Reviewer in

(IPHP) • explores the nature and limitation of knowledge.

• definition of knowledge
• investigates how knowledge is obtained
• explores the relationship between belief, truth, and
INTRODUCTION knowledge
• question: “what is knowledge?” “how is knowledge
acquired?” “how do we know?”

➢ Major Schools of Thought in Acquiring

• Philosophy comes from the Greek word “philos”
Knowledge:
(love), and “sophia” (wisdom).
• rooted from sense of wonder Rationalism – real knowledge is based on logic, laws, etc.
• Philosophy is about life’s big questions. (What, Why,
How). “I think therefore I am.” – Rene Decartes
• seeks answers and truths. Empiricism – knowledge can be attained through senses.
• the need to philosophize is driven by the love of
wisdom. To love wisdom is to have an insatiable desire “Mind is like a tabula rasa.” – John Locke
for truth.
• studies human beings, society, religion, language,
God, and plants among other.
• study on the morality of human actions (goodness or
badness).

? seeks answers broadens

•

•
question: “how should we live?” “what is good and
evil?” “what is the best way to live?”
example: abortion, euthanasia
and truth your perspectives

by doing this, we are able to broaden our perspectives.

Broadening our perspectives means seeing situations in a • systematic principles of thinking rationally.
bigger picture and reducing our ignorance. • inferences are made by construction of arguments.
rules of logic determined which arguments are valid
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the and which are fallacies.
same river and he’s not the same man.” – Heraclitus

Heraclitus of Ephesus (530 BCE–470 BCE)

• one of the most important thinkers in history. • studies government and deals with questions of justice,
• known for his philosophy of change – everything is power, rights and obligations of citizens.
constantly changing • question: “how should government be organized?”
• “There is nothing permanent except change.” “what makes a government legitimate?”
• he proposed that philosophy is a tool that would help
understand the ever-changing world

• explores the nature of beauty, art, and taste with the

LESSON 1 creation and appreciation of beauty.
• question: “what is beauty?” “what is art?”

PHILOSOPHICAL FRAMES OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE WORLD

Ethics Epistemology Logic
Western Philosophy Greek
Political Philosophy Aesthetics Metaphysics
Eastern Philosophy Indian-Chinese

• explores the fundamental nature of reality and

being.
• existence, objects, properties, cause & effect
• question: “what is real?” “what is reality?”
 LESSON 2 • for him, the true wise person has the capacity to admit
that he really knows nothing at all.

Ancient Philosophy Modern Philosophy Plato (427 BCE–347 BCE)

Medieval Philosophy Postmodernism Philosophy • student of Socrates

• his teachings and writings were considered the
Western Philosophical Approach: foundation of western philosophy.
• knowledge is present in an individual’s spirit
• think more to attain a good life
• established the school, “The Academy”
❖ Pre-Socratic Philosophy (600–400 BCE) • notable for his Theory of Forms
• the world’s first philosophers
Plato’s Theory of Forms
• shifted from traditional mythological explanations to
natural law • everything that exists is based on an idea that can only
• question: “Where did everything came from?” be perceived in the mind; non-physical ideas are
eternal.
Pre-Socratic Philosophers
Two Forms of Reality, according to Plato:
“Everything is composed of water.” – Thales of Miletus
1. Ideal Form/World of Forms – Plato argued that
“Universe was formed out of chaos through the joining of beyond the physical world we perceive through our
atoms.” – Democritus senses lies a realm of perfect, eternal, and
“Everything could be explained through mathematical unchanging forms or ideas. These forms are the
theories and formula.” – Phythagoras ultimate reality and serve as the true essence or
blueprint of all things that exist in the material
“Everything is constantly changing.” – Heraclitus world. For example, there is a perfect form of a circle
that exists in the world of forms, and all imperfect
circles in the physical world are mere imitations or
❖ The 3 Most Famous Philosophers reflections of this perfect form. The World of Forms is
characterized by concepts such as beauty, justice,
Socrates Plato Aristotle goodness, truth, and equality, which are immutable
and independent of human perception.
Socrates (470 BCE–399 BCE) ➢ Think of this world like a place where all the perfect
versions of things exist. For example, there's a perfect idea of
• Founder of Western Philosophy a circle, which is perfectly round, and a perfect idea of
beauty, which is flawless. These perfect ideas are like
• the foremost philosopher of ancient times blueprints that everything in the other world tries to copy but
• left no writing can never quite match.

Socratic Method: 2. Truth Form/World of Matter – In contrast to the

Means of examining a topic by devising a series of questions world of forms, the world of matter is the physical
that let the learners examine and analyze his knowledge and realm we experience through our senses. This world is
views regarding the topic. characterized by imperfection, change, and
transience. According to Plato, the physical world is
Ultimate Goal of Socrates’ Philosophy: in a state of constant flux and is made up of imperfect
copies or imitations of the perfect forms found in the
World of Forms. For instance, the physical objects we
Attainment of Life being wise and virtuous encounter in our daily lives, such as tables, chairs, and
through acquisition of trees, are imperfect representations of their respective
knowledge, wisdom, forms in the World of Forms. Plato regarded the world
and virtue of matter as inferior to the world of forms because it is
subject to change and deception, whereas the forms are
“The unexamined life isn’t worth living.” – Socrates eternal and unchanging.
For us to attain a good life, one must know or understand ➢ Now, think of the world we live in as the one full of change
oneself and have a purpose for existence. and imperfections. It's like a place where things are always
shifting and nothing is ever quite as perfect as the ideas in
“Know thyself.”– Socrates the other world. For example, the circles we draw aren't
perfectly round, and the things we find beautiful might not
Socrates’ Trial and Death: be flawless.

• placed on trial for corrupting the minds of the youth. Relevance of Plato’s Philosophy:
• executed in 399 BCE – drank poison hemlock. ➢ we are able to find mathematical truths without
observation of the world.
 Aristotle (427 BCE–347 BCE)
• student of Plato
• his philosophy is a reaction to Plato’s philosophy.
• for him, all ideas and views are based on perception
and our reality is based on what we can sense or
perceive.
• argues that knowledge is based on experience.

Relevance of Aristotle’s Philosophy:

• greatly influenced the study of physical science

Goal of Aristotle’s Philosophy:

• “What makes people happy?”

• People must live in moderation by being virtuous.
• virtue is attained as a result of habit