Learning Module in Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

S.Y. 2020-2021

( August 24 to September 04,2020)

Prepared by:

NEIL M. MANTO

Subject teacher
Module 1

1.0 Pursuing Wisdom and Facing Challenges in the 21st Century

INTRODUCTION:

The spirit of modern philosophy is an outburst of discovery. Rationalism (17th century) and empiricism
(18th century) both relied on human discoveries such as of the world, of thought, and of humanity in
all sorts of conditions. Knowledge, however, was male-dominated. Mary Wollstonecraft envisioned
an education for women. In her work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), Wollstonecraft
believed that women were to be more than just wives and caretakers; they were to educate children,
and to act not as slaves to their husbands, but as companions (Rifkin 2009).

As technology enters the larger conversation of humanity, the senior high school students (young as
they are) should understand that education is more than just simply browsing the internet. Education
also emphasizes the concept of progress, which assets that human beings are capable of improving
and perfecting their constantly changing environment.

In this vein, this book is one of the first steps towards a clearer and more effective analysis of the K-
12 curriculum of the Philippine Education System. It underpins the dignity of the human person, the
“burden” of being human and the meaning of life. In this age of globalization, this book promotes not
just interaction and interdependence between actors and groups but a genuine dialog or conversation
between them.

Also, the contents of this book will make clear that “philosophers” are not strange human beings, with
interests and ambitions alien to the rest of humankind. Rather, they are lovers of wisdom who reflect
and critically bring to light and examine the largest and widest implications of the life of all human
beings.

One of the key elements in many educational reforms is diversity, difference, and choice or other
proposals that establish separate curricular routes for different groups or individuals. Diversity is the
difference that makes each person unique (i.e., biology, ethnicity and culture, family life, beliefs,
geography, experiences, and religion).Sometimes, we have difficulty in accepting others because they
are different from us. Yet, such behavior can limit a person’s opportunities or can make the person
feel excluded or aggrieved. Educational challenge in the 21st century entails how to deal appropriately
with cultural and racial multiplicity and that one does not engage in harassment of any form(Kurcinka
2006).

OBJECTIVE:

1. To distinguish a holistic perspective from a partial point of view

2. To recognize human activities that emanated from deliberate reflection
3. To realize the value of doing philosophy in obtaining a broad perspective on life
4. To do a philosophical reflection on a concrete situation from a holistic perspective
5. To appreciate Filipino indigenous thoughts

Pretest Activity:

1.) Look at the images. What do you think is the message conveyed?
 2. Do you know the meaning of these symbol?

3 .Brainstorming: What virtues do you value most? A.)wisdom? b.) honesty? C.)

open-mindedness? d.) beauty? And Why?

4. List the positive and negative Filipino values. Put your answers here in the blank
provided.

5. What is “holism”? Explain.

DISCUSSIONS:

1.1 The Meaning of Philosophy

Etymologically, the word "philosophy" comes from two Greek words, philo, meaning "to love" and
sophia, meaning "wisdom." Philosophy originally meant, “love of wisdom," and in a broad sense,
wisdom is still the goal of philosophy. Philosophy is also defined as the science that by natural light of
reason studies the first causes or highest principles of all things. Under this definition, four things are
to be considered:

a.)Science, It is called science because the investigation is systematic, It follows certain steps or it
employs certain procedures. In other words, it is an organized body of knowledge just like any other
sciences.

b.)Natural Light of Reason. Philosophy investigates things, not by using any other laboratory
instrument or investigative tools, neither on the basis of supernatural revelation, otherwise it
becomes theology; instead, the philosopher uses his natural capacity to think or simply, human reason
alone or the so-called unaided reason.

c.)Study of All Things. This sets the distinction between philosophy from other sciences. All other
sciences concern themselves with a particular object of investigation. For example, anthropologists
study human beings in relation with the society; sociologists study society, its form, structures, and
functions; botanists focus their attention to plants; linguists limit themselves with language;
theologians investigate God; whereas, a philosopher studies human beings, society, religion, language,
God, and plants, among other. The reason is that philosophy is not one dimensional or partial. In short,
a philosopher does not limit himself to a particular object of inquiry. He questions almost anything, if
not everything. It is multidimensional or holistic.

d.)First Cause or Highest Principle. A principle is that from which something proceeds in any manner
whatsoever. The First Principles:

Principle of Identity - whatever is is; and whatever is not is not everything is what it is. Everything is
its own being, and not being is not being.
Principle of Non-Contradiction - it is impossible for a thing to be and not to be at the same time, and
at the same respect.

Principle of Excluded Middle -a thing is either is or is not; everything must be either be or not be;
between being and not-being, there is no middle ground possible.

Principle of Sufficient Reason – nothing exist without a sufficient reason for its being and existence.

