Philosophy
Study of existence
Philosophy is the study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, and reality.
The word comes from Greek roots meaning "love of wisdom." Someone's philosophy is their system of beliefs or guiding principles: What's your philosophy on raising children?
To be philosophical about something is to accept it calmly, with detachment: She was philosophical about losing the match.
Academic philosophy divides into branches—ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, logic—but in everyday use, philosophy often just means one's general outlook or approach.
Good judgment from experience
- reflectionReturned light or thought
- meaningWhat something signifies
- truthAccordance with reality
- existenceState of being real
reality · consciousness · purpose · wonder · questioning · meditation · introspection · reason
Theory of knowledge
- metaphysicsPhilosophy of existence's nature
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- logicScience of valid reasoning
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
aesthetics · phenomenology · dissertation · thesis · professor · seminar · treatise · dialectic
Virtue-centered ancient philosophy
- existentialismPhilosophy stressing self-created meaning
- pragmatismPractical problem-solving philosophy
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
idealism · nihilism · utilitarianism · Taoism · Buddhism · Vedanta · Confucianism · materialism
Ancient Athenian questioning philosopher
- PlatoGreek philosopher, academy founder
- AristotleGreek founder of formal logic
- KantGerman Enlightenment thinker
- NietzscheGerman philosopher of will
Descartes · Confucius · Hume · Locke · Spinoza · Hegel · Sartre · Wittgenstein
Attitude toward the future
- beliefTrust held as true
- perspectiveAttitude or spatial rendering
- valuesPrinciples held worthwhile
- principlesFoundational moral beliefs
ethos · creed · doctrine · ideology · mindset · stance · conviction · attitude
wisdom
Good judgment from experience
- reflectionReturned light or thought
- meaningWhat something signifies
- truthAccordance with reality
existence · reality · consciousness · purpose · wonder · questioning · meditation · introspection · reason · understanding
epistemology
Theory of knowledge
- metaphysicsPhilosophy of existence's nature
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- logicScience of valid reasoning
ontology · aesthetics · phenomenology · dissertation · thesis · professor · seminar · treatise · dialectic · syllogism
Stoicism
Virtue-centered ancient philosophy
- existentialismPhilosophy stressing self-created meaning
- pragmatismPractical problem-solving philosophy
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
empiricism · idealism · nihilism · utilitarianism · Taoism · Buddhism · Vedanta · Confucianism · materialism · dualism
Socrates
Ancient Athenian questioning philosopher
- PlatoGreek philosopher, academy founder
- AristotleGreek founder of formal logic
- KantGerman Enlightenment thinker
Nietzsche · Descartes · Confucius · Hume · Locke · Spinoza · Hegel · Sartre · Wittgenstein · Aquinas
outlook
Attitude toward the future
- beliefTrust held as true
- perspectiveAttitude or spatial rendering
- valuesPrinciples held worthwhile
principles · ethos · creed · doctrine · ideology · mindset · stance · conviction · attitude · orientation
- journalsjournals, journal, diary, diaries, personal diaries
Philosophyexperimental science
Study through controlled observation
physics · applied science · natural science · empiricism · hard science
Philosophypractice
Repeated work toward mastery
action · praxis · pragmatism · doing · execution
Philosophydogma
Unchallengeable official beliefs
blind faith · religion · faith · revelation · doctrine
- philosophical debateFormal argument over concepts
- philosophers' stoneMythical transmuting substance
- classical philosophyGreco-Roman intellectual tradition
- ancient philosophersEarly systematic seekers of wisdom
- history of philosophyStudy of past thinkers
- life philosophyCore beliefs about existence
philosopher, philosophers, philosophies, philosophical, philosophically, philosophize, philosophized, philosophizing, philosophizes