SHS Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Quarter 1 – Module 1.1 HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE AND PARTIAL POINT OF VIEW Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person – SHS Module Title: Module 1.1- HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE AND PARTIAL POINT OF VIEW Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for the exploitation of such work for a profit. Such agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties. Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names, trademarks, etc.) included in this book are owned by their respective copyright holders. Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them. Regional Director: Assistant Regional Director: Regional EPS: Division EPS: Gilbert T. Sadsad Jessie L. Amin Sheila C. Bulawan Presyl A. Bello, SDO Legazpi City Development Team of the Module Writer: JESON D. BALINGBING- Pag-asa NHS, SDO Legazpi City Editor: JESSIE MARIE MATA MORCOSO- Pawa HS, SDO Legazpi City ALVIN A. SARIO, PhD – University of Santo Tomas, Legazpi Reviewers: GERRY A. BAJARO – Oro Site HS, SDO Legazpi City JESON D. BALINGBING - Pag-asa NHS, SDO Legazpi City ROMEO A. TUSI- Pawa HS, SDO Legazpi City ROMMEL U. QUIÑONES – Homapon HS, SDO Legazpi City Illustrator: VIAN GABRIEL SPES B. QUINONES – Grade 7, Philippine Science HS, Goa, Camarines Sur Layout Artist: Cover Photo: JESON D. BALINGBING- Pag-asa NHS, SDO Legazpi City 2 INTRODUCTION Have you ever asked yourself questions like, “Who am I?”, “What makes me happy?”, “What is my purpose in this world?”, or “What can I do to make the world a better place?” If yes, then, congratulations! You are doing philosophy. People often misinterpret philosophy as something that is unreasonable and unresponsive to a desired meaningful questions. Philosophy is a broad discipline that encompasses “the study of all existence in this world”. In fact, it is a perfect avenue for all your queries as it offers unlimited scope of understanding about you, others, and the world. According to a pre-eminent Greek philosopher, Plato and a 15th-century French philosopher, Rene Descartes (also known as the father of modern philosophy), the goal of philosophy is to wonder and doubt, respectively. To wonder and doubt are not just as simple as you think. Indeed, doing philosophy is not an easy task. It requires you to think holistically, critically and analytically on particular situations or problems. It takes a process for you to understand the process of doing philosophy. OBJECTIVES At the end of this module, you should be able to: 1. Distinguish a holistic perspective from a partial point of view (PPT11/12-Ia-1.1), 2. Explain the importance of holistic thinking over partial thinking; and 3. Write a “Personal Action Plan” on how to deal with everyday life from a holistic perspective. VOCABULARY Now, that you know your targets for the day, have a glimpse of the new words below which may appear in this module. ANALYTICAL pertains to analytical thinking that promotes a partial point of view as a process of knowing things. BIAS means being unfair. HOLISTIC is the ability to see things fully, not partially. JUDGMENT is the ability to think and come up with decisions based on the observed situation. OBJECTIVE is the state of being fair. PARTIAL is the ability to see the parts rather than the whole. PERSPECTIVE refers to a person’s thinking that shows fair and valid judgment. POINT OF VIEW pertains to a person’s thinking that shows a particular opinion about something. PRE-TEST A. True or False Direction: Write the letter “T” if the statement is true and “F” if the statement is false. Write your answer in your notebook. 1. Looking for different brands of clothes to buy is an example of partial point of view. 2. Partial point of view promotes more valid, sound and logical solution to the problem. 3. Understanding the past and background of a bully student shows partial point of view. 4. Holistic perspective helps us understand a problem from different point of views so we can see it more fully. 5. Holistic perspective enables a person take step back and see the different angles of reality. 2 B. Multiple Choice Direction: Read and answer each item carefully. Encircle you answer. 1. Your friends get into a fight that you have nothing to do with, which of the following actions shows holistic perspective? a. take one’s side because he/she is loyal. b. take one’s side because the other is not genuine. c. consider both sides of the story so you can give the best advice. d. consider both sides of the story to know who you are going to take your side. 2. Why does holistic perspective be given more importance than partial point of view? a. because it generates less knowledge or information. b. because it generates more knowledge or information. c. because it considers the single aspect of a situation. d. because it considers the selected aspect of a situation. 3. How would you respond holistically if you find out that one of your neighbors has been infected with COVID-19 virus? a. Emergentism and Atomism b. Emergentism and Vitalism c. Reductionism and Vitalism d. Reductionism and Atomism 4. Which of the following situations shows partial point of view? a. A mother loves equally all the family members even some of them are not responsible. b. A mayor gives money to his/her constituents regardless of socio economic status. c. A student searches all related literature to gather relevant and reliable sources for his/her study. d. A doctor focuses on a specific set of symptoms to determine the cause of a patient’s illness. 