Since its beginnings, however, the scope of philosophy has changed. Early Greek philosophers studied
aspects of the natural and human world that later became separate sciences – astronomy, physics,
psychology, and sociology. On the other hand, certain basic problems – the nature of the universe,
the standard of justice, the validity of knowledge, the correct application of reason, and the criteria of
beauty-have been the domain of philosophy from its beginnings to the present. These problems are
the subject matter of the five branches of philosophy-metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, logic, and
aesthetics. These branches will be discussed in the next section. There are also special branches of
philosophy like philosophy of science, philosophy of state, philosophy of politics, philosophy of
mathematics, philosophy of education, philosophy of law, philosophy of language, and others.

Finally, in attaining wisdom, there is a need for emptying. Emptying can be intellectual. For instance,
the Taoist considers an empty cup more useful than a full one. This means simplicity and
humility .Emptying can be also spiritual. For Christian philosophy, poverty in spirit means compassion.
Emptying is also physical. The Buddhists refrain from misuse of the senses, thereby emphasizing a
unified whole. Without the virtue of emptying, students will only learn partial philosophy that is
knowledge based, without becoming holistic(i.e., acquiring wisdom through various dimensions of
being human including the psychological, social, emotional, and moral aspects).

1.2 Recognize Human Activities that Emanated from Deliberate Reflection

After examining the definitions of philosophy, this section distinguishes deliberate reflection and
dialogs. Many of the most vital issues of philosophy are still disputed and have unsettled questions
today.

Nevertheless, one of the greatest needs of anyone seeking "wisdom” is a genuine sympathy and an
understanding of all the most diverse points view (holistic perspective). A narrow provincialism of
mind, limited to the ideas and outlook of a single party or a single age (partial perspective), is wholly

incompatible with the real philosophical attitude.

1.2.1 The Branches of Philosophy

A. Metaphysics

Metaphysics is really only an extension of a fundamental and necessary drive in every human being to
know what is real. The question is how account for this unreal thing in terms of what you can accept
as real. Thus, a very big part of the metaphysician's task is to explain that part of or experience, which
we call unreal in terms of what we call real.

In our everyday attempts to understand the world in terms appearance and reality, we try to make
things comprehensible by simplifying or reducing the mass of things we call appearance to a relatively
fewer number of things we call reality.

For instance, for Thales, a Greek philosopher, everything is water. He claims that everything we
experience is water-which we call "reality. Everything else is "appearance. "We then set out to try to
explain everything else (appearance) in terms of water (reality). Clouds, for example, or blocks of ice
do not look like water, but they can be explained in terms of water. When water evaporates, it
becomes a cloud, and when water freezes, it becomes ice.

Both the idealist and the materialist metaphysical theories are similarly based on unobservable
entities: mind and matter. We can see things made of matter such as a book or a chair, but we cannot
see the underlying matter itself. Although we can experience in our minds thoughts, ideas, desires and
fantasies, we cannot observe or experience the mind itself that 5 having these thoughts, ideas, and
desires. It is this tendency to explain the observable in terms of the unobservable that has given
metaphysics a bad name to more down-to-earth philosophers.

Plato, Socrates' most famous student, is a good example of metaphysician who draws the sharpest
possible contrast between reality and appearance. Nothing we experience in the physical world with
our five senses is real, according to Plato. Reality in fact, is just the opposite. It is unchanging, eternal,
immaterial, and can be detected only ty the intellect. Plato calls these realities as ideas of forms. These
are meanings which universal, general terms refer to, and they are also those things we are talking
about when we discuss moral, mathematical, and scientific ideals.

• Reflections, Meditations, and Conversations that Rocked the World

By What Values Shall I Live in the World?

Plato

This leads up to the famous simile of the cave or den According to which,those who are destitute of
philosophy may be compared to prisoners in a cave who are only able to look in one direction because
they are bound and who have the fire behind them and the wall in front. Between them and the wall,
there is nothing all that they see are shadows of themselves and of objects behind them casted on the
wall by the light of the fire. Inevitably, they regard these shadows as real and have no notion of the
objects to which they are due (Price 2000) At last, a man succeeds in escaping from the cave to the
light of the sun; for the first time, he sees real things, and becomes aware that he had hitherto been
deceived by shadows. He is the sort of philosopher who is fit to become a guardian he will feel it is his
duty to those who were formerly his fellow prisoners to go down again into the cave, instruct them as
to the sun of truth and show them the way up.

However, he will have difficulty in persuading them, because coming out of the sunlight, he will see
shadows clearly than they do and will seem to them stupider than before his escape.

Plato seeks to explain the difference between clear intellectual vision and the confused vision of sense
perception by an analogy from the sense of sight. Sight, he says, differs from the other senses, since
it requires not only the eye and the object, but also light. We clearly see objects on which the sun
shines; in twilight, we see confusedly; and in pitch-darkness, not at all. Now the world of ideas is what
we see when the sun illumines the object: while the world of passing things is a confused twilight
world. The eye is compared to the soul, and the sun, as the source of light to truth or goodness
(Mitchell 2011)

B. Ethics

How do we tell good from evil or right from wrong? Ethics is the branch of philosophy that explores
the nature of moral virtue and evaluates human actions.

