Introduction to the Philosophy of

the Human Person

Lesson 1: DOING PHILOSOPHY

November 4 - 8, 2019

Patricia Jane S. Arnedo 

Teacher III
Pasig City Science High School
FIRST DAY
Specific Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the learners
will be able to:
• Differentiate Holistic from a Partial point
of view.
• Discuss the difference between Science
and Philosophy.
• Write a reflection on what does it mean
to become a person using the Primary
and Secondary reflection of Gabriel
Marcel.
Essential Questions:

1. What is Philosophy?
2. What is the value of doing
Philosophy?
3. What does it mean to ask
questions?
Activity No. 1: The Story of the 5
Blind Men and the Elephant
Activity No. 1: The Story of the 5 Blind
Men and the Elephant

Once upon a time, there lived five blind

men in a village. One day the villagers told
them, “Hey, there is an elephant in the
village today.” These men had no idea what
an elephant was, and their curiosity
compelled them to go examine the
creature.  Without sight, they used their
sense of touch to determine its
nature. “Hey, the elephant is like a pillar,”
said the first man who touched his
Activity No. 1: The Story of the 5 Blind
Men and the Elephant

leg. “Oh, no! It is like a rope,” said the

second man who touched the tail. “Oh, no!
It is like a thick branch of a tree,” said the
third man who touched the trunk of the
elephant. “It is like a big hand fan,” said the
fourth man who touched the ear of the
elephant. “It is like a huge wall,” said the
fifth man who touched the side of the
elephant.
Activity No. 1: The Story of the 5 Blind
Men and the Elephant

Frustrated with their differences, they

began to argue about the elephant and
every one of them insisted that he was
right. It looked like they were getting
agitated.

A wise man was passing by and he saw this.

He stopped and asked them, “What is the
matter?”
Activity No. 1: The Story of the 5 Blind
Men and the Elephant
They said, “We cannot agree to what the
elephant is like.” Each one of them told
what he thought the elephant was like.

The wise man calmly explained to them,

“All of you are right. The reason every one
of you is telling it differently because each
one of you touched the different part of the
elephant. So, actually the elephant has all
those features that you all said.”
Guide Questions:

1. Why did the blind men start to

argue?

2. How did each of the blind men

make an inference about the
elephant?
Guide Questions:

3. What does the author mean when

he said, "All of you are right. The
reason every one of you is telling it
differently because each one of
you touched the different part of
the elephant. So, actually the
elephant has all those features
that you all said.”
Think Over:

 There are three things that will help

us differentiate between the
Holistic and Partial point of view:
First, there is Science and
Philosophy. Second, the
Marcelian reflection. Third, the
difference between shadows and
reality from Plato’s Allegory of
the Cave.
Think Over:

Science and Philosophy:

 Humans have sense experiences (five

basic senses). But Sense perception is
limited. Our senses can be deceived and
therefore not reliable. We have to go
beyond our senses in order to see the
whole reality. PHILOSOPHY is the one
that can see the HOLISTIC
perspective of life.
Think Over:

Science and Philosophy:

 The purpose of Philosophy is to have a

whole picture of the whole universe that
is to have a complete worldview.
Philosophy is different from Science;
Science emphasizes ONLY a
particular aspect of the reality.
Think Over:

Science and Philosophy:

 Science is the empirical study of the

world. Science is investigative. It must
investigate. This means it is able to
describe the facts. It gives us
knowledge of the facts. It must observe
or get new data. Science is very
important.
Think Over:

Science and Philosophy:

 But Science cannot answer everything

in this world. We cannot prove the
existence of God through the
scientific method. It cannot tell us
what happiness is and  what we must
do in order to achieve it.
Think Over:

Science and Philosophy:

 Science cannot tell us how to live

a moral life, it cannot tell us what
man’s duties are, or what is right
and wrong. In short, Science cannot
solve an ethical problem. It looks at
reality partially.
Think Over:
Gabriel Marcel’s Primary and
Secondary Reflection
 Philosophy is reflective. We reflect based
on our own experiences. Our experiences
become rich when we reflect on them and
share it to others. Science looks at man, only
on its material point of view. This is what
Marcel calls as the primary reflection,
which compartmentalizes, analyzes and
divides a certain whole.
Think Over:
Gabriel Marcel’s Primary and
Secondary Reflection

