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Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with reality, existence, knowledge, values,

reason, mind, andlanguage. The word "philosophy" comes from the Greek (philosophia), which literally means "love of wisdom".In more casual speech the "philosophy" of a particular person can refer to the beliefs held by that person. 1. (Philosophy) the academic discipline concerned with making explicit the nature and significance of ordinary and scientific beliefs and investigating the intelligibility of concepts by means of rational argument concerning their presuppositions, implications, and interrelationships; in particular, the rational investigation of the nature and structure of reality (metaphysics), the resources and limits of knowledge (epistemology), the principles and import of moral judgment (ethics), and the relationship between language and reality (semantics) 2. (Philosophy) the particular doctrines relating to these issues of some specific individual or school the philosophy of Descartes 3. (Philosophy) the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a discipline the philosophy of law 4. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) Archaic or literary the investigation of natural phenomena, esp alchemy, astrology, and astronomy 5. any system of belief, values, or tenets 6. a personal outlook or viewpoint 2. Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods. 3. A system of thought based on or involving such inquiry: the philosophy of Hume. 4. The critical analysis of fundamental assumptions or beliefs. 5. The disciplines presented in university curriculums of science and the liberal arts, except medicine, law, and theology. 6. The discipline comprising logic, ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics, and epistemology. 7. A set of ideas or beliefs relating to a particular field or activity; an underlying theory: an original philosophy of advertising. 8. A system of values by which one lives IMPORTANCE 1. Philosophy helps us be reasonable. Learning to be reasonable is of utmost importance because we all have to make choices and accomplish goals. Being reasonable enables us make good choices, accomplish our goals, live a better life, and become better people. 3. It offers us knowledge. Philosophy has offered us the knowledge necessary to understand formal logic, develop natural science, discover highly plausible beliefs concerning being reasonable, highly plausible beliefs concerning morality, and more. 6. It satisfies our sense of being a human being in a unique way. There is a sense of being a human being beyond our jobs, beyond our family, beyond our own benefit. There is a thirst for knowledge of the most difficult issuesreality, reasonableness, and ethics. We want to know how to make the world a better place and prioritize our lives in the best way possible. We want to know more about what it means to be a human being and to contemplate the majesty of our existence. 10. It helps us be more creative. Philosophy can help us learn how to think more creatively. Learning about the answers people have thought of to lifes greatest questions opens possibilities that you would have a very difficult time to realize on your own. Philosophers often contribute to the world by thinking in entirely new ways and

offering entirely new answersand you can learn to do so as well through example. You might think you are creative now, but odds are that many of your ideas are the same as someone elses. Would you rather know what ideas are already thought of so you can make sure your own ideas are unique or do you want to end up coming to the same ideas that many others come up with? 5 Branches of Philosophy Within philosophy there are five primary categories or branches: 1. Epistemology Epistemology is the study of knowledge. Epistemology deals with the process by which we can know that something is true. It addresses questions such as: --What can I know? --How is knowledge acquired? --Can we be certain of anything? Within epistemology there are two important categoriesrationalism and empiricism. Rationalism stresses reason as the most important element in knowing. Rationalism holds that knowledge is gained primarily through the mind. It also asserts that we are born with innate ideas that precede any experiences we may have with our physical senses. Empiricism, on the other hand, asserts that all our knowledge comes from our five senses. To use the terminology of the empiricist, John Locke, our minds are a blank slate at birth. Thus knowledge comes from our experiences. 2. Metaphysics Metaphysics is the study of reality. More specifically it is the study of reality that is beyond the scientific or mathematical realms. The term metaphysics itself literally means beyond the physical. The metaphysical issues most discussed are the existence of God, the soul, and the afterlife. 3. Ethics Ethics is the study of moral value, right and wrong. Ethics is involved with placing value to personal actions, decisions, and relations. Important ethical issues today include abortion, sexual morality, the death penalty, euthanasia, pornography, and the environment. 4. Logic Logic is the study of right reasoning. It is the tool philosophers use to study other philosophical categories. Good logic includes the use of good thinking skills and the avoidance of logic fallacies. 5. Aesthetics Aesthetics is the study of art and beauty. It attempts to address such issues as: --What is art? --What is the relationship between beauty and art? --Are there objective standards by which art can be judged? --Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?

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