Philosophy of Man with Logic and Critical Thinking 2016

Learning Module
Introduction to Philosophy
Philosophy of Man with Logic and Critical Thinking

This module will present the essential preliminaries in the study of

Philosophy. It will give the students a clear and comprehensive
outline of the definition and branches of Philosophy.

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. Define what is Philosophy: both in its etymological and real

definition;
2. Differentiate the different branches of Philosophy; and
3. Understand what is Critical Thinking and its importance.

Teaching Strategies/Learning Activities

Lecture
Class Discussion
Video Presentation

Resources/Materials
Books
Journal Articles
Internet Sources

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Learning Concept

I. Definitions of Philosophy:
Etymological Definition:

Pythagoras is the first one who coined (philosopho)

Philosophy came from the Greek word, philosophia, which is a compound of two
root words, philos and sophia:
o (philos)
(philein) Which means TO LOVE
o
(Sophia) Which means Wisdom
Literally, philosophy is then the LOVE OF WISDOM.

Formal Definition:

Philosophy is the science by which the natural light of reason studies the first causes or
highest principles of all things is, in other words, the science of things in their first causes,
in so far as these belong to the natural order. Jacques Maritain (Thomist) An Introduction
to Philosophy, 69

Philosophy for the three different primary civilizations:

Greeks Where am I? (Cosmo-centric)
E.g. Pre-Socratics (Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Heraclitus, Parmenides, etc.)
Socrates, Plato, Aristotle (Father of Science)
o From where does everything come?
o How do we explain the plurality of things found in nature?
o How might we describe nature mathematically or systematically?
o From what is everything created? (Primary substance Urstuff)
Thales stated that the primary substance was the water,
Anaximander an indefinite apeiron,
Anaximenes the air, Heraclitus an ever-living fire,
Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans an immortal and incorporeal
number,
Parmenides and the Eleatics an unchangeable and timeless Being,
Empedocles the four elements (fire, water, air and earth),
Anaxagoras a creative Mind
Leucippus and Democritus just atoms and void

India Who am I? (Egocentric)

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E.g. Hinduism, Buddha
o What am I composed of?
o Was I created? If I am a creation, who is the creator?
o What is life?
o What is the nature of reality which I perceive? Is it real or merely an
illusion?

China What am I? (Anthropocentric)

E.g. Lao Tzu (Daoism), Confucius, Mao
o What is the nature of the world we live in?
o What is the nature of man?
o What should we strive for?
o How can we live in harmony with each other?

Jews Why am I here? (A question that is more religious than philosophical,

because it deals with destiny or fate [teleology] rather than Reason.)

II. Branches of Philosophy:

1. Metaphysics The study of the fundamental nature of existence as such, and the
fundamental questions of reality, both of man and of the world.
Compare with:
Ontology The study of being and existence; of being as being. (A sub-field of metaphysics)
Meta means after; Meta-Physics means after physics.
2. Epistemology The study of the nature of knowledge.
3. Ethics The study of values and of human action.
Compare with: Morality The study of set codes and systems of conduct. (A sub-field of
ethics)
4. Aesthetics The study of the nature of art.
5. Logic The study of science and art of correct inferential reasoning.
It is very certain that, when it is not in our power to determine what is true, we ought to
act according to what is most probable. Ren Descartes, Part Three of Discourse on
Method
6. Philosophy of Man/Rational Psychology The study of the nature mankind, and the
good which he should strive for.
Man is a political/social animal Aristotle, Politics [1253a] [1]
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"Man is a rational animal - so at least I have been told. Throughout a long life, I have looked
diligently for evidence in favour of this statement, but so far I have not had the good
fortune to come across it, though I have searched in many countries spread over three
continents." Bertrand Russell, "An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish" In Unpopular Essays. p.
69.
7. Cosmology the study of the nature of the universe or the cosmos.
8. Theodicy the study the nature and attributes of God within the measure of human
reason.
III. Nature and Importance of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally about what to do or what
to believe. It includes the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking.
Someone with critical thinking skills is able to do the following :

understand the logical connections between ideas

identify, construct and evaluate arguments
detect inconsistencies and common mistakes in reasoning
solve problems systematically
identify the relevance and importance of ideas
reflect on the justification of one's own beliefs and values

