Philosophy: Doing Philosophy and Methods of Philosophizing, Introduction to the

Philosophy of the Human Person

The Process of Doing Philosophy

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

 differentiate the meaning of philosophy as a body of knowledge and as an intellectual

activity,
 distinguish a holistic perspective from a partial point of view,
 recognize human activities that emanated from deliberate reflection,
 apply a philosophical reflection on a concrete situation from a holistic perspective, and
 realize the value of philosophy in obtaining a broad perspective in life.

In a few years, you will gain new experiences in life that you may have never dreamed of. Such
experiences may excite or challenge you, while some can make you rethink your life and decisions.

At your age, you may have already asked yourself important questions about your life that cannot be
directly answered through research or education, such as “What do I want?” or “What will make me
happy?”

If you have already asked yourself those big questions, then you have already engaged in
philosophy.

 What is Philosophy?
 Is it a way of life? Why or why not?
 How do you apply it in everyday life?
 Doing philosophy helps you think many things, including those that leave you confused or
without an acceptable answer. You can do philosophy by yourself, with a partner, or with a
group.
 The Meaning of Philosophy and Philosophy of the Human Person
 Philosophy, meaning "love of wisdom," is a science where reason and logic are used to
understand reality and answer questions of knowledge, morality, and human nature. It can
be described as either a body of knowledge or an intellectual activity.
 Philosophy as a body of knowledge provides methodologies and insights on how societal
questions, such as moral dilemmas of euthanasia or same-sex marriage, can be answered.
 On the other hand, philosophy as an intellectual activity is an analytic procedure of
addressing individual thought processes such as resolving conflict and confusion, testing
positions, and analyzing beliefs. In all instances, doing philosophy is prescribed by logic,
reason, and ethics leading to wisdom.
 Philosophy applied to human experience or everyday life denotes the use of philosophy as
an intellectual activity. Also known as philosophy in life, this concept is important because it
serves as the guiding principle on how one ought to live life.

Importance of Philosophical Reflection

Philosophical reflection is the process by which a person undergoes a reflective state or evaluates
his or her experiences first before making any related action. The use of philosophical reflection is
important as it enables thought to be looked into using a deeper, holistic perspective. In effect,
actions are directed towards greater sources of wisdom and truth.
Human Activities Emanated from Deliberate Reflection
In the process, one can learn more about himself or herself, including personal beliefs, ideals, or
values. Previous experiences may be seen as important aspects of making reflections because they
facilitate deeper thinking and understanding of the self. Aside from knowing the self, many other
activities also emanate from reflection.

Examples:

 learning from your previous mistakes and not repeating them again
 evaluating and knowing the best choice from a set of options
 gaining a holistic point of view first before making any conclusion

Meaning and Process of Doing Philosophy

Doing philosophy means engaging oneself in “matters of utility” and methodologies to eliminate any
practical problem or abstract idea.

In the process of doing philosophy, it is critical to have a holistic point of view—the perception of
looking at all aspects of a situation first before making a conclusion. Some other skills involved in
doing philosophy are critical, logical, and analytical thinking, observation, and communicative skills.

Holistic and Partial Points of View

Before engaging in philosophical inquiry, one must be able to distinguish between a holistic and
partial point of view. This is critical for anyone doing philosophy because it sets a limit in coming up
with conclusions about a given situation.

It is important to remember the following:

Looking at the characteristics of holistic and partial points of view, it can be concluded that using a
holistic perspective is more desirable in doing philosophy than using a partial perspective. Partial
points of view only promote limited knowledge on the situation. This leads to wrong conclusions.

Learning philosophy requires learning to look into all available perspectives and work on their
relationship to come up with sound, logical, and valid conclusions. In the process, doing philosophy
helps one to develop the skill of broadly looking at the situation first before concluding anything.

Importance of Doing Philosophy

Doing philosophy can be applied in day-to-day activities and life perspectives. Because it involves an
evaluative process, doing philosophy allows a person to make better decisions and act accordingly
to situations with the help of various philosophical skills.

Furthermore, on life perspectives, philosophy enables reflective thinking which greatly influences a
person’s view of life, challenges, and relationships. Doing philosophy directs how a person will
perceive these factors in life and how they will be faced.

In any setting, wisdom is always gained when philosophy is applied to formulate a conclusion about
a certain concern.

Explore!
Philosophy has opened doors for debates over many concerns such as the purpose of life, the
existence of good and evil, and the way to the truth. Even as a young student, you have already
been introduced to philosophy as a discipline. As you proceed to higher levels of your study, you will
encounter more philosophical issues that are more advanced and complicated to resolve. In your
perspective, what other issues may be dealt with using philosophy?

Try it!
You may already know that philosophy as a discipline has been present in society for centuries.
Different perspectives on various issues rose and were given defense by various philosophers. As a
student, think of a relevant issue faced by society nowadays. Look for at least two philosophical
theories that can explain your chosen topic. After reading on these views, make your decision on
which theory to side with based on the philosophical concepts you have learned from your readings.