Logic and Critical Thinking in Nursing 1

Introduction: Philosophy

PHILOSOPHY  Talks us into a decision, and

 The fundamental law of the land  Lures us to something
provides that all educational unthought-of
institutions must develop in their  Arguments form a real-life matrix,
students critical and creative the supreme software that drives our
thinking (Art. XIV, Sec. 3 (2), 1987 lives and,
Constitution).  Rhetoric serves as arguments
 Corollary (adjunct) to the mandate decoder.
of the state to “protect and promote  Philosophy give a comprehensive
the right of all citizens to quality answer to challenging problems and
education at all levels” (Art. XIV, bring a fresh spirit of urgency and
Sec. 1). optimism to philosophical inquiry.
 It begins not in certainty but in
CRITICAL THINKING doubt, not in judgment but in
 Involves analytical and synthetical questions.
judgment, and a process of  The role of philosophy is vital and
inference. indispensable in the achievement of
quality education through its tool,
A PROCESS OF INFERENCE “Logic”
 means a mental process whereby we  DARE TO KNOW THE TRUTH
pass from what we know (known) to  Ergo, students must examine
what we do not know (unknown). themselves in their totality as
 We pass mentally from the persons, as existent, knowing,
apprehension/knowledge of conscious beings, and to be critical
something given, to the of their dignity, the truth, freedom,
apprehensions of something related justice, love, the eschatology of life
to the given i.e. - inferential thinking and their otherness.
– from truths already known, the PHILOSOPHY
mind proceeds to the certain
knowledge/establishments of  Serves as:
another truth – any sequence of  a. framework for all knowledge
statements in which one is true or  b. its study is invaluable for
false; good or bad. acquiring the skill of critical
 Human beings tend not to be very thinking (mark of a well-
good at reasoning logically. educated person)
 It doesn’t come naturally to us.  c. it serves as way of integrating
 We make mistakes. knowledge
 Argument surrounds us:  The Etymological and Real
 It plays with our emotions definitions of Philosophy
 Changes our attitude  Purpose:
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Introduction: Philosophy

 To strengthen the philosophical  We call someone a philosopher

background of logic if he is one who is aiming at
 The term “Philosophy” was invented wisdom without necessarily
by Pythagoras, a Greek philosopher, achieving it.
who noted that there are three types
REAL DEFINITION
of man:
a. A lover of pleasure  Philosophy - real definition, is the
b. A lover of success, and science of all things by their first
c. A lover of wisdom (the superior causes as known in light of reason.
type)  Practically, it means to gaze or look
 According to Pythagoras, man could for something.
never perfectly possess a  Philosophically, it is more of a
comprehensive understanding of all pursuit or quest for the meaning of
that is meant by wisdom but only in something.
continuous and ardent pursuit of it.  It has the fundamental principles to
 ONLY GOD CAN BE CALLED understand the meaning.
WISE.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES IN
 We can only be lovers of wisdom;
THE DEFINITION OF
we can never be wise. PHILOSOPHY
ETYMOLOGICAL DEFINITION
 Philosophy comes from 2 Greek PHILOSOPHY AS SCIENCE
terms:
1. Philia (philein) meaning “to  Science comes from the Latin verb
love’ scire, meaning to know.
2. Sophia meaning “wisdom”  Science is scientific knowledge (not
 Therefore, Philosophy literally just any kind of knowledge)
means, “the love for wisdom".  Scientific knowledge is knowledge
 Philosophy, therefore, is a science of of causes of things
sciences of all that exist (of beings)  Someone has the science of
in their ultimate causes and something only if one has
principles through the help of human knowledge of its causes.
intellect  To advance one’s understanding, the
 It gives the impression of someone “why” of things must be addressed,
who is seeking wisdom, not who has not merely the “what”
found it.  Example:
 Example:  The “mere” knowledge that ice
 We would only call someone a is cold, and that stone is hard is
nurse if one had some not a science, but
knowledge about Nursing. But
Logic and Critical Thinking in Nursing 1
Introduction: Philosophy

 The knowledge “why” ice is body of knowledge which is not

cold and “why” stone is hard is only based on the ideas, theories,
science and hypothesis but on knowledge
 If we know only the fact, then that conforms to reality
we have mere knowledge of it,
PHILOSOPHY AS THE SCIENCE
but if we know the reasons for OF ALL THINGS (OF BEINGS)
the fact, then what we have is
scientific knowledge.  Philosophy is the study of the
 When a person knows the causes of nature of being and thinking,
things, one has attained certitude. specifically, of the human
 Certitude is the natural result of experience.
knowing not only the facts but also  Philosophy is a quest for knowledge,
their causes.  It is concerned with all things.
 Scientific knowledge must therefore  Utilize methodology and a
be certain. technique, based on logic and reason
 It is a certain knowledge that results and critical analysis of problems,
from an analysis of causes of things. both practical and hypothetical.
 Thus, philosophy is the science of
GUIDING PRINCIPLE all things
 It is impossible for any human  It is the science of all things.
science that is still developing to  Concrete, real and contingent things
arrive at certitude in its initial (thing that is not self-existent).
stage.  Not self-existent owes its existence
 Cognito per causa – “a knowledge to something other than itself
of things attained by an investigation  It is that which has its own cause for
of their causes” its existence
 Cognito per causa strictly applies  Philosophy concerns itself with
only to science in its perfect, full- not only that things are, but also
blown stage. why things are
 Philosophy is a science because it  Only GOD is “Self-existent)
seeks to acquire the knowledge of  GOD is considered a Necessary
the causes of things. Being;
 It does not rest on opinion or belief  One whose existence depends on
but pursues the causes of things itself.
 When philosophy reaches its final  Of beings, because it tells
stage and brings itself to everything that exists, or may exist,
perfection, it attains absolute or everything knowable.
certitude.  It is the highest synthesis of all
 ERGO!, Philosophy is a science of dealing with man, nature and of
sciences, because it is a systematic God.
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Introduction: Philosophy

