What is Philosophy?

A definition of Philosophy is notoriously difficult. It is essential, for anyone writing or teaching about philosophy, to first clarify what they mean by it. This way, the reader will have some comprehension of the kind of philosophy they will encounter. When training people to learn philosophy, it is also necessary to give them criteria.

Philosophy is a critical, analytical, and speculative enterprise. The pursuit of knowledge for its own sake is a central aim in philosophy, and philosophical arguments can be both abstract and concrete.

This discipline is often divided into three major branches: metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Metaphysics investigates the nature of reality, epistemology studies our means of acquiring knowledge about reality, and ethics deals with the question of how we ought to live our lives.

Understanding The 4 Main Branches of Philosophy

An understanding of the four main branches of philosophy is necessary to comprehend the foundations of educational philosophies. These foundations have given rise to what is commonly practiced and believed in the classroom today.

Metaphysics
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that explores the physical universe and the nature of ultimate reality.

It asks questions like:

• What is real?
• What is the origin of the world?
• What is beyond the stars?

Your definition of reality will influence your metaphysical beliefs and perspectives, as well as your teaching. Whether you see reality as an external creation or an internal construct will influence how you explore and categorize the physical universe.

Epistemology
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that considers how people come to learn what they know.

Epistemology is the study of the nature and origin of knowledge and truth, and this comes from the Greek word episteme, meaning knowledge or understanding.

Epistemology proposes that there are four main bases of knowledge: divine revelation, experience, logic and reason, and intuition. These influence how teaching, learning, and understanding come about in the classroom.

Axiology
Axiology is the branch of philosophy that considers the study of principles and values. These values are divided into two main kinds: ethics and aesthetics.

Ethics is the questioning of morals and personal values. Aesthetics is the examination of what is beautiful, enjoyable, or tasteful. In axiology, education is more than just about knowledge but also the quality of life.

Logic
Logic is the branch of philosophy that seeks to organize reasoning. Students of logic learn how to think in a structurally sound manner. Logic has two types: deductive and inductive reasoning.

Deductive reasoning entails studying a general instance, coming to a conclusion about a general set of rules or principles, and then applying these rules to specific cases. Inductive reasoning, on the other hand, involves taking specific examples and contemplating the general principles, rules, or cases that caused them.

The Point(s) of Philosophy

Philosophy gives us a lot of valuable skills – skills that make us better critical thinkers, more creative thinkers, and better communicators. It also introduces us to different ways of thinking about things, particularly by making us engage with the history of thoughts on the matter. Anyone curious about the fundamental questions that have occupied the greatest minds needs to study philosophy.

Philosophy is challenging, which is part of the reason why it’s beneficial, but philosophy is also fun. Philosophy is about working together to understand difficult and important problems, and then striving to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the various solutions that are proposed.

By improving critical thinking skills, and by encouraging people to question the basics of ethics, science, religion, politics, and logic, philosophy also helps create more responsible citizens, who are better able to understand and address pressing social issues.

Academic philosophy doesn’t present a body of consensus knowledge the way chemistry and physics do.

Do philosophical questions have correct answers? Does philosophical progress exist? Does philosophy get closer to the truth over time? These are all matters of philosophical debate. And philosophical debates are rarely resolved with certainty.

So what’s the point? Here are some answers:

• To discover the truth, wherever it may be.
• To learn how to conduct ourselves more efficiently in life.
• To gain a better understanding of our own views, including their strengths and weaknesses.
• To reflect on our own lives and be more mindful of the choices we make and how they impact us and others.
• To improve your thinking and reasoning skills, remember: The main method of philosophy is to present and examine arguments.

For a subject that seeks answers to the big questions, it seems to yield more questions than conclusions, but contrary to what some people may think, this hardly makes philosophy a fruitless, futile endeavor.

The experience of philosophical activity, even if it may not always give us clarity, is far from depressing, and rather is stimulating as it broadens one’s perspective and gives greater scope to explore. Perhaps the motivation to pursue philosophy ought to be for the personal goal of bettering our minds and thinking abilities, as opposed to a collective effort to uncover the truths of the universe.

How does Philosophy help me get a job?

Most people think that philosophy is only for those who want to be professors. But that’s not true! Many philosophy majors go on to have successful careers in a variety of fields.

Here is some example:

Lawyers often study philosophy because it helps them to think analytically and to clarify their thinking on complex issues.

Philosophy is beneficial because it helps us to better understand concepts and arguments, see what is relevant and what is not, organize our thoughts, and figure out questions of value and meaning. Additionally, Philosophy can help us find common ground between opposing positions, as well as realize the most important differences.

Philosophical writing requires interpretation, comparison, persuasion, and creativity, thereby strengthening written communication skills in a wide variety of ways.

Studying philosophy also improves oral communication skills, the ability to understand complex ideas, and the ability to identify strengths within alternative points of view.

These are all attributes that employers value very highly. Often recent graduates can be taught the specific knowledge and skills they need for a given job. It’s much harder to pick up on the fly those skills that are acquired through majoring in philosophy.