Ethics is generally a study of the nature of moral judgments. Philosophical ethics attempts to provide
an account of our fundamental ethical ideas. Whereas religion has often motivated individuals to obey
the moral code of their society, philosophy is not content with traditional or habitual ethics but adopts
a critical perspective. It insists that obedience to moral law be given a rational foundation. In the
thought of Socrates, we see the beginning of a transition from a traditional, religion-based morality to
philosophical ethics (Landsburg 2009).

Reflections, Meditations, and Conversations that Rocked the World:

What Constitutes a Human Person?

Plato, Socrates, Aristotle

For Socrates, to be happy, a person has to live a virtuous life. Virtue is not something to be taught or
acquired through education, but rather, it is merely an awakening of the seeds of good deeds that lay
dormant in the mind and heart of a person. Knowing what is in the mind and heart of a human being
is achieved through self-knowledge. Thus, knowledge does not mean only theoretical or
speculative, but a practical one. Practical knowledge means that one does not only know the rules of
right living, but one lives them.

Hence, for Socrates, true knowledge means wisdom, which in turn, means virtue. The Greek word
arete, which we translate as virtue, séems originally to have been associated with valor in battle and
may be connected with the name of the Greek god of war, Ares, whom we know better under his
Roman name, Mars.

Both the Greek word arete and its English equivalent, virtue, have connotations of machismo and
manliness. So, when Socrates came to define virtue, he thought of courage as one of its prime
components, and he came up with the proposition that courage, therefore, as virtue is also knowledge.

• Reflections, Meditations, and Conversations that Rocked the World:

How Much Freedom Should We Have? Who Should Decide?

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (1868-1963) raised the "problem of the Negro." He sees himself as
the part of this problem. His mother was descended from a West African slave. He was an African
American who wanted equal rights for blacks. Du Bois believes that the blacks must assert themselves
in the African-American community. He put his ideas into po-litical action and helped organized
various initiatives for the advancement of the colored people, published researches, and taught in
Atlanta University. He was the first African-American to receive a PhD in Harvard (Rifkin 2009).

To understand Du Bois' philosophy is to understand Hegel's dialectic. Whenever a thesis of freedom

is asserted, it is opposed by an antithesis. These are then both overcome by a synthesis that
incorporates the best of both). (Mitchell 2011)

C. Epistemology

Specifically, epistemology deals with nature, sources, limitations, and validity of knowledge (Soccio
2007). Epistemological questions are basic to all other philosophical inquiries. Epistemology explains:
(1) how we know what we claim to know; (2) how we can find out what we wish to know, and(3) how
we can differentiate truth from falsehood. Epistemology addresses varied problems: the reliability,
extent, and kinds of knowledge: truth; language, and science and scientific knowledge. How do we
acquire reliable knowledge? Human knowledge may be regarded as having two parts.

1. On the one hand, he sees, hears, and touches; on the other hand, he organizes in his mind
what he learns through the senses. Philosophers have given considerable attention to
questions about the sources of knowledge. Some philosophers think that the particular things
seen, heard, and touched are more important. They believe that general ideas are formed
from the examination of particular facts. This method is called induction, and philosophers
who feel that knowledge is acquired in this way are called empiricists (e.g. John Locke).
Empiricism is the view that knowledge can be attained only through sense experience.
According to the empiricists, real knowledge is based on what our sight, hearing, smell, and
other senses tell us is really out there, not what people make up in their heads
2. Other philosophers think it is more important to find a general law according to which
particular facts can be understood or judged. This method is called deduction; its advocates
are called rationalists (e.g., Rene Descartes). For instance, what distinguishes real knowledge
from mere opinion, in the rationalist view, is that real knowledge is based on the logic, the
laws, and the methods that reason develops. The best example of real knowledge, the
rationalist holds, is mathematics, a realm of knowledge that is obtained entirely by reason
that we use to understand the universe (Soccio 2007).

A newer school, pragmatism, has a third approach to these problems ,Pragmatists, such as William
James and John Dewey, believe that value in use is the real test of truth and meaning. In other words,
the meaning and truth of an idea are tested by its practical consequences.

Reflections, Meditations, and Conversation that Rocked the World:

Women's Equal Rights (Mary Wollstonecraft)

The spirit of modern philosophy is an outburst of discovery. Rationalism (17th century) and empiricism
(18th century) both relied on human discoveries such as of the world, of thought, and of humanity in
all sorts of conditions. Knowledge, however, was male-dominated. Mary Wollstonecraft envisioned
an education for women. In her work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), Wollstonecraft
dictated that women were to be more than just wives and caretakers; they were to educate children,
and to act not as slaves to their husbands, but as companions (Rifkin 2009).

As technology enters the larger conversation of humanity, students should understand that education
is not just simply browsing the Internet but emphasizes the concept of progress, which asserts that
human beings are capable of improving their constantly changing environment.