5. What is the impact of having a holistic perspective in making decisions in life? I. It gives us a credible and logical solution. II. It helps us think analytically of a particular situation. III. It tends us to scrutinize a particular aspect of the problem. IV. It enables us to explore all the possible things to happen. a. I and II b. II and III c. III and IV 3 d. I and IV Congratulations! You’re done with the Pre-Test. Let us do exciting learning activities! This next activity shall introduce you to the topic and be able to distinguish the difference between holistic perspective and partial point of view. LEARNING ACTIVITY 1 Guess the Word Direction: 1. Have your pen and philosophy notebook ready on your table. 2. Write down the task number and the name of activity. 3. Copy the illustration below and rearrange the jumbled letters that describe Holistic Perspective and Partial Point of View. 4 LEARNING ACTIVITY 2 Holistic or Partial? Direction: Write “HP” if the statement shows Holistic Perspective and “PV” if Partial Point of View. Write your answer in your notebook. 1. I will take the side of my friend over his/her enemy because I also hate the person. 2. I will study in all subjects to be included in the list of students with honors. 3. I do not want to make friend with him/her because he/she has different religion. 4. I will fit only one item before buying a clothe I will be needed for a party. 5. I will follow the government health protocols such as, washing hands, observe physical distancing, etc. to avoid COVID-19 infection. LEARNING ACTIVITY 3 Judge Me Not! Let us go into details and learn more. This activity will help you see, think, and act on a particular situation in life. Are you going to be holistic or not? Come on and you will know what I mean! Directions: 1. In your notebook, write down the task number and the name of activity. 2. Read and understand the story below and fill out the diagram that follows. 3. Copy the process questions and answer them correctly. 5 The Youngest Favorite by Jeson D. Balingbing Mary is the only sister among 4 siblings in the family of a single parent, Mr. Mapaghusga. Being the youngest, Mary is the favorite among the siblings. One afternoon when Mary got home, she went straight to her room to put her bag down and proceeded immediately to the kitchen to take a snack. Then, she went back to the room to work on her project. While she was planning to buy the needed materials for her project, she noticed that her wallet is not inside her bag. Only she and her oldest brother John were there. Then, Mr. Mapaghusga scolded John after Mary accused him of stealing her wallet. He only listened to the story of Mary and not to John's before deciding to punish him. Scenario/Problem: _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ ___________ Scenario/Problem: ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ Judgement: (made by Mr. Mapaghusga to John) _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ Action: (made by Mr. Mapaghusga to John) __________________ __________________ __________________ __________________ Judgement: (made by Mr. Mapaghusga to John) ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ Action: (made by Mr. Mapaghusga to John) ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ My thoughts/feelings towards John: My thoughts/feelings towards Mary: _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ 6 My thoughts/feelings towards Mr. Mapaghusga: _________________ _________________ _________________ Process Questions: 1. If you were the father, how would you respond to the situation or problem? Justify your answer. 2. Is it important to listen to both sides of the story? Explain your answer. 3. How do you assess the father’s decision and action towards the problem? Is it holistic or partial? Why? 4. Is it important to be holistic in dealing with a particular problem or situation? Defend your answer. DEEPENING Direction: 1. Sit comfortably and remove any distractions around. 2. Read and understand the graphic organizers which present the main gist of the topic. If the concepts are not clear to you, you may read the entire text for better understanding. 3. You may take down notes on the essential concepts for this activity. 4. Refer to the glossary page of this module for the definition of terms. What is the difference between holistic perspective and partial point of view? 1. Holistic Perspective. It considers the “bigger picture” when dealing with a particular situation or problem. According to Aristotle the whole is greater than its parts. It considers not only one perspective but all other perspectives. This is supported by other philosophical concepts: 1.1. Holism. It holds the idea that a part cannot determine a whole system because the relationships or connections of parts are independent of the whole, only the whole can determine its parts. The whole can determine the structure and processes of its parts. This concept can be expressed into mathematical formula such as A + B =C, where C is equal to A and B. But A is not equal to C, nor B is to C. For instance, people perceive you as loving and caring, in holism, the idea of love itself is not associated with you, but you as a whole body system can be associated with the idea of love as it is part of your totality/wholeness, same with caring but not vice versa. Thus, the thing that matters in holism is the whole, and it defines, determines, and associates its parts, not the contrary. 