge
on authority, but solely on
the reasoning power of the
human mind.
 Divine revelation, therefore is formally

excluded as a source of information in

philosophy, although it can and should assist

the mind of man by pointing out the proper

direction for philosophic solution of a

problem along purely naturalness.

Object of philosophy

Materialobject
Formal object
Material object
The material object is the
subject matter of a science,
the field in which the
science works (Glenn, 1957)
 For instance, in
cosmology the materials
object encompasses the
whole universe, from the
largest galaxies to the
subatomic particles.
Material object of philosophy

The material
object of
philosophy is all
things.
Formal object
 The second is the formal object refers to
the particular aspect under which the
material object is studied.
 It is the special aim, end-in-view or point
of focus of a science as it deals of the
subject matter (Glenn, 1957)
FORMAL OBJECT
 FOR in cosmology the
EXMAPLE:
special point of focus of its
study is the origin, evolution
and structure of the
universe and by extension,
humanities place in it.
 Formal object has two
subdivision

 FORMAL OBJECT QUOD

 FORMALOBJECT QUO
 Objectum formale quod
The “objectum formale
quod” is that which is
immediately and primarily
apprehended by the
science.
 Objectum formale quod
ITIS THE SPECIAL OR
IMMEDIATE VIEWPOINT
FROM WHICH A THING IS
EXAMINED.
Forexample: a tree may be
judge according to its color
or shapes, whether it is
material or living and
whether it is a being as
opposed to nothing among
others (Reyes, 1988)
In philosophy the formal

object quod are the first

causes and the highest

principles of things.
FORMALOBJECT QUO
The“objectum
formale quo”, the
medium by which the
science studies its
object.
FORMALOBJECT QUO
THE MEDIUM is the light or
vehicles by whih the science
studies its object for example,
the formal medium for color is
light, for soundis air, for
sceintific knowledge,
reasoning (Reyes,1988)
The formal object quo
is the natural reason
alone and specifically,
the abstractive power
of reason.
 TABLE NO. 1
MATERIAL FORMAL OBJECT FORMAL OBJECT
OBJECT(SUBJEC QUOD(DEALS QUO/MEDIUM(KN
T MATTER) WITH) OWN THRU)

SCIENCE EMPIRICAL IMMEDIATE

SCIENCES causes,
reasons and REASONING

principles
ALL THINGS
PHILOSOPHY ULTIMATE,
causes,
reasons and
principles.
THEOLOGY FAITH AND
REASON
 Empirical Sciences such as anatomy, physiology

and others are concerned singularly with the

immediate causes as known by reason.

Philosophy is a science through last and ultimate

causes as known by reasoning. Theology is a

science through last and ultimate causes as

known by faith and reasoning.

IMPORTANCE OF PHILOSOPHY

General problem solving

Communication skills
Persuasive powers
Writing skills
General problem solving
 The study of philosophy enahnces ones
peoblem-solving capacities in ways no other
activity dos:
 1. it improves one‟s ability to analyze concepts,
definitions, arguments and problems;
 2. it contributes to ones capacity to organize
ideas and issues to deal with questions of value,
and to extract what is essential from masses of
information ;
 3. It enables one to distinguish fine differences
between views and,
 4. it teaches on how to synthesize a variety of
views or perspectives into a unified whole.

General problem solving

In a gist philosophy helps

one learn how to generate
ideas(creative thinking) as
well as evaluate these
ideas (critical thinking)
Communication skills
 Philosophy contributes uniquely to the

development of expressive and communicative

powers. It provides some of the basic tools of self-

expression-for instance, skills in presenting ideas

through well-constructed, systematic arguments-

that other fields either do not use or use less

extensively.
 Doing philosophy helps one to better express

what is distinctive of one‟s view; enhances

one‟s ability to explain difficult material; and

helps one to eliminate ambiguities and

vagueness from one‟s writing and speech.

PERSUASIVE POWERS
 PHILOSOPHY PROVIDES TRAINING IN THE
FORMULATION OF GOOD ARGUMENTS AND
THINKING UP OF APT EXAMPES AND THEREBY
HELPS ONE BECOME CONVINCING. ONE
LEARNS TO BUILD AND DEFEND ONE‟S VIEWS
TO APPRECIATE PREFERABLE
ALTENATIVES.THESE CAPACITIES CAN BE
DEVELOPED NOTONLY THROUGH READING
AND WRITING IN PHILOSOPHY, BUT ALSO
THROUGH CONTINOUS PRACTICE IN
FORMULATING SOUND AND VALID
ARGUMENTS.
WRITING SKILLS
 WRITING IS TAUGHTINETSIVELY IN MANY PHILOSOPHY
COURSES, AND MANY REGULARLY ASSIGNED
PHILOSOPHICAL TEXTS ARE UNEXCELLED AS LITERARY
ESSAYS.PHILOSOPHY TEACHES INTERPRETATIVE
WRITING THROUGH ITS EXAMINATION OF
CHALLENGING TEXTS, COMPARATIVE WRITING
THROUGH EMPAHASIS ON FAIRNESS TO ALTERNATIVE
POSITIONS, ARGUMENTATIVE WIRING THROUGH
DEVELOPING STUDENTS ABILITY TO ESTABLISH THEIR
OWN VIEWS AND DESCRIPTIVE WRITING THROUGH
DETAILED PORTRAYAL OF CONCRETE EXAMPLES-THE
ANCHORS TO WHICH GENERALIZATIONS MUST BE
TIED.
STRUCTURE AND TECHNIQUE,
THEN ARE EMPAHSIZED IN
PHILOSOPHICAL WRITING.
ORIGINALITY IS ALSO
ENCOURAGED, AND STUDENTS
ARE GENERALLY URGED TO
USE THEIR IMAGINATION AND
DEVELOP THEIR OWN IDEAS.
Division of philosophy .