D. Logic

Reasoning is the concern of the logician. This could be reasoning in science and medicine, in ethics
and law, in politics and commerce, in sports and games, and in the mundane affairs of everyday living.
Varied kinds of reasoning may be used, and all are of interest to the logician.

The term "logic" comes from the Greek word logike and was coined by Zeno, the Stoic (c.340-265BC).
Etymologically, it means a treatise on matters pertaining to the human thought. It is important to
underpin that logic does not provide us knowledge of the world directly, for logic is considered as a
tool, and, therefore, does not contribute directly to the content of our thoughts. Logic is not interested
in what we know regarding certain subjects. Its concern, rather, is the truth or the validity of our
arguments regarding such objects.

Aristotle was the first philosopher to devise a logical method. He drew upon the emphasis on the
"universal" in Socrates, negation in Parmenides and Plato, and the reduction to the absurd of Zeno of
Elea. His philosophy is also based on claims about propositional structure and the body of
argumentative techniques (e.g, legal reasoning and geometrical proof).

Aristotle understood truth to mean the agreement of knowledge with reality; truth exists when the
mind's mental representations, otherwise known as ideas, correspond with things in the objective
world. Logical reasoning makes us certain that our conclusions are true, and this provides us with
accepted scientific proofs of universally valid propositions or statements. Since the time of Aristotle,
the study of lies or fallacies has been considered an integral part of logic.

Zeno of Citium is one of the successors of Aristotle. He is also the founder of a movement known as
Stoicism, derived from the Greek Stoa Poikile (Painted Porch). The Painted Porch referred to the
portico in Athens where the early adherents held their regular meetings. Other more influential
authors of logic then are Cicero, Porphyry and Boethius the later Roman Empire; the Byzantine
scholar-Philoponus and Al-Farabi , Avicenna and Averroes in the Arab world.

Even before the time of Aristotle down to the present, the stud of logic has remained important. We
are human beings possessed with reason. We use it when we make decisions or when we try to
influence the decisions of others or when we are engaged in argumentation and debate . Indeed, a
person who has studied logic is more likely to reason correctly than another, who has never thought
about the general principles involved in reasoning.

Reflections, Meditations, and Conversations that Rocked the World.

Artificial Intelligence (Alan Mathison Turing)

Turing was an English mathematician, logician, cryptanalyst, and computer scientist. He was highly
influential in the development of computer science, providing a formalization ot the concepts of
"algorithm" and "computation" with the Turing machine, which played a significant role in the creation
of the modern computer. Turing is widely considered to be the father of computer science and
artificial intelligence (AI) (Carr 2009).

E. Aesthetics

When humanity has learned to make something that is useful to them, they begin to plan and dream
how to make it beautiful. What therefore is beauty? The establishment of criteria of beauty is the
function of aesthetics. Aesthetics is the science of the beautiful in its various manifestations-including
the sublime, comic, tragic, pathetic, and ugly. To experience aesthetics, therefore, means whatever
experience has relevance to art, whether the experience be that of the creative artist or of
appreciation

As a branch of philosophy, students should consider the importance of aesthetics because of the
following:

• It vitalizes our knowledge. It makes our knowledge of the world alive and useful. We go
through our days picking up a principle as fact, here and there, and too infrequently see how
they are related, It is the part of a play, a poem, or a story to give us new insight, to help us
see new relationship between the separated items in our memories.
• It helps us to live more deeply and richly. A work of art-whether a book, a piece of music,
painting, or a television show helps us to rise from purely physical existence into the realm of
intellect and the spirit. As a being of body and soul, a human being needs nourishment for his
higher life as well as his lower. Art, therefore, is not something merely like craft or applied
arts, but something of weight and significance to humankind. It is what Schopenhauer meant
when he said, "You must
treat a work of art like a great man. Stand before it and wait patiently until it deigns to speak."
(Scruton et al. 1997)
• It brings us in touch with our culture. Things about us change so rapidly today that we forget
how much we owe to the past. We cannot shut ourselves off from the past any more than we
can shut ourselves off geographically from the rest of the world. It is difficult that the great
problems of human life have occurred over and over again for thousands of years. The
answers of great minds in the past to these problems are part of our culture.

Hans-Georg Gadamer, a German philosopher, argues that our tastes and judgments regarding beauty,
work in connection with one's own personal experience and culture. Gadamer believes that our
culture consists of the values and beliefs of our time and our society. That is why a "dialog" or
conversation is important in interpreting works of art (White 1991).

A conversation involves an exchange between conversational partners that seek agreement about
some matter at issue; consequently, such an exchange is never completely under the control of either
conversational partner, but is rather determined by the matter at issue. Conversation and
understanding involve coming to an agreement. In this sense, all understanding is, according to
Gadamer, interpretative and insofar as all interpretation, involves the exchange between the familiar
and the alien, so all interpretation is also translative.

• Guided Learning:
Showing Your Creativity
1. Draw your own interpretation of Plato's cave. Share in class.

