Sean Patrick Mercado

Wars have plagued human history and continue to haunt our society. Great civilizations died fighting while our current generation marches to extinction. Due to this, many have sought to understand the phenomenon of war, aiming to establish concrete justification for its occurrence and to find hope for the possibility of its eradication. This paper aims to analyze warfare in light of Bertrand Russell’s ethics of war. A return to Russell’s ethics is significant as it deviates from tracing wars’ roots in economic, political, and social factors but moves inward to the human being itself. However, a certain ambivalence is present in his ethical perception of war brought by his shifting ethical standpoint. Thus, this paper will present the dilemma that altered the progression of his ideas. It will expose his positions in justifying warfare while consequently demonstrating his advocacy for peace and nuclear disarmament. Fundamentally, it will ground its arguments on Russell’s emotivism which argues that wars are products of innate natural warlike impulses and desires found within humanity, highlighting that to understand wars is to understand our own humanity. Amidst the seemingly inevitable occurrence of wars brought by our own humanity, the ultimate priority will always be the survival of life.

Throughout the years, many Filipino philosophers have sought to define what constitutes Filipino philosophy. However, despite these efforts, it remains a contested notion—its foundations unsettled, its scope unclear, and its legitimacy often questioned both within and beyond academic circles. This paper is inspired by Alfredo P. Co’s work, “Doing Philosophy in the Philippines Fifty Years Ago and Fifty Years from Now.” It aims to contribute to the discovery of Filipino philosophy by arguing that the very search for it may, in fact, be unnecessary. Primarily, the issue of Filipino philosophy is explored through the lens of Filipino identity, which has been fundamentally influenced by colonization and intertwining of cultures and identities. The roots of the Filipino identity are traced alongside an inquiry into what constitutes Filipino philosophy, if such philosophy exists. This discussion is further heightened by considering the Filipino in the context of a global society. Furthermore, this article engages with the thoughts of previous Filipino philosophers who have sought to define and give clarity to the nature of Filipino philosophy and examines the progression of philosophical discourse in the Philippines. Ultimately, this paper mainly argues that defining Filipino philosophy is not the final aim, but to be a Filipino philosopher engaged in philosophical activity. It suggests that, amidst the seemingly impossible end of tracing a Filipino philosophy, hope remains as long as there exists a Filipino who philosophizes.