1.2. Emergentism. It asserts that “complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions”. 1.3. Vitalism. It posits that “the processes of life are not explicable by the laws of physics and chemistry alone and that life in some part is self-determining and is due to a vital principle distinct from physicochemical forces”. 7 2. Partial Point of View. It considers the parts rather than the whole when dealing with a particular situation or problem. Rene Descartes supported this idea by arguing that “the world is like a machine, its pieces are like clockwork mechanisms, and that the machine could be understood by taking its pieces apart, studying them, and then putting them back together to see the larger picture”. The focus in holistic perspective is to see a single part of a situation/problem without considering the other parts related to the problem or situation. The following supports this philosophical concept: 2.1. Reductionism. It affirms that “a complex system is nothing but the sum of its parts and that an account of it can be reduced to accounts of individual constituents”. Here, there is no such thing as a whole, but only small parts that behave or act in various ways. 2.2. Atomism. This asserts that only atoms exist, and objects with parts like the human body, house, clouds, and the like do not exist. For instance, my behavior to do good deeds like helping the poor does not define who I am as an individual. It’s not me who does the act. That human activity is merely a product of regular movements of small parts inside my human body called cells in which this reality is accountable for, not my human body alone, not me, nor my whole being as a person. Certainly, this view is adopted by modern science like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and many more to have a depth understanding of a specific field of study. Why is holistic thinking more important than partial thinking? In philosophy, you are encouraged to engage in holistic thinking than partial thinking as it creates an avenue to think, reflect, and decide on a particular situation, for instance, your friends get into a fight you have nothing to do with, what will you do? Whose side are you going to take? In the case of holistic thinking, you do not take one’s side just because he/she tells you the story without knowing the other version of the story. Therefore, you consider both sides of the story before you give pieces of advice. Thus, it is evident that in holistic thinking, you consider all aspects of a situation or problem to come up with a more valid, sound, logical, 8 and justified solution. Hence, it generates unbiased and objective judgment in a particular problem or situation. In partial point of view, the tendency to look at situations is different. In the case of two friends who are fighting each other, you may take the side of someone who tells you his story without allowing yourself to know the other. This is how partial thinking operates. It does not consider all associated parts or involved circumstances. It focuses merely on one side of the story. A person doesn’t bother to look for another perspective may be because of his or her bias or prejudice. Attitude is a factor why a person tends to think partially than fully. Even a person wants to consider other side of the story because of his or her bias he or she still chooses not to think holistically as attitude affects one’s thinking and behavior. However, a partial view is considered to be part of analytical thinking because it focuses on a specific area or field. This is also evident when you study a specific field of specialization, particularly in modern science. Though it is useful, no one is encouraged to adopt this process to certain situations, problems, or reality because it is biased in its judgment, and may lead to a wrongful and illogical decision or action. In fact, partial thinking should not be used in most circumstances, especially in politics, ethics, etc. Thus, it is recommended to use holistic thinking. Holistic Thinking Partial Thinking • focuses on all areas • focuses on specific area • has full understanding of entire • has partial understanding of entire situation/problem situation/problem • arrives at a logical, valid, and • may arrive at a wrongful decision sound decision • promotes limited knowledge • has wider scope of knowledge • results fair judgement • may result to a bias judgement • see things fully • see things partially • objective • selective except on specific area/field Fantastic! You have a holistic learning journey as you really go into detail and fully comprehend the previous task. I know that this time you have already learned the essential concepts in mind. It is time for you to go further and apply those concepts. As the saying goes, knowledge without application is useless. Do you agree? 9 APPLICATION My Personal Action Plan Direction: 1. Have your ruler, pen, and one short bond paper ready on your table. You may also use colored bond paper. 2. Write your complete name, year level, and section/strand. 3. Write down the task number and the name of activity. 