2. Share in class your views about what is "right" or "wrong" Share your own experience in
class.

3. How do you define "happiness"? Do you support the view of Socrates:"To become happy,
a person must live a virtuous life"? Explain.

1.3 Why Become a Philosopher? On Attaining a Comprehensive Outlook in Life

One of the key elements in many educational reforms is diversity, difference, and choice or other
proposals that establish separate curricular routes for different groups or individuals (Castells et al.
1999). Diversity is the difference that makes each person unique (i.e., biology, ethnicity and culture,
family life, beliefs, geography, experiences, and religion). Sometimes, we have difficulty in accepting
others because they are different from us. Such behavior may cause us to limit a person's
opportunities or can make the person feel rejected or resentful. Thus, educational challenge in the
21st century entails appropriate acceptance of cultural and racial multiplicity. One does not engage in
harassment of any form. This section introduces the various viewpoints of philosophy: the western
and non-western, with emphasis on our very own Filipino indigenous beliefs and finally, going beyond
the logical and the technological imperatives of existence.

A . Expanding Our Philosophical Frames: Western and Non-Western Traditions

Many philosophers hold that there are three great original centers of philosophy in the world-Greek
(or Western), Indian, and Chinese. All three arose as critical reflections on their own cultural traditions.
Historically speaking, Asian classics of the Indians and the Chinese predate the oldest of Western
classics. Indian and Chinese philosophers of note also lived earlier than their Greek counterparts
(Quito 1991). During the first centuries, there was more philosophical activity in the East than in the
West. Before the Greek period, there was hardly an activity in the West. Greeks before Thales did not
have philosophy (Velasquez 1999).

From the time of the Greek triumvirate (Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle), there was a reversal. The
Western thinkers started to indulge in feverish philosophical speculation, whereas the Asian thinkers
began diminishing philosophical activity. In our present century, almost all the major philosophical
ideas emanate from Western thinkers (Quito 1991).

This section underpins that the challenges of the global information age cannot be understood by
oversimplification. One size does not fit all. There are multiple cultures and there are different types
of states in terms of modern economic modernization (Nye 2013). Certainly, the culture of the "East"
is very different from that of the "West" (primarily Europe and North America), but that does not mean
each culture is incapable of understanding certain features of the other.

As the world becomes "smaller," it is increasingly important to develop an understanding of culture

centers around the globe that are very different from our own. Each society or culture has its own
ideas of itself, a definition of what is important in life, and its own notions of what the world is like in
general terms; thus, each society or culture can be said to have its own "philosophy" (Quito 1991).

For Quito, there are three attitudinal imperatives that we must bear in mind if we are to appreciate
either the Oriental or Eastern thought vis-à-vis the Occidental or Western mindset and to situate them
in their proper perspective:

• In contrast to the propensity of the West to think in a linear manner, that is, in terms of
beginning and ending in a straight line, Oriental thought runs in a circular manner in which the
end conjoins the beginning in a cyclic style. In a manner of speaking, nothing actually begins
absolutely or ends absolutely. A man may have been born at a precise time and may have died
at a precise time, but it cannot be said that his existence can be congealed at a specific time,
and when he dies, his life continues in another form. This is indispensable to the
understanding of samsara or rebirth. There is a cycle of rebirths within the various spheres of
life, the vegetative, animal, and human. The world, in fact, did not have an absolute beginning
but was merely a continuation of an earlier world in an earlier time. There is, therefore, a
succession of worlds and a succession of lives.
• The attitudinal imperative is the assumption that the East does not make a rigorous distinction
between religion and philosophy. Basic philosophical concepts are shrouded in religious
beliefs and myths. However, it is a false conclusion that Eastern philosophies, such as Chinese
and Indian, are not sufficiently philosophical to be considered philosophy but are more
properly called "religion or" mythology" In the East, Philosophy is Religion and Religion is
Philosophy. The Oriental does not cut off philosophy that is thought, from religion that is life
in action.
 • Life for Oriental thinkers is a translation of thought;itis philosophy in action. Orientals believe
that life must be the extension of thought, its fruit, and its application. For Quito (1991), it is
not accurate to judge that Asia is poor because of religion. Rather, it is poor because it cannot
accept the polarization or division of theory and practice, of philosophy and religion, of its way
of thinking and its way of living. Quito suggested that only if Asia could find a means of
adjusting its vision by making religion and speculation go together, by reconciling elusive
theory with practice, then Asia, too, could become progressive like the West.
• The third attitudinal imperative is the acceptance of the validity of intuition and mysticism,
the readiness to revert to extra logical, if not illogical modes of thinking. Orientals are
perceived of transcending the limitations of the human intellect and treading on a no man's
land where verification of one's premise is not possible. Oriental thought does not follow
structured mode, By its very nature, it cannot but be intuitive and mystic. The West has but
to theorize and speculate; no application to life is necessary. Such are the Platonic, Hegelian,
Kantian, and Fichtean theories to which the Westen philosophers render lip service; their
application to practice is still being contested by other Western philosophers (Mitchell 2011).

