Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person

Albert M. Pallaya
Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2016-2017
Week 1
Caveat: This is a philosophical undertaking; everything you hear, see and experience is
a product of an academic exercise. You are hereby task to handle them scholarly.
Research and advance reading is highly recommended. Not everything dicussed inside
the classroom is detailed here.
1. Defining Philosophy
a. Nominal definition: (Greek term coined by Pythagoras)
i. Love of wisdom
1. Philein: to love
a. St. Thomas Aquinas
i. Amor Concupisentia (desiring love)
ii. Amor Benevolentia (well-wishing love)
2. Sophia: wisdom
a. To know what is right and doing what is right.
b. Real definition:
i. Search for meaning
1. Pursuit for meaning
2. Quest for meaning
3. Search is no ordinary search
a. The object is of value to the subject
b. The search consumes the person (subject)
c. It is continued without let-up until the Truth is found
c. The science of all things naturally knowable to mans unaided power in so
far as they are studied in their deepest causes and reason.
i. Science
1. Is the of all sciences
2. It is a science but not greater than any sciences
ii. All things
1. No limits to a particular subject
iii. Naturally knowable
1. The natural capacity to think
iv. Mans unaided power
1. Reason
2. Mere observation
v. Causes and reason
1. Cause
a. In what way does it contributes to the existence of a thing
i. Material- out of which something is made

Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person

Albert M. Pallaya
ii. Formal
- through which something is made
iii. Efficient- by which something is made
iv. Final on the account of which something is made
d. Philosophy is a thinking mode or a method which asks questions about the
nature and essence of various realities appearing on our earth
2. Nature of Philosophy
a. Origin:
i. Curiosity/ WONDER
ii. Philosophy begins in wonder (Plato)
b. Subject matter:
i. Truth about reality
ii. It is the art of thinking rationally and systematically of reality as a
whole.
c. Philosophical Problems:
d. Universal in nature such as: What is knowledge? What is world? Who has
created this world? Is there a God? Who am I? What is the aim of my life?
Why should I live? What is the purpose of the world?
e. Philosophical questions that plays a role in enquiry:
i. What is there?
1. Metaphysics
ii. What can be known?
1. Epistemology
iii. How should life be lived?
1. Ethics
iv. Aesthetics
1. What is good reasoning?
2. Epistemology
f. Philosophy concerns with questions such as:
i. What is the meaning of life and activity, freedom and love?.
ii. What does one speak about universe, man, God?
3. Defining Philosophy of man