Philosophy

Philosophy is a discipline or field of study involving the investigation, analysis, and development of ideas at a general, abstract, or fundamental level. It is the discipline in search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means. The term covers a very wide range of approaches, and is also used to refer to a worldview, to a perspective on an issue, or to the positions argued for by a particular philosopher or school of philosophy. The phrase "a philosophical attitude" is often used to refer to a stoical approach to life. This article concerns philosophy as a discipline.

Motives, goals and methods

The word "philosophy" is derived from the ancient Greek (Φιλοσοφία, philosophia) which may be translated as "love of wisdom". It suggests a vocation for questioning, learning, and teaching. Philosophers are curious about the world, humanity, existence, values, understanding, and the nature of things. The origin of philosophy in the West lies with the pre-Socratic philosophers of ancient Greece.

Related Topics:
Pre-Socratic - Greece

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In the East, the origin is more difficult to pinpoint, as human thought developed in different ways, and the approach typical of philosophy can be seen as underlying ancient texts without being made explicit. However, it can be plausibly contended that eastern philosophy began around the same time as Greek philosophy. For example, the Tao te Ching, a Taoist text normally seen as one of the great works of eastern philosophy, was written some time around 600 BC. There are many other view points and intellectual traditions in philosophy, especially in Persia (Iran) both in Islamic and pre-Islamic periods, which is still mainly unknown to the West. Their two main traditions are usually called the "Illumination school" and the "Transcendent school".

Related Topics:
Tao te Ching - Persia - Iran - Illumination school - Transcendent school

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In all cases, philosophy can be distinguished from other disciplines by its methods of inquiry. Philosophers often frame their questions as problems or puzzles, in order to give clear examples of their doubts about a subject they find interesting, wonderful or confusing. Often these questions are about the assumptions behind a belief, or about methods by which people reason.

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Philosophers typically frame problems in a logical manner, historically using syllogisms of traditional logic, since Frege and Russell increasingly using formal systems, such as predicate calculus, and then work towards a solution based on critical reading and reasoning. Like Socrates, they search for answers through discussion, responding to the arguments of others, or careful personal contemplation. Philosophers often debate the relative merits of these methods. For example, they may ask whether philosophical "solutions" are objective, definitive, and say something informative about reality. On the other hand, they may ask whether these solutions give greater clarity or insight into the logic of language, or rather act as personal therapy. Philosophers seek justification for the answers to their questions.

Related Topics:
Syllogism - Traditional logic - Frege - Russell - Formal system - Predicate calculus

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Contemporary Western academic philosophy has been divided into two broad traditions since about the nineteenth century: Anglo-American or analytic philosophy and continental philosophy. Both traditions are extremely diverse, and include their own methods of analysis. Broadly speaking, analytic philosophy is distinguished by its focus on analysis and argument, and the Continental tradition distinguished by its sceptical and anti-transcendentalist assumptions and focus on ideas. The areas of interest and problems are largely shared by the two traditions; they differ in their approaches and methods.

Related Topics:
Analytic - Continental

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Language is the philosopher’s primary tool. In the analytic tradition, debates about philosophical method have been closely connected to debates about the relationship between philosophy and language. There is a similar concern in continental philosophy. Meta-philosophy, the "philosophy of philosophy", studies the nature of philosophical problems, philosophical solutions, and the proper method for getting from one to another. These debates are also connected to debates over language and interpretation.

Related Topics:
Language - Analytic tradition - Continental philosophy - Meta-philosophy

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These debates are not less relevant to philosophy as a whole, since the nature and role of philosophy itself has always been an essential part of philosophical deliberations. The existence of fields such as pataphysics point to a lengthy debate that is beyond the scope of this article (see meta-philosophy).

Related Topics:
Pataphysics - Meta-philosophy

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Philosophy may also be approached by examining the relationships between components, as in structuralism and recursionism. The nature of science is examined in general terms (see philosophy of science), and for particular sciences, (biophilosophy).

Related Topics:
Structuralism - Recursionism - Philosophy of science - Biophilosophy

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