Introduction Flashcards
Definition
Is the systematic study of man from his ontological underpinnings
The study of man from the angle of his being
Method of PA
- PA is legitimately part of philosophy as it aims to make man known as he is.
- Human reality poses problems that reason by itself does not succeed in resolving.
- Philosophy intends to find a total, complete, conclusive response to who is man.
- PA proceeds from phenomena to the causes and intends to discover the ultimate reasons of the phenomena. (From action to the being of man)
- The soul cannot be explained by experimental anthropology but by PA.
Principal phases in PA
Cosmo centric
Theocentric
Anthropocentric
Cosmo centric
The Greeks philosophers studied man in the plane of nature , of the cosmos; for them man realizes himself only when he behaves according to the laws of nature.
Theocentric
Studied man from the perspective of God.
Man behaves correctly and reaches full realization of himself if he conforms to the law of God and takes God himself as his model
Background on which human activity develops is based on the history of salvation
Anthropocentric
In modern period that man is understood as supreme being and the measure of all things, and therefore there cannot be any scope wider than this one
Key philosophers in Cosmo centric
Plato: Man is essentially soul, spiritual and incorruptible soul and therefore certainly immortal; the should should be freed from the prison of the body.
Aristotle: Man is composed of soul and body
Soul is the form for man and superior to the body
Its corrupted by the death of the body
Key philosophers in theocentric
Augustine: Studied man with extraordinary passion
Soul is the place where God manifests himself clearly
Problems he explored included evil, sin, freedom , the person, self transcendence and origin of the soul
St. Thomas: Man is essentially composed of soul and body but the soul is not subordinate to the body; rather the body is subordinate to the soul; soul possesses being directly- i.e. has own act of being which takes body as participant
Soul is immortal
Key philosophers in Anthropocentric
Descartes Rene : man is the starting point for philosophizing.
David Hume: paints a picture of man as definitive individual
Comte: man as social being
Freud: man as a complex of instincts
Gehlen: man as anima that is not yet specialized
The way of philosophy
Philosophy is wisdom ; it is more the fruit of meditation than of study
It’s a personal conquest, which is transmitted to others more through example than through communication
The philosopher doesnot teach the truth, but suggests the way to discover it.
Approaches to study PA
Metaphysical POV
Phenomenological Point of View
Cultural POV
Faith and vision of man POV
Metaphysical POV
It is viewing man from his ontological underpinnings [i.e. what defines man as man]
It is a study of man from the point of view of his being.
Phenomenological Point of View
This method of inquiry in which one opens oneself up to perceiving a variety of phenomena without judging or focusing on any particular one.
This kind of investigation requires an inner state of devoid of pre-conceptions, intentions and judgements, particularly relating to inner movements, such as sensations, feelings or ideas.
Cultural POV
Study of human cultures.
Scholars in philosophical anthropology examine social and cultural influences on individual psychology and the psychological foundations of social behaviour and shared culture
Faith and vision of man POV
Study of man from the point of view of his inner quest of search for life’s meaning within one’s own faith.
In many ways, throughout history down to the present day, men have given expression to their quest for God in their religious beliefs and behaviour: in their prayers, sacrifices, rituals, meditations, and so forth. These forms of religious expression, despite the ambiguities they often bring with them, are so universal that one may well call man a religious being.
