Why there is a need to have a holistic perspective in doing philosophy?
A Holistic Perspective: The Philosophers Way
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.
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.
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.
Human Activities Emanated from Deliberate 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 viewthe
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. 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.
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