Importance of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a domain-general thinking skill. The ability to think clearly
and rationally is important whatever we choose to do. If you work in education,
research, finance, management or the legal profession, then critical thinking is
obviously important. But critical thinking skills are not restricted to a particular
subject area. Being able to think well and solve problems systematically is an asset
for any career.
Critical thinking is very important in the new knowledge economy. The global
knowledge economy is driven by information and technology. One has to be able to
deal with changes quickly and effectively. The new economy places increasing
demands on flexible intellectual skills, and the ability to analyse information and
integrate diverse sources of knowledge in solving problems. Good critical thinking
promotes such thinking skills, and is very important in the fast-changing workplace.
Critical thinking enhances language and presentation skills. Thinking clearly
and systematically can improve the way we express our ideas. In learning how to
analyse the logical structure of texts, critical thinking also improves comprehension
abilities.

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Critical thinking promotes creativity. To come up with a creative solution to a

problem involves not just having new ideas. It must also be the case that the new
ideas being generated are useful and relevant to the task at hand. Critical thinking
plays a crucial role in evaluating new ideas, selecting the best ones and modifying
them if necessary
Critical thinking is crucial for self-reflection. In order to live a meaningful life and
to structure our lives accordingly, we need to justify and reflect on our values and
decisions. Critical thinking provides the tools for this process of self-evaluation.
Good critical thinking is the foundation of science and democracy. Science
requires the critical use of reason in experimentation and theory confirmation. The
proper functioning of a liberal democracy requires citizens who can think critically
about social issues to inform their judgments about proper governance and to
overcome biases and prejudice.

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Activities/Exercises
Activity1

Please answer the following question.

1. What do you think is the importance of Philosophy in your

everyday life?

2. Self-check: Given the following characteristics of a Critical

Thinker, can you say that you are one? Explain.

Self Test
Instructions: Choose the best answer for the following questions.

1. What does the word philosophy literally mean?

a. Pursuit of Knowledge
b. Love of Wisdom
c. Love of Knowledge
d. Study of all Things

2. The philosophical focus of the Greeks.

a. Cosmocentric
b. Anthropocentric
c. Egocentric
d. Pancentric
3. The philosophical focus of the Chinese.
a. Cosmocentric
b. Anthropocentric

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c. Egocentric
d. Pancentric

4. The branch of Philosophy which dealt with the nature of art.

a. Ontology
b. Metaphysics
c. Epistemology
d. Aesthetics

5. The branch of Philosophy which deals with the study of the

fundamental nature of existence and Being.
a. Metaphysics
b. Philosophy of Man
c. Epistemology
d. Aesthetics

6. The branch of Philosophy which studies the nature of

knowledge and its acquisition.
a. Ontology
b. Metaphysics
c. Epistemology
d. Logic

7. The branch of Philosophy which studies the nature and

attributes of God within the measure of human reason.
a. Ethics
b. Cosmology
c. Theodicy
d. Metaphysics

8. The branch of Philosophy which deals with the study of values

and human behavior.
a. Philosophy of Man
b. Morality
c. Ethics
d. Ontology

9. It is the ability to think clearly and rationally.

a. Logic
b. Philosophy
c. Critical Thinking

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10. He is the first one to coin the term philosophy.

a. Socrates
b. Aristotle
c. Plato
d. Pythagoras

References
Definition and Branches of Philosophy

Co, A. P. (1992). What is to Philosophize?. Philosophy of ancient China:

the blooming of a hundred flowers. Manila, Philippines: University of
Santo Tomas.
Maritain, Jacques. An Introduction to Philosophy. London: Sheed and
Ward. 1930.

Critical Thinking

Retrieve From

http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php