As Quito (1991) remarked:

The concept of all-at-once-ness which is the hallmark of the mind of Asia is annoying to the Western
mind which cannot shake off its structural mode of thinking in terms of beginning and end, of before
and after, of then and now and later This is no doubt applicable to individual things and events which
the Asian mind does not reject, but when the line of reasoning and understanding is raised from the
fragmentary to the total, from the piecemeal to the whole, from the part to that all of the world of
things, the Asian mind balks at the "illogic" of appling the same principles pertaining only to the
fragments to that of the Whole.

The Knower and the Known: East and West Distinction

For the Eastern version, life becomes illusory if we are attached to the world and in which we are
ensnared is not what is. In terms of knowledge, our everyday experience of the world presents us with
dualistic distinctions-me/you or subject/object, However, this is artificial; our egos fool us into seeing
separation. The distinction between knower and known is essentially artificial for the Eastern version.

If logic is no longer able to solve a life problem, Asian mind resorts to intuition. From the very fact that
it thinks in a cyclic all-at-once-ness, it must resort to means other than the usual mental processes
applicable to the plecemeal and fragmentary, One should not therefore be surprised at its propensity
to mysticism, at its use of super-consciousness, or of the existence of a third eye or a sixth sense.
When the situation demands, it reverses the logical patterns (Mitchell 2011),

B. Filipino Thinking: From Local to Global

It may sound presumptuous to speak of "Filipino Thought" for the reason that the Philippines could
not very well speak of a tradition such as that of China, India, or Greco-Roman. Yet, for the Filipino,
there has to be "Filipino Thought" or none at all. Like any other people, the Filipino must eventually
take consciousness of his own particular life and his world, his society and his godsin the light of Truth,
and thereby realize his proper being (Reyes 1990). However, the pioneering attempts to formulate a
Filipino philosophy share the fate of most pioneering works: the lack of refined tools and the lack of
predecessors upon whom to stand (Mercado 1992). Nevertheless, Filipinos do have their own
philosophy. This section draws out elements or draw sketches of the general lines of Filipino
philosophy. The three dimensions of Filipino thought are: Loob, Filipino Philosophy of Time, and
Bahala Na. These attitudes and values constitute the hidden springs of the Filipino Mind.