 Primary reflection reaches its highest

form in Science and Technology since it is
the foundation of scientific
knowledge. Primary reflection sees
persons not according to their being
but as something associated with
predicates.
Think Over:
Gabriel Marcel’s Primary and
Secondary Reflection

 Here, man is viewed as an object; the body

of man is studied by Medicine, Anatomy,
Physiology and other Sciences. In these
sciences, man’s body becomes an object of
observation and experimentation.
Human life cannot be viewed only on its
biological functioning of organs. Human
life is beyond breathing and beating of the
heart.
Think Over:
Gabriel Marcel’s Primary and
Secondary Reflection

 The Marcelian concept of Secondary

reflection goes beyond the usual
customary experience of the phenomenon,
the body which we have a concrete
experience of. Secondary reflection
escapes analysis. This is what we mean
by having a Holistic perspective of man.
Think Over:
Gabriel Marcel’s Primary and
Secondary Reflection

 Science analyzes man while Philosophy

synthesizes man. It unifies man, just like
joining all the puzzles to establish a
complete picture of reality. The Secondary
reflection looks on man not only
through his predicates, but on his
whole being, the totality of his being as
a person.
Think Over:
Gabriel Marcel’s Primary and
Secondary Reflection

 Now in our daily lives, what we have to do

is a kind of PARADIGM-SHIFT, from the
narrow PARTIAL perspective to a
holistic view of life, and this is what
Philosophy is all about.
Think Over:

PLATO’S ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE

 In Plato’s allegory of the cave, the

prisoners only see a limited and a
narrow reality. They think that the
shadows are the reality, but it is not.
This is what we mean by partial
perspective. 
Think Over:

PLATO’S ALLEGORY OF THE

CAVE

 The holistic perspective is the real

objects found outside the cave.
Freedom occurs when we are able to
see the truth and not the mere
appearances of objects. That is why
it has been said that truth is
freedom and the truth will set us
free.
Activity No. 2: Science and
Philosophy

Provide at least 3 responses for each

column.
How do Science view How do Philosophy
Man? view Man?
1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.
Activity No. 3: Who Am I?

Answer the question “WHO AM I?”

using the Primary and Secondary
reflection of Gabriel Marcel. 
A Quote to Ponder on:

"It is all about how we see things

and how we look at the world.
Most of us will look at a picture in
a different way but it is amazing
when we change our perspective
of the world."
Evaluation:

Discuss/differentiate the following:

1. Holistic from a Partial point of

view
2. Science and Philosophy
SECOND DAY
Specific Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the
learners will be able to:
• Identify things or events that they
want to thank and apologize for.
• Examine personal experiences to be
thankful for and to change/ apologize
for.
• Write a letter of gratitude/ apology to
their parent(s).
Essential Questions:

1. What is Philosophy?
2. What is the value of doing
Philosophy?
3. What does it mean to ask
questions?
 Activity No. 4: What Should I Be
Thankful For?
1. Allot ten minutes for this task.
2. Find a quiet place inside the
classroom. 
3. Take a trip down memory lane – in
your _____ years of existence, think of
the people you met, talked to, and sat
down with. Remember everything you
said and did.
 Activity No. 4: What Should I Be
Thankful For?
4.  Answer the following questions:
a. What events from the past should
you be grateful for? Who should
you give thanks to and why?
b. Which of your past experiences do
you want to change or discontinue?
How are you going to do this?
c. Write your responses in your
notebook.
Guide Questions:

1. Why are you thankful?

2. Why do you want to change/
discontinue certain experiences
in your life?
3. What is the importance of
having the space and time for
self-reflection and evaluation?
Think Over:

Kayamanang maituturing ang

mga sandaling maaari kang
tumigil at magmuni-muni.  Bakit?
Dahil bihira ang ganitong mga
pagkakataon. Kaya’t ang taong
may panahon para magmuni-
muni ay masasabing mayaman
—mayaman sa oras, mayaman sa
mga kaibigang kasama sa
paggawa ng mga tungkulin, at
mayaman sa espasyo.
Think Over:

Tanong: Ano pa nga ba ang

higit na kailangan ng tao
ngayon liban sa pagkain,
salapi at materyal na
bagay? 
Think Over:

Dito papasok ang kahalagahan

ng Pilosopiya. Nagtatanong at
nagmumuni na siya na mayroon
pang mas mahalaga.  
• Sino ba ako?  
• Bakit ako nandito?  
• Ano pa ang dapat kong gawin dahil
para bang may kulang pa sa aking
buhay?  
Think Over:

Naghahanap ako ng kabuluhan

at kahulugan sa buhay bukod sa
aking maraming gawaing pinag-
kakaabalahan sa araw-araw.  