PHILOSOPHY AS KNOWN IN  The medieval-scholastic definition

LIGHT OF REASON  Philosophy is “the science of the
 Philosophy is the science of all ultimate causes of things” which
things by their first causes known in implies scientific knowledge of
light of natural reason. causes of things
 Means: Philosophy seeks first  Goal: is to know these causes
causes of things as far as they can be with certitude
rationally established by human  In modern times definition
mind- unaided by Divine Revelation  Philosophy is “the study of the
 Philosophy is the science by which nature of being and thinking and
the natural light of reason studies the of the human experience.”
first causes or highest principles of  It is the science of all things:
all things – the science of things in concrete, real, contingent
their first causes realities, which are not subsistent
but owe their existence upon
TWO BRANCHES OF causes (Santiago,2002)
PHILOSOPHY THAT DEALS  The real definition:
WITH GOD
 Philosophy means search for
meaning.
 An attitude of life- that is, an
NATURAL THEOLOGY
(THEODICY) attitude and passion to ask the
“whys” of things
 studies God not by faith, but by
reason alone DIVISION OF PHILOSOPHY
 Natural Theology treats of  Philosophy is divided into types:
contingent beings as its principal
subject matter, and PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY
 Secondarily treats of God as the  Is that which seeks to produce by
first cause of the existence of these activity – the good of man.
contingent beings  Its object is the good.
REVEALED THEOLOGY (In relation to man)
 treats God not by reason, but by 1. Logic – (from the Greek word logos
faith means thought) is the science and art
 God is its principal subject matter, of correct thinking.
and  Questions raised are:
 Secondarily, contingent beings as
 What makes an argument valid or
His effects
invalid?
OTHER DEFINITION OF  What is a sound argument?
PHILOSOPHY
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Introduction: Philosophy

 What is the difference between  It addresses the fundamentals of

truth and validity? existence or reality such as the
2. Ethics – (from the Greek word ethos existence and nature of God,
means man’s will) Philosophical immortality of soul, means of
study of the morality of the human evil, the problem of freedom and
act that distinguishes good from evil determining the relationship of
and right from wrong. mind and body.
 Questions raised are:  Questions that Metaphysics deals
 Are there any objective standards are:
of right and wrong?  What is the ultimate reality?
 Are moral values absolute or  Is reality one or many different
relative? things?
3. Epistemology – (from the Greek  Can reality be grasped by the
word “episteme” means human senses or is it transcendent?
knowledge) Philosophical study of  What is a substance?
human knowledge with regard to  What are accidents?
value of thought 2. Rational Psychology – (from the
 Study of validity of human Greek word Psyche means soul)
knowledge study of the principles of living
 Questions that deals are: things, especially that of man being
 What is knowledge? with its soul.
 Is knowledge acquired 3. Theodicy – (from the Greek word
exclusively through the senses or theos/God) philosophical study of
by some other means? BEING (GOD) in its highest form.
 How do we know that what we  Questions it raises are:
perceive through our senses is  Does God exist?
correct?  What are the proof for God’s
existence?
SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY
 What is the problem of evil?
 Is that which exist solely for the  How do we reconcile the
sake of knowledge. existence of a benevolent God
 Its object is the truth. and the unmerited misery in the
1. Metaphysics – (from the Greek word world?
meta-ta-fusica) means something 4. Cosmology (the science of the
that goes beyond or philosophical universe) from the Greek word
study of being in its most general Xoomoo/Cosmos plus
form. hooyoo/logos) means study of being
 The studies of what cannot be in the nonliving world.
reached through objective  Is a science of how the universe
studies of material reality. started and how it is structured
Logic and Critical Thinking in Nursing 1
Introduction: Philosophy

 Questions are:
 What are space and time?
 How is the world related to
human beings?
 Is the world created or has it
been existing from all eternity?
METHOD OF PHILOSOPHY
 Philosophy accomplishes knowledge
of the world by means of human
reason, a method used in inquiring
about the nature of things.
CLINICAL ALERT
 Even Philosophy is a product of
reason; it is not a creature of
dangerous rationalism because
reason is an integral part of man’s
makeup.
OBJECTIVE AND GOAL OF
PHILOSOPHY
 Objective of Philosophy – is to
know the totality of reality and
investigates the basic causes of all
things.
 Goal – philosophy aims not this
truth, or that truth, my truth or your
truth, but “The Truth” (called
“Transcendent truth”)