CAL MIDTERMS

• Man himself is the crowning wonder of creation, and the study of his nature is the noblest study the world affords.” – William Gladstone
• “An unexamined life is not worth living.” - Socrates
• “Man is not only a contributory creature, but a total creature; he does not only make one, but he is all; he is not only a piece of the world, but a word itself; and next to the glory of God, the reason why there is a world.” - John Donne
• Man is an interesting subject that is dealt with by various fields and sciences.
• Philosophy is one of those branches of knowledge concerned with man. This chapter is intended to give basic inputs about the nature and meaning of Philosophy. It also aims to orient the student on the approaches and principles of philosophy.
• Etymologically, the term “philosophy” comes from two Greek words: philo that means love; and sofia that means wisdom.
• Hence, “love of wisdom.” Pythagoras, one of the sages of ancient Greece, gave this etymological meaning.
• When one speaks of Philosophy, it may mean his outlook in life. As a process, it broadly connotes “theoretical investigation” and “a continuing search for truth.”
• Philosophy is love of wisdom. A philosopher is a lover of wisdom.
• Wisdom is definitely broader and deeper than knowledge. While knowledge is derived by inference or interpretation
• “Wisdom is more than knowledge. A wise man is definitely a knowledgeable man, but a knowledgeable man is not necessarily a wise man. Knowledge is a means to improve one’s self and his environment to improve the quality of human existence; wisdom involves a power to confront problems and conflicts. True power and ability is in being wise where the performance of any work or task could be done without difficulty.“ - Li Mu Bai: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
• We shall define Philosophy as the science of being in their ultimate reasons, causes, and principles as known by the aid of human reason alone.
• As science, Philosophy is based on certain knowledge of things derived from systematic study and demonstrations where this evidence is reduced to a comprehensive rational system.
• As a science of being, it studies all things that can be reached by the human mind. It includes God, man, and the world, from material to non-material beings.
• Philosophy even goes deeper as it studies beings by their ultimate reasons, causes and principles; so that while Biology, for example, is a study of life, Philosophy treats the nature of the human being as such, of life, and its principles.
• Cosmology or Philosophy of Nature - The study of material beings or the non-living universe.
• Epistemology - The study of certainty and validity of human knowledge.
• Ethics or Moral Philosophy - deals with human acts and their morality.
• Logic - Basically the science of correct thinking.
• Ontology or Metaphysics - The study of beings and the different reasons and principles of the reality of things.
• 1. Rational Psychology - The study of living beings and the principles of life, the nature of vital operations and of their powers and classifications.
• Philosophy of Man as a subject actually does not appear as one of the major branches of Philosophy.
• In fact, four major branches — Rational Psychology, Logic, Epistemology, and Ethics — deal with those aspects of man
• Consequently, Philosophy of Man may be said to be a combination of Psychology, Logic and Ethics
• Ancient Period - thought was characterized by its emphasis on the notion of cosmos or the order of the universe. Cosmology had a priority over theology and anthropology.
• During the middle of the 5th century B.C., the sophist Protagoras articulated, “man is the measure of all things.” Socrates himself adopted and incorporated into his teaching the saying “know thyself.”
• The Medieval Period (700-1500 AD) - The Middle Ages preserve the ancient structure of the cosmos. But Christian revelation brought forth the idea of an Almighty God who was creator of the world and man.
• The Renaissance Period (14th - 16th Century) - This was the moment man was removed from the ascendancy exercised over him by either cosmic discipline or divine authority. Man did not cease to view himself within the framework of the world, or reject the presence of God but he disengaged himself sufficiently from these bonds to become a center of interest in his own eyes.
• The 16th and 17th Centuries - This era started a reflection that centered on man, exploring his different aspects in a spirit of empirical investigation, freed from all ties of dogma
• Michael de Montaigne prioritized the reality that was within. For him, “self-awareness already reflected an awareness of the surrounding world.”
• Blaise Pascal, a French scientist and religious writer, described man as neither angel nor beast and said that it was therefore fruitless to try to understand him as a fallen god or as an animal raised to a higher state.
• The 18th Century Enlightenment - accumulated new data about man by relating with the values that constitute the human consciousness. Earlier philosophers had been interested only in rational essences and refused to include within its scope the human domain in all its diverse and concrete aspects.
• The 19th Century - There was immense progress in the social sciences during this period. Specialists in these sciences became more restricted and specialized in their outlook.
• For example Sigmund Freud analyzed man only in terms of complexes, censorship, and repression; Karl Marx made economic production the sole and universal key to intelligibility.
• The Contemporary Period - Our present age is characterized by the prevalence of phenomenology and existentialism
• Phenomenology sees man as a very special phenomenon, a being that knows, and a being who knows that he knows.
• Existentialists see man as responsible for his effect on others, though only his existence is real to him and he is ultimately his own judge.
• Empiricism — the philosophical belief that all knowledge is ultimately based on experience, that is, information received through the senses.
• Enlightenment — an 18th century philosophical movement that sought to replace conventional authoritarian beliefs with rational scientific inquiry.
• Existentialism — a philosophical movement that rejects metaphysics and concentrates on the individual’s existence in the world. Its fundamental doctrine proclaims man’s freedom in the accomplishment of his destiny