A Research Framework Model Based on Undergraduate Philosophical Researches in UST Legazpi, 2000 - 2017.

The study intends to provide a research framework model on philosophical researches generated in the undergraduate level to describe the research culture established in the Philosophy Program in the University from 2000 to 2017. The philosophy theses in the university for 18 years actually show that there is a high level in the utilization of higher order of research approaches in philosophy which are synthesis, reconstruction, and post-structuralist approaches. The research outputs are truly contributory in providing interpretation, perspective, framework, and appropriation given various themes. The papers are strong on contemporary and western philosophical frames especially on hermeneutics, phenomenology, and postmodernism leading to critiquing, challenging, and creating new, different, or alternative perspectives given the varying schools of thought in philosophy. With 18 years of tradition of doing philosophy in the university for knowledge generation, it is great to note that the UST Legazpi Philosophy Program is constantly able to hold philosophical fora, present researches in different conferences, and publish papers in different publications, in different levels. The philosophical researches in UST Legazpi from 2000-2017 have not explored extensively postcolonial philosophical studies and contextual philosophies such as indigenous thoughts and worldviews, Filipino philosophizing and doing Filipino philosophy, comparative studies of East and West philosophical frames, and concepts and principles on science/technology, health, sex/sexuality, culture/norm/humanity/civilization, and god/religion. Postcolonial philosophy, critical theory, indigenous philosophies, and Neo-Thomism/Post-Thomism are schools of thought actively offering also new or alternative philosophical reflections and insights. The WISE Project has to lead the entire UST Legazpi Philosophy Program to current and relevant philosophical researches. The Program has to continue harnessing and developing new and/or alternative interpretations, perspectives, framework, and application as its research output/outcome. The researches have to evolve on contextual, indigenous, postcolonial, and/or pragmatic areas or application in/of philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]