1. Loob: Holistic and Interior Dimensions

Kagandahang-loob, kabutihang-loob, and kalooban are terms that show sharing of one's self
to others. For Mercado (19921 interiority manifests itself in freedom. Loob puts one in touch
with his fellow beings Great Philippine values, in fact, are essentially interpersonal. The use of
intermediaries or go-betweens, the values of loyalty, hospitality, pakikisama (camaraderie,
 conformism), and respect to authority are such values that relate to persons. In short, the
Filipino generally believes in the innate goodness of the human being Filipino ethics has an
internal code and sanction that flow from within itself This ethics is more constant than other
legalistic moral philosophies that are rather negative. The Filipino, who stresses duties over
rights, has plenty in common with his Oriental neighbors such as the Chinese and the Indian.
In short, the Filipino as individual looks at himself as holistic from the interior dimension under
the principle of harmony, The Filipino looks at himself as a self, as a total whole-as a "person"
conscious of his freedom, proud of his human dignity, and sensitive to the violation of these
two (Mercado 2000).
2. Filipino Philosophy of Time
Moreover, the Filipino-whether llokano (Ti tao kasla kulintaba, no agtayab, ngumata, bumaba),
or Kapampangan (Bie keti ang yatu, mengari yang ruweda, mibabo, milalim, ing Dios nung buri
na) (A human being is like a bird who flies up and goes down)-proves that he beleves in the
gulong ng palad (literally, "wheel of fortune") and hence, looks at life as a series of ups and
downs (Timbreza 1992). This philosophy of life makes the Filipino an unmitigated optimist.
When the so-called wheel of life is on the downtrend, he looks to the future with hope
because life's wheel cannot stay down forever. When one weeps, one will surely smile. The
Filipino look upon every event, fortunate or unfortunate, as fleeting or transitory.
Life may be sorrowful, but precisely because suffering is ultimate salutary, there is hope
beyond suffering (Timbreza 1996). Flood-earthquakes, EDSA revolutions, continuous poverty-
all these were see to be transcended hoping that one day, the sun would shine and nature
would heal itself. As a saying goes, "If one has reached the lowest ebb, there is no way to go
but up." Time is considered cyclic. Gulong ng palad nonetheless blends well with foreign
philosophical ideas in the Asian region. It approaches karma of the Indians and yang and yin
thought of the Chinese. Pakikisama, on the other hand, is close to the Chinese and Japanese
philosophy of "living in harmony with nature."
Often, Filipino Time is mistakenly interpreted as always delayed in the committed time of
arrival. This notion can be misleading since the Filipino farmers are early risers to go to their
field and waste no time for work. The concept of "siesta time" or "power naps" is also
important for Filipino culture that must not be necessarily considered negative.
3. Bahala Na
The pre-Spanish Filipino people believed in a Supreme Being, Batula or Bathala. However, in
this regard, the originality of Filipino thought will probably be precisely in his personalistic
view of the universe (Timbreza 2002). In his personalistic view of the world, the Filipino seems
to signify that ultimately in life, we have to reckon not only with nature and human nature,
but also with cosmic presences or spirits, seen to be the ultimate origin to the problem of evil.
Bathala is not an impersonal entity but rather a personal being that keeps the balance in the
universe. Unlike the Indian and the Chinese, a human being can forge some personal
relationships with this deity because Bathala is endowed with personality. The Filipino puts
his entire trust in this Bathala who has evolved into the Christian God (Mercado 2000). The
Filipino subconsciously accepts the bahala na attitude as a part of life. Bahala na literally
means to leave everything to God who is Bathala in the vernacular. The bahala na philosophy
puts complete trust in the Divine Providence; it contains the element of resignation. Thus, the
Filipino accepts beforehand whatever the outcome of his problem might be (Mercado 2000).
Bahala na (come what may) nonetheless, is one of the most outstanding Filipino virtues. It is
in one aspect perceived as courage to take risks. For instance, it could be accounted that not
only poverty but also because of bahala na why millions of Filipinos are working abroad in
complicated and high-risk environment and places. From war-torn to besiege countries,
Filipinos will risk their lives just to be able to support their families back home. Bahala na, on
the other hand, is seen as fatalistic; sort of leaving everything to God or to chance-such is the
uncertainty of life. On the other hand, fatalism is universal. The will of God/Allah, tao to the
Chinese, rta to the Indians and fate in Buddhism-all signify, in one way or another, fatalism.
4. Filipino Thought and Values: Positive and Negative Aspects
It is believed, however, that the Philippine values and system, in line with Filipino philosophy,
are in dire need to be used as positive motivation. Beyond his family group, the Filipino sees
 himself belonging to a small, primary group in a dyadic, pyramidal fashion. In other words, he
does not identify horizontally with his class that cuts across the whole community but
vertically with its authority figures distinguished by their wealth, power, and age. He receives
protection and other favors from above and should be ready to do the same toward his ties
below. Reciprocating debts of gratitude between coordinates and subordinates holds the
whole group together-superordinate and subordinate (utang na loob).
However, as we consider our duty, it should not be bounded by utang na loob (indebtedness
to patrons) but to help to uplift the life not only of one's own family (micro perspective) but
of others as well (macro perspective). The Filipino gives great value to endurance and hard
work as means to economic self-sufficiency. This self-sufficiency refers not to individual self,
but to the family to which one owes a special debt of gratitude for having brought him life and
nurtured him.
In this vein, we should stress other positive Filipino values such as bayanihan or helping others
in times of need. Bayanihan is another moving spirit of the Filipino people. Deep down in the
Filipino psyche, there exists the belief that whatever good one has done will redound to one's
benefit because a Supreme Judge will dispense just compensation whether in this life or in the
next (Mercado 2000). In short, despite the Western imposition of dualism, Filipino philosophy
should continue to strive for harmony with nature and the absolute.
Whether an indigenous philosophy or mere sociological values, it depends on one's definition
of philosophy. Hence, in the Philippine context, it is always so difficult to determine the place
of philosophy in the formal or institutional educational structure of the country that a
distinction is called for. Filipinos may not be able to formulate or articulate this philosophy but
it is nonetheless evident in all their transactions and in their everyday existence. This
indigenous philosophy may be said to be an elan or a spirit that permeates the Filipino as
Filipino, and without which, he feels certain dissatisfaction.
There was a consensus that Asia, being the seat of the world's oldest civilizations, does have
a philosophical character all on its own but that it will not surface unless local philosophers
dig to the roots of their own indigenous culture (Gripaldo 2000). The nationalist challenge is
still relevant today. In this vein, Gripaldo (2000) believes four important items to be
considered:

1. replacing colonial consciousness with a nationalist consciousness thereby doing away with colonial
and crab mentality;

2. creation of super industrial society;

3. utilization of education as the means of realizing the image of the future as super industrial society
and;

4. choosing not just for one's self but for all humanity, for the nation as a whole.

Eventually, Gripaldo argues that once economically strong, the Philippines will transcend nationalism
to internationalism. This action is one step toward globalism where economic choices to be made are
choices not for oneself but for humanity,

Rolando Gripaldo

Florentino Timbreza

Fr. Leonardo Mercado

Philosophy: Transcending and Aiming for a Life of Abundance

Abundance comes from the Latin term, "abundare" (Aguilar 2010) meaning, "to overflow nonstop." In
Aguilar's The Gift of Abundance, abundance was given a new spiritual, even Buddhist paradigm.
Abundance is out flowing than incoming. It is not about amassing material things or people but our
relationship with others, ourselves, and with nature. Aquilar (2010) asserts that our very life belongs
to God.
Abundance is not what we gather but what we scatter. Often, abundance is equated with materialism,
but it is when we raise our empty hands and surrender, when we do not grab, when we are unattached
to anything or anyone, when we offer oneself-all these are abundance. Only if we have empty hands
can we receive full blessings.