4. Write your personal action plan following the format below. Listed in the first column are your different roles in a society. In the second column, list down at least 1 problem/situation encountered in your life as a son/daughter, a student, a friend, and a member of society. In the 3rd column, write the appropriate and specific actions using the holistic perspective based on a given problem/situation. You are encouraged to have more than two answers if you still have more time accomplishing this module. Role As a son/daughter Problems/ Situations Encountered Ex. I failed to do the household chores. Actions to be Taken Using Holistic Perspective Ex. I will prioritize my responsibility in the house over playing mobile games. My Thoughts/ Opinion Ex. It is good to know my priority in life. My Feelings Ex. I should value my parent by following them. As a student As a friend As a member of society I promise that this personal action plan will be successfully accomplished to the best of my knowledge and ability. ___________________________ Signature over Printed Name At the end of the day, it is important to have a realization. What’s yours? In “What I Did”, choose one task/activity in this module where you have learned best. In “What I Learned”, write the concepts/skills/knowledge that you have learned based on the chosen tasks/activities. In the “How I Can Use It”, write your possible actions on how to apply those concepts/skills/knowledge you have learned . You are encouraged to have more than two answers if you still have more time. 10 MY SYNTHESIS JOURNAL Direction: 1. Have your ruler, pen, and one short bond paper ready on your table. 2. Write your complete name, year level, and section/strand. 3. Write down the task number and the name of activity. 4. Make a “Synthesis Journal” following the format below. 5. In “What I Did”, choose one task/activity that you learned best in this module. In “What I Learned”, write the concepts/skills/knowledge that you have learned based on a chosen task/activity. In the “How I Can Use It”, write your possible actions on how to apply those concepts/skills/knowledge you have learned. You are encouraged to have more than two answers if you still have more time accomplishing this activity. What I Did? What I Learned? How I can Use It? POST TEST A. TRUE OR FALSE Direction: Write the letter “T” if the statement is true and “F” if it is false. Write your answer in your notebook. 1. Understanding the past and background of a bully student shows partial point of view. 2. Holistic perspective helps us understand a problem from different point of views so we can see it more fully. 3. Holistic perspective enables a person to take step back and see the different angles of reality. 4. Looking for different brands of clothes to buy is an example of partial point of view. 11 5. Partial point of view promotes more valid, sound and logical solution to the problem. B. Multiple Choice Direction: Read and answer each item carefully. Write your answers in your notebook. 6. What is the impact of having a holistic perspective in making decisions in life? I. It gives us a credible and logical solution. II. It helps us think analytically of a particular situation. III. It tends us to scrutinize a particular aspect of the problem. IV. It enables us to explore all the possible things to happen. a. I and II b. II and III c. III and IV d. I and IV 7. How would you respond holistically if you find out that one of your neighbors has been infected with COVID-19 virus? a. Emergentism and Atomism b. Emergentism and Vitalism c. Reductionism and Vitalism d. Reductionism and Atomism 8. Your friends get into a fight that you have nothing to do with, which of the following actions shows holistic perspective? a. take one’s side because he/she is loyal. b. take one’s side because the other is not genuine. c. consider both sides of the story so you can give the best advice. d. consider both sides of the story to know who you are going to take your side. 9. Which of the following situations shows partial point of view? a. A child savors food in its entirety, not picking out any ingredient, just completely munching it. b. A mayor gives money to his/her constituents regardless of socioeconomic status. c. A student searches all related literature to gather relevant and reliable sources for his/her study. d. A doctor focuses on a specific set of symptoms to determine the cause of a patient’s illness. 10. Why does holistic perspective be given more importance than partial point of view? a. because it generates less knowledge or information. b. because it generates more knowledge or information. c. because it considers the single aspect of a situation. d. because it considers the selected aspect of a situation. 12 ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY In what way you show holistic thinking and partial thinking in your daily life? Cite at least 5 examples each. Well done! Congratulations for finishing this module. May all the learnings you have acquired help you answer the next activity which I know will be a piece of cake for you. Bring it on! 13 Answer Key Pre test True or False 1. F 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. T Multiple Choice 1. C 2. B 3. A 4. D 5. D 4. PV 5. HP Task 1: Picture A = partial, parts, incomplete, partition Picture B = holistic, whole, complete, full Task 2: 1. PV 2. HP 3. PV Task 3: Judge Me Not!- Other answers may vary Scenario: Mary’s wallet was lost Judgement: The father believed Mary’s accusation without listening to the other side of the story. Action: The father scolded John. Task 4: My Personal Action Plan - Answers may vary Task 5. My Synthesis Journal - Answers may vary Post test True or False 1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. F Multiple Choice 1. D 2. A 3. C 4. D 5. B 14 REFERENCE “Introduction”, The Basics of Philosophy, 2002, accessed May 04, 2020, https://www.philosophybasics.com/branch_holism.html. 15