What is Philosophy?
- (1st Week)
Definition of Philosophy:
The word philosophy comes from the Greek philo (love) and sophia (wisdom) and
so is literally defined as “the love of wisdom”. When someone studies philosophy they
want to understand how and why people do certain things and how to live a good life. In
other words, they want to know the meaning of life.
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those
connected with reality, existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.
Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical,
generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational argument.
The discipline of philosophy concerned with questions of; what sorts of things
exist and what are their essential natures (metaphysics); what counts as genuine
knowledge (epistemology); how one should live (ethics); what the correct principles of
reasoning (logic) are, what is beauty and its nature (aesthetics).
Philosophy is traditionally divided into five major areas of study.
1. Metaphysics
Metaphysics is the study of the most general features of reality, such as
existence, time, the relationship between mind and body, objects and their properties,
wholes and their parts, events, processes, and causation. Traditional branches of
metaphysics include cosmology, the study of the world in its entirety, and ontology, the
study of being.
Some of the important questions of metaphysics are give below:
Is there a God?
What is truth?
What is a person? What makes a person the same through time?
Is the world strictly composed of matter?
Do people have minds? If so, how is the mind related to the body?
Do people have free wills?
What is it for one event to cause another?
2. Epistemology
Epistemology is a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature,
methods, and limits of human knowledge.
So, the epistemologists attempt to answer such questions as:
What is knowledge?
How is knowledge acquired?
What do people know?
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What are the necessary and sufficient conditions of knowledge?
What is its structure, and what are its limits?
What makes justified beliefs justified?
3. Ethics
Ethics is a system of moral principles. It is concerned with what is morally good
and bad and morally right and wrong.
So, the ethicist attempts to answer such questions as:
What is good? What makes actions or people good?
What is right? What makes actions right?
Is morality objective or subjective?
How should I treat others?
4. Logic
Logic is the study of the laws of thought, correct reasoning, valid inference, or
logical truth. It is a formal science that investigates how conclusions follow from
premises in a topic-neutral manner, i.e. independent of the specific subject matter
discussed.
Logicians ask such questions as:
What constitutes "good" or "bad" reasoning?
How do we determine whether a given piece of reasoning is good or bad?
5. Aesthetics
Aesthetics deals with beauty, art, enjoyment, sensory-emotional values,
perception, and matters of taste and sentiment.
Aestheticians ask questions like:
What is a work of art?
What makes a work of art successful?
Why do we find certain things beautiful?
How can things of very different categories be considered equally beautiful?
Is there a connection between art and morality?
Can art be a vehicle of truth?
Meanings of Philosophy:
The word "philosophy" has several meanings, depending on the context in which it is
used. Here are a few of the most common meanings:
The academic discipline: Philosophy is an academic discipline that is studied in
universities around the world. It encompasses a wide range of sub-disciplines, including
metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, logic, aesthetics, and political philosophy.
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A worldview or perspective: Philosophy can also refer to a particular way of looking at
the world or a particular set of beliefs and values. For example, someone might say that
they have a "philosophy of life" that guides their decisions and actions.
A way of thinking or reasoning: Philosophy can also refer to a particular method of
thinking or reasoning. For example, someone might say that they approach problems in
a "philosophical" way, meaning that they try to analyze them carefully and logically.
Historical figures and movements: Philosophy can also refer to the study of particular
historical figures and movements, such as ancient Greek philosophers like Plato and
Aristotle, or the Enlightenment philosophers like John Locke and Immanuel Kant.
Overall, philosophy is a rich and complex field that encompasses many different
meanings and approaches.
