The Methodological Problems of Filipino Philosophy

Abstract

Abstract:The paper aims at outlining the problems and follies with the research involved in Filipino Philosophy by conducting a survey of the methodologies involved in the construction of "perspectives" and "ideologies" that constitute what Filipino philosophers want to establish as Filipino Philosophy. The main contention of this paper is that these methodologies either fall short from their use of ideas and concepts (i.e., phenomenology, linguistic constructivism, and weak anthropological data) or construct a mythos of Filipino Philosophy that is intended to construct an identity rather than depict a volksgeist that can be identified with Filipino consciousness. Likewise, I hypothesize that the idea of Filipino philosophy lacks historical rapport insofar as the work of Filipino philosophers fails to achieve legitimacy in philosophy through discursive and critical engagement with current philosophical discourses. At the end of the paper, I will propose two solutions that will address these problems. By following the works of F.P.A. Demeterio III and Florentino Hornedo, we can surmise an alternative method of discoursing through the notion of Filipino philosophy via critical engagement with socio-political critique of Philippine ideologies or via true anthropological methods.

Questioning Demeterio’s Approach to Filipino Philosophy

“…On the other hand, Arian Acampado and Glenn Pajares (2021) have been critical of Demeterio's approach claiming that despite making the question of the existence of Filipino philosophy obsolete, Demeterio's discourses (along with other proffered taxonomies of Filipino philosophy) have not "seriously tackled philosophy with a Visayan theme." Moreover, Roland Pada (2014) argues that "the notion of what is Filipino is difficult to unify, particularly if one is intending to look at ideological and ontological bases for a 'universal' definition of Filipino" (Pada 2014, 28). Finally, Leonardo Mercado (2016) argues that "the classification of Demeterio shows that the philosophers mentioned still have not totally cut off their apron strings from the Western masters" (Mercado 2016, 23).…”

Visayan Philosophy of Labor: A Reflection from the Notion of Kahimtang and John Paul II’s Philosophy

“…Filipino philosophy, though gaining a significant number of supporters, has its share of critics. Two of its criticisms are the lack of method and a western tradition within an eastern setting (Pada, 2014;Gripaldo, 2007). Nonetheless, Filipino philosophy thrives as outlined by Mercado (2016), in his reflections on Filipino philosophy's status, and Demeterio (2014), in his work on assessing some discourses on Filipino philosophy, where he claimed that the question "Is there a Filipino philosophy?"…”