Philosophy
is a very difficult subject to many of the college students. Other branches
under the topic are being marginalized in the priority and interest of the
learner. And the burden of bringing the discipline to them lies on the
teachers. It is the task of the teacher, with patience and endurance, to make
philosophy meaningful in the learning endeavor of the students.
But
Frederick Copleston, S.J., author of many history books on philosophy offers
some ways on how and why to study philosophy. They are effective means to come
to the holistic knowledge of philosophy, and somehow plants the seed of
interest and appreciation of philosophy.
The ‘HOW’ to study philosophy
First,
the reader must consider the historical setting. One must study how idea of the
philosopher developed through the influence of the environment. His idea must
be understood in connection to his own milieu. It is precisely that the thinker
and his own thinking are not isolated from the reality of time and place.
Second, the
reader must possess a bit of sympathy, a sort of psychological approach to the
thinker and his thinking. One must be able to enter the system of the thinker
and be absorbed somehow. Simple to say, one must be able to go down to his
level for better understanding what is on his mind.
Third, if
one desires to be a specialist in one philosophical method, he must get deeper into
the system of the thinker. One has to make a necessary pause at a certain
period of the history of philosophy to possess a well-rounded understanding of
the whole system of a particular thinker. He must venture in studying the
philosopher’s language, his expertise, etc.
The ‘WHY’ to study philosophy
First, we
study to learn from their mistakes and right. History is undeniably rich in
knowledge. It teaches us to look into the past knowledge and use them what is
still applicable to our present situation as solution to the current problem.
Otherwise the only option left is to develop a new solution by utilizing the
present resources at hand.
And
secondly is to see the development of philosophy where some new ideas are
accepted and added, some being rejected and replaced anew, and some ideas
become the point of departure and some as point of continuation.
