GUIDE QUESTIONS for Why Study Philosophy and Theology?

A. Page 1, paragraph 3: why should we consider these questions important? Why cant we just
concentrate on practical things such as pursuing a career, raising children, doing homework, paying
taxes, etc?

What does he mean by the big picture and what is so important about it? Note that the phrase is
repeated in the middle of page 3, and in the last paragraph of page 3.

Page 1, paragraph 3: why dont people pay more attention to these questions if they are so important?
What prevents them from thinking about these questions?

Page 1, paragraph 4: Anyone who is simply not interested in these questions is less than fully
human, less than fully reasonable. What does that mean? What does it mean to be fully human?

B. Page 2, paragraphs 1 and 2: These refer to Theology programs in universities in the West mainly
(Europe, America, Canada, etc.), but they may apply also to the ones in the Philippines. However, do
not dwell too much on these paragraphs.

Page 2, paragraph 5: what does he mean by crass, materialistic, illogical answer? What is so
illogical about this answer?

Page 2, second to the last paragraph, up to the next page: pay attention to and understand these three
kinds of sciences.

C. Page 3, paragraph 3: why does Kreeft rank the three sciences this way? What if someone were to
reverse the rank and say that the speculative sciences are the least useful because they are the least
practical?

Page 3, paragraph 4: Does the author imply that to desire to make money, or things, or even to live
better is something vile, or low?

Page 3, last paragraph: Note use of the idiom, what it means, and how it applies to the topic discussed
to not see the forest for the trees.

Page 3, second to the last paragraph: why dont many ask this question more frequently what is the
meaning of falling in love and romance and sex? What prevents us from posing this question more
frequently?

D. Page 4, paragraph 1: what is the famous allegory of the cave from Platos Republic? What does it
mean? How is it relevant to the discussion of Kreeft? [You have to do some research here. Note also
that the allegory is mentioned again in the second bullet point on page 5.]

Page 4, paragraph 2: what does he mean when he says ideas have consequences? Can one argue
that ideas are simply things in our heads, and therefore they are harmless? Can you give examples in
the life of a person? Does it also apply in a bigger sphere such as society or the world?
Page 4, paragraph 3: what are egotism, pragmatism, hedonism? What is wrong with them? Why does
Kreeft call them bad philosophy?
 GUIDE QUESTIONS for Why Study Philosophy and Theology?

Page 4, third to the past paragraph: God named here is not necessarily the God of Revelation (the
God of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism). A supreme being acknowledged by non-Christian, non-
Islam, non-Jew would still have the traits of God mentioned here.

Page 4, third to the last paragraph Logos: the divine wisdom manifest in the creation, government,
and redemption of the world and often identified with the second person of the Trinity; reason that in
ancient Greek philosophy is the controlling principle in the universe. Origin: Greek, speech, word,
reason. Source : https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Logos

The Logos then is the order and harmony in the world that reflects the mind or design of God.

Page 4, last paragraph up to the next page: we will not discuss all of these issues, but these are
examples of issues that Philosophy can address.

E. Page 5, second whole paragraph: This paragraph is mostly Theological.

Page 5, second bullet point: what do the words abstract and abstraction mean? Note that you
should not simply look up the words in the dictionary. The words are used here in a negative sense.

Page 5, fifth bullet point: what does elitist mean? Note again that Kreeft uses it in a negative sense.

Why does Kreeft pose this question: Is the idea that all ideas are equal equal to the idea that they
are not? What is his point?

F. Page 6, first bullet point: What does Kreeft mean by superfluous? What is a faith-lift?

Page 6, second bullet point: Bad things are always misuses of good things.Can you give examples?
Is this always true? Are there things that are inherently and purely evil?

Philosophical Anthropology First semester, AY 2017-2018

Grade 11 Mr Manuel Ramn O. Escasa