Philosophy is divided into the practical and

the theoretical according to its function.
 THEORETICAL(OR
SPECULATIVE) PHILOSOPHY)
 THIS
DIVISION OF PHILOSOPHY ENRICHES
THE MIND BY RPINCIPLES TO BE
SPECULATED UPON OR TO BE KNOWN. IT
DOES NO DIRECTLY IMPOSE LAWS OR
NORMS AS GUIDANCE FORTHOUGHT. ITS
FUNCTION IS PRIMARILY CULTURAL, E.G.
THE SUN IS 93 MILLION MILES AWAY; LIGHT
TRAVELS AT THE RATE OF 186,000 MILES PER
SECOND. EARTH HAS ONLYONE
MOON(ARTIGAS, 1984)
 THEORETICAL(OR
SPECULATIVE) PHILOSOPHY)
THEORETICAL PHILOSOPHY
INCLUDES EPISTEMOLOGY,
THEODICY,COSMOLOGY,
PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY
AND METAPHYSICS.
 EPISTEMOLOGY(OR
criteriology)
 The word epistemology comes from the Greek

words episteme, meaning “knowledge,” and

logos meaning science or study. Thus

epistemology is the science of knowledge. Is is the

science of true and certain knowledge (glenn,

1957)
 Epistemology is that science which examines the

truth and validity of human knowledge. This

includes the statement and solutions to the

critical problem, nature, origin, objectivity, and

validity of knowledge, truth and certitude.

Theodicy (or natural theology)

 The term theodicy is derived from the two

greek words, theos, which mean God‟ and
dike which means justice. Thus, theodicy is a
study which investigates the nature,
existence, essence, attributes, and operation
of God (Roa, 2007). It covers the
demonstrability and actual demonstration of
the existence of God; his essence and
attributes, His immanent operations, i.e.,
intellection, concurrence, governance and
providence.
 Cosmology
 The name cosmology comes from the Greek

words cosmos, meaning universe and logos

meaning “science or study” thus, cosmology

studies the nature and origin of the

 Cosmology
 The science which considers the ultimate
principles and causes of mobile beings in
general. This includes the essential principles of
natural bodies, matter and form, change,
motion, time, place, space, causality and
finality, generation and corruption. (Pasigui,
Parallag, Requidan and Tabin, 2006)
 Philosophical psychology(or
Rational psychology)
 Psychology is derive from the Greek word
psyche, meaning soul and logos, meaning
science or study. Thus, psychology studies the
soul. Philosophical or rational psychology
deals with man not only as a sensing and
thinking being but also as a being composed
of body and soul; it treats the whole being of
man as man (Buenaflor 2006). This branch of
philosophy covers the concept of life and its
operation, the soul, sensation and appetition
and intellection and volition.
Metaphysics (or Ontology)

 The word ontology comes from the greek

words onta, which means “being” and
logos which means science or study” thus
ontology is a study of being. It is
concerned with te nature of existence of
things and the status of reality. Ontology
is actually a branch of metaphysics.
 Metaphysics

 Itis derived from the greekword meta

meaning “beyond” and physikon
meaning nature. Thus metaphysics studies
the nature of the mind, the self and
consciousness. It includes the concept of
being, its analogy and fundamental
attributes, the problems of evils, act and
potency, essence and existence,
substance and accidents, supposits and
persons, and causality (Roa, 2007)
 PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY
 PRACTICAL PHILOSOHY PERFECTS THE WILL BY
PRINCIPLES TO BE PRACTICED. IT PRESENTS
RELATED DATA FROM WHICH THE DIRECTIVE LAWS
OR NORMS ARE IMMEDIATELY DERIVED. ITS
FUNCTION IS PRIMARILY DIRECTIVES: LOGICS AIMS
AT A NORMS FOR CORRECT THINKING WHILE
ETHICS AIMS AT A NORM FOR CORRECT ACTING
FOR EXAMPLE , THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE
NOT MERELY TO BE RECOGNIZED AND
MEMORIZED; THEYMUST BE UNDERSTOOD AND
LIVED. IN THIS SAE MANNER, THE RULES FOR
CORRCET THINKING SHOULD BE APPLIED (Artigas,
1984.) practical philosophy includes logic, ethics
and axiology)
 LOGIC

 THENAME LOGIC COMES FROM THE

GREEK WORD LOGIKE WHICH MEANS
„THOUGHT‟. Logic is the science and art of
correct thinking (Bachhuber, 1996). It
studies the laws of thought.it covers the
study of ideas and terms, judgment and
propositions, reasoning and syllogism,
among others.
Ethics (or moral philosophy)

The term ethics is derive from the greek word

ethos, meaning “characteristic way of acting”,
an attribute appropriate to man as a rational
being. The latin word for ethos is mos (or mores)
which may be the reason why ethics is
sometimes called moral philosophy ( Roa, 2007)
ethics is the science which investigates the
morality of human acts or conduct. It is
concerned with human acts and the principles
of human actions, ultimate end of man, the
determinants of morality, law and conscience.
 Axiology

 Thename axiology comes from the greek

words axios, meaning worthy, and logos
meaning discourse or study. Axiology is
the discourse or study of the system and
nature of value judgments or worthiness.it
includes the study of values, its origin,
types and characteristics (ROA, 2007)
Figure 2: Division of Philosophy
Philosophy
Theoretical Practical
Epistemology logic
Theodicy Ethics
Cosmology axiology
Rational psychology
Metaphysics