MOD 4

• Approaches to Filipino Philosophy

  • Traditional/philosophical approach
  • Cultural approach
  • Nationality/constitutional approach
• Traditional/philosophical approach


  • Based on the Greek model, wherein individual Filipino philosophers' ideas are discussed
• Nationality/constitutional approach


  • Deals with writings of Filipinos in general, whether it be on a Western or Eastern topic
• Cultural approach


  • Addresses the people's philosophical perspectives and views on socio-linguistic, cultural and folk concepts
• Categories of Philippine indigenous philosophy and worldviews under the cultural approach


  • Filipino grassroots or folk philosophies
  • Folk philosophy appropriation
  • Interpretation of Filipino identity and worldview
  • Local cultural values and ethics research
  • Implications and presuppositions of Filipino worldviews
• Weltanschauung


  Collective Filipino philosophy of life
• Timbreza uses indigenous and native legends, poems, epics, songs, riddles (bugtong), proverbs (salawikain), rituals and dances as basis for the collective Filipino philosophy of life
• Timbreza attributes the general Filipino worldview to the experiences of honorable groups such as Ivatan, Ilokano, Tagalog, Pampanggo, Pangasinensi, Ibanag, Igorot, Bicolano, Cebuano, Boholano, Bisaya, Tiruray, Tausug, Maranao, Maguindanao, Aklano, Bukidnon, Sugnuanon, Zambaleno, Romblomanon, Kiniray-anom, Kalinga-Banao, Waray, and Ilonggo
• Worldviews


  • Mental lenses that are entrenched ways of perceiving the world
• Principles of indigenous worldviews

  • Knowledge is holistic, cyclic, and dependent upon relationships and connections to living and non-living beings and entities
  • There are many truths, and these truths are dependent upon individual experiences
  • Everything is alive
  • All things are equal
  • The land is sacred
  • The relationship between people and the spiritual world is important
  • Human beings are least important in the world
• Fragments of Filipino philosophy of life

  • The law of reversion
  • Balance of nature
  • Cyclic concept of nature
  • Centripetal morality
  • Value of non-violence
  • Concept of life and death
• Filipino thought is not a philosophy of being (as the Greek thinkers espoused) but rather the intellectualization of "indigenous perceptions of reality"