The Nature and

Functions of
Philosophy
Prepared by: Ms. An Zelrad C. Ramos
 There are 5 main
topics we are going
to cover
 What is Philosophy?
 Why Study Philosophy?
 Doing Philosophy (Partial and
Holistic Perspective)
 Branches of Philosophy
 Ancient Philosophers

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 3

◉“Wonder is the feeling of a

philosopher, and Philosophy
begins in wonder.” -
SOCRATES
“
 What is
Philosoph
1
y?

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 What is Philosophy?

◉ Comes from two Greek words,

“Philo(s)” means “Love”
“Sophia” means “Wisdom”

◉ Taken together
“Philos-Sophia” is ‘the love of
wisdom” 5
 Philosophy
Is the science of all
things in seeking
ultimate truth using
human reason alone. –
St. Thomas Aquinas
https://steemit.com/art/@allaboutarts/the-thinker-a- 6
philosophy-and-human-existence-symbol-statue
What is Philosophy?

◉ The term ‘Filosopia’

coined by the
Philosopher
“Pythagoras”

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What is Philosophy?

◉ A real wisdom should

strive to achieve truth
aside from knowledge.

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Pilosopo/
Philosopher
◉ Refers to someone ◉ Lover of wisdom
who asks a lot of
questions, many are
judged as nonsense
or out-of-this-world.

https://noli-me-tangere.fandom.com/wiki/ 9
Pilosopo_Tasio
◉ A genuine desire to know
begins with a humble admission
of one’s ignorance.
◉ With this desire comes the
courage to ask questions.

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Study
Philosoph
y?

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1
◉Intellectual
Curiosity
philosophy is essentially a
reflective-critical inquiry motivated
by a sense of intellectual wonder.

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 2

◉Sharpening Thinking
Skills
philosophy is essentially a
reflective-critical inquiry motivated by
a sense of “wonder”.
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3
◉It might affect future
career prospects in a
number of ways
Some philosophy concentrators
go on to graduate school to earn PhD
in philosophy.
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4

◉Its concentration is
not limiting
the skills it develops and
sharpens are transferable to a wide
variety of professional activities.
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5

◉Plays an important
role in our lives
“Know thy self”. – Socrates

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 Doing
Philosophy

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https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/arts/schools-and-departments/philosophy/
 A Holistic
Perspective: The
Philosopher’s Way
◉ https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/
The_poems_of_John_Godfrey_Saxe/ 18
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https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Blind-Men-and-the-
HOLISITC POINT OF PARTIAL POINT OF
VIEW VIEW
 Bird’s eye view  A perspective that looks on
 “Whole as greater a single or partial
than the parts of its component of a system
sum” whereas the holistic
 Example: perspective tries to
broaden the understanding
“Look at the greater of reality by taking
picture” considerations of other
possible casual agents or
factors 20
Branches
of
Philosoph
y
Ethics
◉ Greek term “ethos” means moral
philosophy (human conduct)
◉ Deals with norms or standard of right
and wrong.
◉ Considered as “prescriptive”.
◉ Prescribed what people ought to do
rather than describes what people do.
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Ethics
The ethicist attempts to answer
questions as:
◉ What is good? What makes actions or
people good?
◉ What is right? What makes action right?
◉ Is morality objective or subjective?
◉ How should I treat others?
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Aestheti
cs
◉ Greek word “aisthetikos” which means
sensitive or perspective.
◉ Concerned with analysis of aesthetic
experience and the idea of what is
beautiful?

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Epistemolo
gy
◉ Greek word “episteme” which means
“knowledge”
◉ “Knowing about knowing”
◉ It focuses on the validity of knowledge
prior to experience.
◉ Studies the nature of knowledge and
the rationality of belief.
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Epistemolo
gy
Typical questions of concern in
epistemology:
◉ What is knowledge?
◉ Do we know anything at all?
◉ Can we be justified in claiming to know?

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Logic
◉ Concern with “reasoning” or “truth”.
◉ Rules or principles that govern
reasoning (deduction and induction)
Logicians ask such questions such
as:
◉ How constitutes “good” or “bad”
reasoning?
◉ How do we determine whether a given 27
Metaphysic
s◉ From two Greek words “Meta” (means
after) and “physica” (mean physics)
◉ After physics (Nature of Reality)
◉ Studies and asks questions about
essence and existence
◉ Metaphysicians reflect on the subject of
appearance (how something looks by
how it appears) and reality (that which
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Metaphysic
sMetaphysics philosophers wrestle with
such questions as:
◉ Is there a God?
◉ What is truth?
◉ Do we have free wills?
◉ What is a person? What makes person
the same through time?
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Ancient
Greek
Philosophers

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 Pre –
Socratic
Philosopher
s
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 Pythagor
as
◉ A Mathematician
◉ Formulated the
Pythagorean
Theorem
◉ Coined the term
“filosopia”

http://totallyhistory.com/pythagoras/

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 Democrit
us
◉ First to propose that
matter is composed of
tiny particles called
‘atoms’.

https://www.ancient.eu/img/c/p/360x202/980.jpg?
v=1601513103 33
Archimed
es
◉ He’s inquiries into
mathematics led t earlier
development which have
rise to modern calculus.

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/
profiles/archimedes-422.php
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 Diogenes of
Sinope

◉ He was known for his

advocate of living a
virtuous and simple life.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/
show/5752152.Diogenes_La_rtius
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 Heraclit
us
◉ “There is nothing
permanent except change.”
◉ He proposed that
everything that exists is
based on higher order or
plan which he called logos.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/
77989.Heraclitus
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 Epicuru
s

◉ Epicureanism –
wisdom and simple
living will result in a
life free of fear and
pain

https://www.goodreads.com/
author/show/114041.Epicurus 37
 Socratic
Philosopher
s
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 THE BIG THREE
Socrat Plat Aristotl
es o e

https://sites.google.com/site/ https://cdn.britannica.com/s:300x300/88/149188-050- https://cdn.britannica.com/s:300x300/84/87984-050-

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7C5547FE/Detail-Roman-copy-portrait-bust-Aristotle-
domshistoryblog/ancient-greek-personality
Greek.jpg
 Socrate
s
◉ Athens’ Street-Corner
Philosopher
◉ Didn’t write any
books
◉ Famous for his
“Socratic Method”

https://sites.google.com/site/
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domshistoryblog/ancient-greek-personality
 Plat
o
◉ The Philosopher king.
◉ The man’s real name (and little
known) was ARISTOCLES.
◉ An Enthusiastic and talented student
of Socrates.

https://sites.google.com/site/
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domshistoryblog/ancient-greek-personality
 Aristotl
e
◉ “A long walk to the Golden Mean”
◉ “Plato’s Best Student & Alexander the
Great’s tutor
◉ He was called as
a ”peripatetic philosopher” (peripateo
= “to walk around”)
◉ “Happiness is the goal of life”

https://sites.google.com/site/
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domshistoryblog/ancient-greek-personality
 Post-
Socratic
Philosopher
s
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 Credits
Reference Book: Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person:
Brenda et al., 2016.
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person: Roberto D. Abella,
2016.
Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person: Rey et al., 2016
https://www.dummies.com/education/philosophy/socrates-plato-and-arist
otle-the-big-three-in-greek-philosophy/
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/greek-philosophers/
https://www.brown.edu/academics/philosophy/undergraduate/philosophy-
what-and-why

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