Philosophy is everybodys business.

Our lives are lived in accordance with the beliefs and principles we
adhere to. And these are products of thought and reflection. We question, argue, defend and act
accordingly.
Philosophy sharpens the mind of the student taking up other disciplines. While he learns the skill of his
discipline, philosophy helps him to understand its why. For instance a student in business should not
only learn the skill of gaining profits but also understand the value of money in relation to the self and
human society.
Philosophy enables us to clarify issues, to discern the better option and to make a good reasoned
decision, as in such issues like our career, choice of vocation, moral, ethical and religious issues.
Philosophy enriches our lives. It opens new vistas and helps us experience new dimension in our lives.
It helps us integrate our thoughts, feelings and actions into a reasonable, coherent and meaningful
synthesis.
Philosophy sets us free from unexamined convictions. It enhances our understanding of our
convictions and even change them if found false and wanting. Philosophy is a potent force. It deals
with ideas that have continually shape the world.
Philosophy is quest for wisdom, which means not only accumulation of knowledge, but also
transformation of ones mode of being and life. It guides the human to have the grasp of
himself/herself, fellow human beings and the world. It mission then is to transform people into
responsible agents of change with a passionate response against injustice and unfreedom tempered by
reasoned efficacious actions.
Finally, in philosophy, we study values expressed in words. But these are not mere words, because
they are words to live by
This course examines Mans search for meaning within the totality of his Phenomenological
experiences, using various existentialist writings as the point of departure for personal reflections. The
discussion revolves around the triadic structures of his phenomenological experience: his relationship
with himself, with others and with the Absolute Thou.
At the end of the course, the students are able to/are expected to:
1.

Awaken within the students a sense of philosophical wonder.

2.

Develop an awareness of the need for critical and reflective thinking.

3.

Helps students gain a deeper understanding of themselves as individual human persons and as
members of the society.

t. Sometimes, the entire task of an assignment will be simply to explain an

argument originated by somebody else, rather than to provide an argument for your
own thesis
: stick to explaining only the details that are essential to the authors argument for
the particular thesis and to your own argument for your thesis.
Also take care to clearly indicate when you are speaking in your own voice, and
when you are explicating someone elses argument or point of view but not yourself
advocating it.

Dont try to write a philosophy paper from scratch, from beginning to end: you must
leave plenty of time to plan things out first. Think about the assigned topic for a
while, and figure out a possible thesis and a rough argument for it in your head. If
youre finding this hard, start writing rough sketches of relevant ideas. Youll throw a
lot of this material away later, but the act of writing can help you to think things
through. When youre ready, begin to develop a master outline on paper. Your
outline should show your thesis and your argument in abbreviated form but with
maximal logical clarity; try to use one line for each logical step of your argument.
Make sure it includes potential objections and replies, using just a couple of lines for
each.

A philosophy is a system of beliefs about reality. It is one's integrated view of the

world. It includes an understanding of the nature of existence, man, and his role in the
world. Philosophy is the foundation of knowledge. It is the standard by which ideas
are integrated and understood.
Philosophy is a necessary product of man's rational mind. To live, man must gain
knowledge of the world. To understand the world, man must form conclusions about
its very nature. For instance, to gain knowledge of particular objects, man must
recognize that objects have identity. He must recognize that conclusions are possible
because the world does exist, and exists in a particular way.
Philosophy provides the framework for which man can understand the world. It
provides the premises by which man can discover truth, and use his mind to support
his life. Every man has an understanding of the world. Every man must have a
philosophy, even if it is never made explicit.