Abundance is not what we keep but what we give away. To live an abundant life, one must pursue
one's desires and inner self. One must go after what fulfills, before making more money. It is truly

paradoxical because to be able to have, we must first let go. To be able to acquire, we must first control
ourselves. Aguilar (2010) believes that to be abundant, we must learn to control our appetites and
desires, for they have impact on other people. Harsh words, pollution, and eating unhealthy foods are
some examples where our choices influence or affect not only ourselves but others as well. In other
words, there is karma in our thoughts, words, and actions.

Abundance is not what we hold but what we share. Undoubtedly, money counts in our globalized
society .However, Aguilar (2010) reminds us that money should not matter much, for every moment

is a blessing, even if one does not have money. Abundance comes to the one who has money and
heart, money and values, money and relationships, money and deeper happiness. The author agrees
with Aguilar's claim that abundance is more than our ambitions; there are more precious things such

as people that matter. When the author was deciding in pursuing her PhD, she realized that

with her decision, she may not necessarily become rich. However, with her genuine interęst in the
course, she decided to finish the course. Blessings came from her choice. She was able to write two
books; one regarding philosophy and the other on globalization and technology. Further, she was able
to share her genuine love and interest to teaching and philosophy with others.

Abundance is a choice.

The author also realized that in pursuing her dreams, there are people who can be negative regarding
her efforts and successes. Negative thought Tnue motions, and people should be avoided. As we aspire
for our dreams, we should try our best to be positive in our thoughts, motives, and efforts. A friend
once said that when we look down, we only see our misfortunes but when we look up. We realize that
we are more fortunate than others. Abundance is more of an effort of the heart than mind alone
(Aguilar 2010)

For Aguilar, to achieve, one must commit. However, Aguilar theorizes that onl the heart can commit.
Abundance, therefore, is a choice which translates to commitment, determination, and perseverance.
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne offers a similar idea, which claims that we have our dreams, and
regardless of who we are, the universe will answer our wishes, According to "The Secret", our dreams
come true because we attract them. We achieve our dreams if we cooperate with the Power of
Dreams Himself or God.

God will grant our wishes in his due time. Abundance is to evolve into a higher being. It becomes clear
that the concept of abundance covers both external and internal life. We cannot truly live without
material considerations, but externals are not all there are; values, for instance, matter.

Thus, to live in abundance means evolving to a higher being in following one's mission; a deliberate or
conscious desire to act upon what can make us and others happy. As we are bombarded by negative
people and moods, it becomes our choice to adopt an abundant disposition.

EVALUATION:

Tracking and Analyzing Your Purpose

Draw a timeline. This exercise aims to examine the wackiest and worst times; in search

of the meaning behind your life. This can help you identify more skillfully the kinds of

activities, conditions, locations, and people combinations where your purpose is well
served and where it is abused. Consider your childhood, formal education experiences,

and others. During these times, you experienced very poor results and very strong

dissatisfaction. If you learn something new about your purpose, make a note of it.

HAPPIEST TIME. WORST TIME

List the activities, people, List the activities, people, locations

Locations, and conditions in. and conditions in your life when you felt

Your life you were most happy. Dissatisfied.

What did you learn about your. What did you learn about your

Purpose? Purpose?

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

1.4 Philosophical Reflections

This section will emphasize the students’ application of reflection based on a holistic perspective.
Doing a philosophical reflection based on concrete situation from a holistic perspective could be done
through debate, discussions, essays, and other activities. These reflections will further develop the
analytical skills of students, especially for evaluating arguments.

Consider the writing assignment in the Proposed Activities below. Students should always consider an
agreeable thesis. Support evidence regarding critical claim/s. They should express reasons in support
of a claim/s (e.g., why an act is morally "right" or "wrong").
GENERALIZATIONS:

After learning from the views of the meanings and its branches, write your own short reflection
regarding on how philosophy use in making reasons and decision in your daily life.

1. Define philosophy. Explain what is unique about philosophical

thought.

2. Do you think philosophy is important in the age of globalization? Why

or why not? As a student, how can you live a life of abundance? Give examples.

Congratulations!

You have successfully completed this module. Your hard work and determination will make your
dreams materialize. Keep it up!

God bless and keep safe!

Answer Key:

Pretest Activity – Answers may vary

Evaluation – Answers may vary

Generalization – Answers may vary

References:

Ramos, C.C. PhD (2016)

Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person (First Ed) 856 Nicanor Reyes Sr. St., Sampaloc, Manila,
Ph. Rex Book Store, Inc. PP.