Ito ang panimula ng

personal na 
pamimilosopiya.
Think Over:

Ang dinaragdag ng
pilosopiya sa buhay:
ginagawa nitong
mangyari ang karanasan.
Think Over:
Nangyayari ang karanasan hindi
lamang dahil sa pisikal na ginagawa
ng tao kundi dahil din sa mga hindi
pisikal niyang ginagawa.  
• Nagtatakda siya ng layunin (set
goals), nangangarap (dream).  
• Tinatasa (evaluate) niya ang
kaniyang mga nagawa. 
• Nagmumuni siya. (reflect)
Think Over:

Ang mga ito ang nagbibigay-ugat at

tunguhin sa lahat ng kaniyang
ginagawa.
Ang mga ito ang tumutulak sa kaniya
upang gumising sa umaga at
magsimula muli.  Ito ang inaabangan
niya sa maghapong pagpapagal na
nagsisilang sa kaniya ng mga salitang
SALAMAT at PATAWAD. 
Activity No. 5: Letter of
Gratitude/ Apology

1. Write a letter of gratitude/

apology to your parent(s).
2. Do this in your notebook.
3. Let your parent(s) read and sign
your work.
A Quote to Ponder on:

"We need to find God, and he cannot

be found in noise and restlessness.
God is the friend of silence. See how
nature — trees, flowers, grass —
grows in silence; see the stars, the
moon and the sun, how they move in
silence. We need silence to be able to
touch souls." ~ Mother Teresa
Evaluation:

Explain briefly:

1. Why is Philosophy important?

2. What are the benefits of
having time for silence and
self-reflection?
THIRD DAY
Specific Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the
learners will be able to:
• Discuss the Socratic motto.
• Explain how Philosophy can help them
determine their purpose in life.
• Formulate and examine questions that
can be asked by a five-year-old.
Essential Questions:

1. What is Philosophy?
2. What is the value of doing
Philosophy?
3. What does it mean to ask
questions?
Activity No. 6: Kids Ask the Weirdest
Questions
1. In your notebook, write three
questions that can be asked by a
five-year-old.
2. Choose a partner and ask these
questions to him or her.
3. Let your partner answer your
questions.
Guide Questions:

1. Is it difficult to answer the

questions children often ask?
2. How would you feel if you were
asked these questions?
3. How can you stop a child from
asking questions?
Think Over:

• Philosophy comes from the

Greek word Philo and Sophia.
Philo means Love. Sophia
means Wisdom. Combining the
two words, we have love for
wisdom. Philosophers are
said to be lovers of wisdom.
Think Over:

• Pythagoras performed the activity of

philosophizing. According to him, there
were those who live life with one aim, to
become rich and wealthy. There were
those whose lives were lived only for the
purpose of becoming famous. But there
were also those people who were
considered part of the minority, but lived life
with one purpose in mind: to understand
and reflect what life is really all about,
that is TO LOVE WISDOM.
Think Over:

