sociologists or economists or physicists do not ask so often: What is sociology? what is

economics? or what is physics? It is easier to define such disciplines which are much less

controversial. This is not the case with philosophy. For some philosophers the central and the

most fundamental philosophical question is the nature of philosophy itself. Some have thought

that philosophy is the `queen of all sciences'. For some others, philosophy is not a science at all.

Some have argued that philosophy deals with the ultimate constituents of the world, while others

have rejected even the possibility of such an enquiry. Some have expressed that it is a rational

activity; but still others do not agree that reason is essential, or they are not convinced that there

are any convincing arguments in philosophy at all. The present block, consisting of 5 units,

introduces philosophy taking into account its various meanings.

Unit 1on “Definition, Scope and Importance of Philosophy” gives a clear idea about philosophy,

by giving a definition, which becomes clarified in the process of the course. The difference of

meaning of the terms ‘philosophy’ and ‘philosophizing’ have been clearly explained. The unit

expresses the conviction that philosophy is more related to wisdom than to knowledge. Finally,

the unit concludes with a short consideration of the scope and importance of philosophy.

Unit 2 highlights the complementarity of different philosophical disciplines. The disciplines of

philosophy are mutually related in one way or other. There is a specific kind of complementarity

among all of them. Watertight compartmentalization of the branches of philosophy could harm

the genuine purpose of philosophizing. For, philosophy is a comprehensive approach to life and

the world, closely related to the main areas of human experience, which unifies the results of the

views and insight of moral philosophy, aesthetics, religion etc.

Unit 3 explains that a philosophical method is established through logical reasoning, i.e., through

deduction, induction, synthesis, or analysis. The characteristic feature of philosophy is the

existence of different methods in it. The Western philosophy’s preoccupation with ‘the problem

of the bridge’, or the problem of dichotomy of the subject and object, probably necessitated its

frequent emphasis on certainty and truth, invariably inherent in all its philosophical methods too.

It is not wrong to say that pramanas constitute the method in Indian philosophy. There is also the

well-known purvapaksha sidhanta method by which every school first states the rival positions

that are then criticized and shown to be untenable.

Unit 4 discusses important philosophical terms and clarifies their meanings. Many terms in

Philosophy may seem strange to a student because of their foreign origin, either Greek or Latin,

which were the languages of philosophy for many centuries in the West. Hence if a student is

familiar with the seemingly strange terms in philosophy, it can make the study of philosophy

easier and the comprehension of the subject faster.

The last Unit, “An Overview of Western Philosophies,” outlines the Western Philosophies from

a chronological point of view, namely, ancient, medieval, modern and contemporary western

philosophies. These overviews reveal that all questions about reality are also questions about

ourselves and the way we interpret our knowledge about reality. They bear testimony to the fact that the questioning capacity and nature of humans – under the basic thrust of skepticism,

idealism, rationalism and positivism – are also existential questions.

The above given 5 units will give you basic understanding of philosophy required to grasp the

profound reflections of great philosophers and their systems. In addition, this block will

introduce you to the art of philosophizing. 

-The massacre of Nanking happened after the capital city of the then Republic of China fell to the Japanese Imperial Army.

- The Nanking Massacre began on the 13th of December 1937 and lasted approximately 6 weeks.

- The Nanking massacre was characterized with mass executions, mass r@pe, looting and arson. It was one of the worst atrocities committed during WW2.

-The Imperial Japanese Forces under the leadership and command of Prince Yasuhiko Asaka, General Iwane Matsui, and Lt Colonel Isamu Cho committed the war crimes.

_The death toll of the Nanking massacre ranges from 60000-300000 deaths.

-R@pe cases were also very rampant. Cases reported were from 20000 to over 80000. Girls of 8 years and above, women both young and old were r@ped and afterwards bayoneted to death. Sticks, rods,and bottles were sticked in their v@ginas and their bodies were left to rot on the streets. 

- Pregnant women were not left out. They were r@ped, bellies ripped open, their foetus tossed apart and left to bleed to death.

- Before the Japanese Forces reached Nanking, tow Officers ; Toshiaki Mukai and Tsuyoshi Noda put a contest between themselves; a contest on the first person to kill a hundred persons with a sword. Before reaching Nanking, Mukai killed 89 persons while Noda had killed 78. In Nanking, Noda 's count was 106 while Mukai' s was 105. Deeper into the Sino-Japanese War, they both lost count. Japanese journalists Asami Kazuo and Suzuki Jiro covered another contest by Noda and Mukai' which was a body count of 150 people contest. After Japan's surrender in 1945,Noda and Mukai were arrested, tried as war criminals and executed by firing squad on 28 January 1948.

-By late January 1938, Japanese Forces forced refugees that had fled to safety zones to return back home. The Weixin Zhengfu ; a Collaborating Government was established. The Japanese Forces lessened their atrocities but did not leave the city. -The massacre of Nanking happened after the capital city of the then Republic of China fell to the Japanese Imperial Army.

- The Nanking Massacre began on the 13th of December 1937 and lasted approximately 6 weeks.

- The Nanking massacre was characterized with mass executions, mass r@pe, looting and arson. It was one of the worst atrocities committed during WW2.

-The Imperial Japanese Forces under the leadership and command of Prince Yasuhiko Asaka, General Iwane Matsui, and Lt Colonel Isamu Cho committed the war crimes.

_The death toll of the Nanking massacre ranges from 60000-300000 deaths.

-R@pe cases were also very rampant. Cases reported were from 20000 to over 80000. Girls of 8 years and above, women both young and old were r@ped and afterwards bayoneted to death. Sticks, rods,and bottles were sticked in their v@ginas and their bodies were left to rot on the streets. 

- Pregnant women were not left out. They were r@ped, bellies ripped open, their foetus tossed apart and left to bleed to death.

- Before the Japanese Forces reached Nanking, tow Officers ; Toshiaki Mukai and Tsuyoshi Noda put a contest between themselves; a contest on the first person to kill a hundred persons with a sword. Before reaching Nanking, Mukai killed 89 persons while Noda had killed 78. In Nanking, Noda 's count was 106 while Mukai' s was 105. Deeper into the Sino-Japanese War, they both lost count. Japanese journalists Asami Kazuo and Suzuki Jiro covered another contest by Noda and Mukai' which was a body count of 150 people contest. After Japan's surrender in 1945,Noda and Mukai were arrested, tried as war criminals and executed by firing squad on 28 January 1948.

-By late January 1938, Japanese Forces forced refugees that had fled to safety zones to return back home. The Weixin Zhengfu ; a Collaborating Government was established. The Japanese Forces lessened their atrocities but did not leave the city.