A Transition in the Mode of Thinking

by Wys So

“Philosophy begins in wonder. And at the end, when philosophic thought has done its best, the wonder remains. There have been added, however, some grasp of the immensity of things, some purification of emotion by understanding.”                                                                                  

– A. N. Whitehead, Modes of Thought

PH101 is perhaps the most inspiring course that I have taken so far throughout my student life. Unlike any other courses, philosophy is so useful and applicable to my life. It has the power to change my way of living, or rather the way of thinking. After spending a semester dealing with Dr. Garcia and Sir Earl, dealing with their lectures on philosophy, and also with my own thoughts, my own reflections, I have come to a conclusion that philosophy transformed me from a broken individual to a more authentic one. I have learned to reflect upon myself the concept of a broken world, and the meaning of being and existence. I have also learned how to see things differently, how to think more critically, and how to act like a ‘B’eing.
In the first day of my Theology 131 class, I was being asked by my prof “Why do I exist?”

If it’s the “I” before PH101, I would probably be astonished and stunned in front of the question, thinking about the most practical and acceptable answers such as “I exist to graduate in college” and “I exist to be a successful business man”; or the most amusing answer such as “I exist because of you” or “I exist to eat banana split.” Perhaps I would find myself lost in the question, and trying to recall all the concepts that I’ve learned in biology, chemistry, psychology, physics, etc. but still couldn’t answer even a single word.
 
Out of my wonder, I did have a answer to this question. The “I” after PH101 answered it. “I exist to learn, to experience life, to dwell and solve different kinds of problems. I exist for others and with others.”  This is my answer, and I know what I am talking about.

For me, it is the matter of perspective that has changed in me after taking PH101. I start doing my part to be a less individualistic individual. I start to look at the problems in a different way. I try to think in a different setting. Perhaps the most important thing my philosophy has helped me so far is not to take things for granted, to improve our way of thinking, and to accept, to appreciate people and things more for what they are.


I have learned and gained a lot of insights from PH101, and I am expecting to learn more in my PH102 journey.

Going Beyond The Unknown

by Chessy Luna


2 August 2012


Discussed text: Gabriel Marcel, "Introduction," The Mystery of Being


“To gain insight, we must be there to know more and face the experience or what is unknown.”

An important aspect of gaining insight through experience is thinking. In philosophy, thinking is important in order to understand, rationalize, and appreciate situations we experience daily. In the discussions of Dr. Garcia, two types of thinking were analyzed. The first type talks about subjectivity or personal thinking. This type of thinking varies and depends on a person’s values, beliefs, attitudes, feelings, and the like. It is private and can be experienced by any subject. On the other hand, the second type of thinking discusses objectivity or abstract thinking. Unlike the first one, this way of thinking is universal. It is universal in a scientific way, tackling arguments on history, biology, chemistry, and the like. This approach is more general and seeks to describe mind-independent realities.

Philosophy cannot be generalized into just a single way of thinking but rather, is a combination of both ideologies. There exists an intermediary way of thinking between the two types. It is subjective and at the same time universal. Three levels make up this way of thinking: Art, Religion, and Politics, respectively. In understanding the connection of subjectivity and objectivity better, the first level of intermediary thinking will be discussed.

Art is a form of experience that does not only occur in an individual sense but also universally. Human beings can have varying perceptions on different artworks, yet still maintain the universal insight the artist intended for it to encompass. The experiences we go through when appreciating and viewing art are usually not quantifiable and verifiable but are very real.

A recent experience I had in relation to the ideologies discussed occurred when Dr. Garcia asked us to visit The Ateneo Art Gallery. I visited the gallery before but it was the first time I really took the time to analyze and reflect on the paintings and structures displayed. A particular painting that caught my attention was a creation by Marciano Galang. From a far, it looked like a chaotic and cluttered piece of art. But as I approached the piece, I saw the intricate and realistic details plastered on the canvas. I was a bit disturbed because I did not expect to see the things before me. What seemed like burnt objects, such as shoes, a wallet, a can, and the like, were strategically displayed on the canvas. I read the description beside the artwork and saw that the painting was entitled “Cavite.” Different theories started formulating in my mind on what might have occurred in the production of the artwork. The personal insights and observations I had could be classified as subjectivism, a personal way of thinking. On the other hand, the objectivism or abstract thinking in this situation was the fact that the artist had his own perception or background on why and how he created this piece. A universal truth is preserved by accepting the fact that the artist has his own voice as well as inspiration for creating such an intricate piece of artwork.

Experiences we go through can be categorized into two kinds: grasping and being grasped/gripped. Grasping is a metaphor used in techniques. Techniques talk about a group of procedures that are capable of being taught and reproduced to achieve a concrete goal by manipulating physical and mental factors. We view knowledge as way of grasping – a manipulative approach which has a series of steps or instructions. On the other hand, being grasped is an experience of something gripping us from outside which we cannot put into numbers but is real. It is an experience of metaphysical unease, a discomfort at a more spiritual level. It asks fundamental questions that go beyond us: “Is there something before me?” or “What is life?”

In experiencing something, one must not only settle on grasping alone but also on being grasped. It is not enough that we just focus on the technical or practical aspects of life. We must also take the time to allow ourselves to be grasped or gripped. After all, it is through being grasped that we grow as human beings and go beyond ourselves. Not all of human reality is quantifiable. There exists an inner intellectual need that we must undergo in order to experience a greater reality that awaits us.