• The love of wisdom was very

evident in Socrates’ life. He chose
to die for the sake of that love. He
was accused of poisoning the minds
of young people in Athens simply
because of that infinite love and
desire for truth, for knowledge.
Think Over:
• To love wisdom is not to say that I
own wisdom. TO LOVE WISDOM IS
TO HAVE THAT INSATIABLE DESIRE
FOR TRUTH. What makes up a
philosopher is not the knowledge he
possesses, but rather, his eternal
desire for the truth which unceasingly
bothers him. Socrates was asked if he
knew everything. He answered, “I
know that I do not know.”
Think Over:
• The key is not the arrogance of thinking
that we know everything, but the
humility that every time we learn
something new; it should remind us that
there are certain things that we still do
not know. As the Socratic motto states,
“AN UNEXAMINED LIFE IS NOT
WORTH LIVING.” No one can become a
true philosopher without first examining
one’s life.
Think Over:
• What is the Starting point of
Philosophizing?
For the Greeks, it is WONDER or AWE. The
most important thing in Philosophy is that we
are able to reflect from our own activities. And
this has made some people as philosophers.
Observe a child, and you will discover that they
have so many questions about themselves,
because they are full of wonder and awe.
Unfortunately, this sense of wonder or awe dies
out when we grow old.
Activity No. 7: Para Kanino
Ka Bumabagon?

1. Watch the TV Advertisement:

Para Kanino Ka
Bumabangon?
2. Answer the following questions:
a. For whom do you wake up for
every day?
b. What do you think is your
true purpose in life?
A Quote to Ponder on:

“Mystery creates wonder and wonder

is the basis of man's desire to
understand.” ~ Neil Armstrong
Evaluation:

Explain briefly:

1. What does it mean to love

wisdom?
2. What was the starting point of
Philosophizing for the Greeks?
FOURTH DAY
Specific Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the
learners will be able to:
• Identify an issue, topic or a personal
problem and formulate questions in
relation to it.
• Explain the value of asking questions
in Philosophy.
• Write a Reflection Paper about the
important concepts of Lesson 1.
Essential Questions:

1. What is Philosophy?
2. What is the value of doing
Philosophy?
3. What does it mean to ask
questions?
Activity No. 8: My Never-Ending WHYs

1. Do you have an issue or topic you’ve been

thinking about? A personal problem,
perhaps?
2. Think of all the WHY questions in relation
to the issue/topic/problem.
3. Ask yourself why you ask this question.
What is the origin of the question? What are
your basic assumptions about the topic or
issue?
4. Write your questions and responses in your
notebook.
Guide Questions:
1. What did you discover with your
issue/topic/problem?
2. What is the root question of your
issue/topic/problem?
3. Why is it necessary to get to the
root question of your
issue/topic/problem?
Think Over:

• Philosophy encourages us to
examine our lives. By
becoming more aware of what
we believe in, we can challenge
our beliefs and change them.
Think Over:
• The act of questioning is the
starting point of Philosophy. We
must first challenge our views and
beliefs in order to achieve the truth.
Thinking philosophically also involves
studying the ideas of great thinkers.
We will develop our critical thinking
abilities while reading and
analyzing the ideas of exceptional
philosophers.
Think Over:
• What we “know” about reality may
not necessarily be how and what
reality is. There is a need to test and
check our knowledge.
• Questions are the best way to test
and check our knowledge, but
questions are overlooked,
misunderstood, and thought of as less
important than answers.
Think Over:

• There are questions that “move in a

line”, that have known answers or that
are asked with the specific aim of finding
answers. We can call this type of
questions, INQUIRIES.
• There are questions that “move in an
imperfect spiral” that goes deeper and
deeper, that do not have known
answers, or that are asked in the spirit
of openness and wonder. We can call
this type, QUESTIONS.
Think Over:
• More than an academic discipline,
Philosophy is also a way of existing
that is guided by a deliberate
appreciation and mindful awareness of
that very existence, made possible by
the openness and wonder of
questions.
• Philosophy is “unnecessary and
useless,” but only inasmuch as living
a human life is not all bout necessity
and use.
Think Over:

• Philosophy is an ever-present
reminder that you are human.
Activity No. 9: Reflection
Paper No. 1

Guide Questions:

1. What are some of the concepts from

Lesson 1: Doing Philosophy that
inspired you?
2. What are the insights/ realizations
that you gained from Lesson 1?
Activity No. 9: Reflection
Paper No. 1

Guide Questions:

3. Has anything changed with your

perspective in life? Explain your
answer.
4. What are the steps that you need to
take to apply these insights/
realizations in your life?
Evaluation:

Answer the Essential Questions:

1. What is Philosophy?
2. What is the value of doing
Philosophy?
3. What does it mean to ask
questions?
A Quote to Ponder on:

“I cannot teach anybody anything, I

can only make them think.” ~
Socrates