Unit I

Pre-reading

Defining philosophy

1) Before you read, discuss this questions with

your partner.

a) What is the title of the unit?

b) What does the title tell you about?

c) What can you see in this images?

d) What do you think is the relationship between the images and

the title?

e) Do you consider that the images are related with philosophy?

Why?

f) What specific information do you expect to find in the text?

2) Choose where we can find this type of information.

a) Magazines b) newspapers c) internet d) dictionaries e) encyclopedias

What does the first image evoke on you?

Reading

What is Philosophy?

Philosophy is an activity people assume when they seek to understand fundamental

truths about themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationships to the world

and to each other. Those who study philosophy are perpetually engaged in asking,

answering, and arguing for their answers to life’s most basic questions.

The very meaning of the word philosophy (derived from the Greek compound philo +

sophia) points at once to a special attitude of a philosopher and her/his objective.

According to this etymology, "philosophy" is "love of wisdom", which means that it

combines both cognitive and emotional dimension of our mind. "Love" is named first and

it is not knowledge - it is a passion and a struggling to conquer the object of love. But

struggling to learn precedes knowledge. We need the passion of love to start and keep

questioning the things that are either too familiar or too uninvolved from everyday

concerns. The continuation of this struggle points to the essence of wisdom; its posture is

a passionate search for wisdom, not the possession of it. Nothing great has ever been

accomplished without passion. In western tradition it is not possible to attain wisdom as a

final equilibrium. Consequently, philosophy is a state of mind rather than a particular

kind of knowledge.

3) Read the following statements and write which are true (T) or False (F). If they are false explain why.

a. People that study philosophy are not interested in asking, Answering, and asguing for their answers to life’s most basic questions. ( )

b. The word "philosophy" comes from the Ancient Greek φιλοσοφία (philosophia), which literally means "love of wisdom". ( )

c. Philosophy is a particular kind of knowledge. ( )

4) Read the text again and look for words that have similar meaning in Spanish.

English Spanish

Cognates are words in two languages that are spelled exactly or almost exactly the same way and have the same meaning.

5) What is the text about? Write the main idea.

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6) Write your own definition of philosophy

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Post-reading

7) How is philosophy defined nowadays?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8) Do you think philosophy is important in people 'lives? Why?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9) How can a philosopher motivates others to engaged in asking, answering, and arguing for their answers to life’s most basic questions?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------