ASCOT Library Zabali Campus

Part 1: Philosophy. – Philosophy: an attempt at its definition, nature, and historical outline. – Why Philosophy? – Philosophizing and insight. – The nature of philosophical inquiry. – Philosophy in a crisis situation by Dr. Ramon C. Reyes. – Part II. Man. – Man: as some Western philosophers see him. – The phenomenon of man. – Man in existential phenomenology. – Man: as eastern philosophers see him towards a view of man: an oriental perspective by Dr. Magdalena Alonso-Villaba. – Filipino values. – Man as knower. – Man in dialogue. – Man as lover. – Man and God. – Rational inquiry about of God's existence by Francis E. Reilly, S.J. – Man an freedom. – The Filipino and freedom. – Freedom: a politico-historical interpretation by Dolores A. Reyes. – Man as worker. – Man: a being-for-death. – Man and his environment.

"Philosophy of Man is an inquiry into man as person and as existent being in the world, with emphasis, in this book, on the Filipino in the context of his culture and society.

This is a textbook for students like mine whose knowledge in philosophy is rather scanty. I have tried to be as simple as possible without hopefully falling into the error of over-simplication.

It is my hope that each student at the end of the course will come tor realize the true nature of philosophy and philosophical inquiry; is knowledgeable about man and his existence in the world; is particularly concerned about values: about man's truth, freedom, death, relations with God and others; and is oriented towards a constant philosophical evaluation of man.

Part I is about philosophy; Part II is about man. The chapter on the oriental perspective on man is in response to the oft-repeated observation that our view of man is usually one-sided in favor of the West. If the treatment of the course is incomplete or not comprehensive enough, just remember the time frame is only one semester.

This is a revised edition. The changes, additions mostly, are inputs from friends and faculty members from various schools teaching the course. For instance, I have given capsule annotations to some of the philosophers I mention in the historical outline in Chapter Six. There are additions in commentaries on Values, Work, and Death.

I have presented a simpler version of the article of Dr. Ramon C. Reyes, "Philosophy in a Crisis Situation", and an addendum to Dr. Magdalena Alonso-Vllaba's eastern philosophies, including a short essay on Islam.

Since the topic of the human being and his environment is in the "in" thing now, I am happy to include excerpts from the article on this by Sister Mary Soledad Perpiñan, R.G.S., a personal witness to the Rio de Janerio Earth Summit.

I have decided a reflection page at the end of each chapter at the suggestion of Arts Dean Leovino Ma. Garcia of the Ateneo de Manila University who found the reflection pages in my book, Contemporary Ethics, "provocative".

I wish to thank all those who helped me in one way or another, especially my sister Flor, my typist, and the National Book Store Publishing Staff.

Abd I wish to thank my contributors whose immediate and generous response is most heart-warming and is a testimony of their friendship."