philosopher
Seeker of wisdom
A philosopher is someone who studies fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, ethics, and reality.
More loosely, a philosopher is anyone given to deep or abstract thinking: He fancied himself a philosopher, always pondering life's big questions.
The word can carry a whiff of impracticality—someone more interested in theorizing than acting.
To be philosophical about something is to accept it with calm resignation: She was philosophical about losing the match.
Relating to education or theory
- professorSenior university teacher
- scholarLearned, studious person
- lecturerOne who teaches formally
- theoristDeveloper of explanatory systems
intellectual · pedagogue · tutor · researcher · doctorate · treatise · dissertation · tenure
Ancient Athenian questioning philosopher
- PlatoGreek philosopher, academy founder
- AristotleGreek founder of formal logic
- DescartesCogito ergo sum's author
- KantGerman Enlightenment thinker
Nietzsche · Hegel · Hume · Locke · Rousseau · Spinoza · Leibniz · Schopenhauer
Study of existence's nature
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- cosmologyStudy of universal structure
- existentialismPhilosophy stressing self-created meaning
- phenomenologyStudy of subjective experience
dualism · monism · idealism · realism · materialism · pantheism · transcendentalism · solipsism
Science of valid reasoning
- dialecticLogical argument through opposition
- syllogismFormal deductive argument structure
- argumentReasoned case or dispute
- inferenceConclusion reached through reasoning
deduction · induction · rationalism · empiricism · skepticism · critique · analysis · synthesis
Wisdom keeper or seasoning
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
- knowledgeUnderstood facts and skills
- understandingMental comprehension of something
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
discernment · contemplation · reflection · sapience · enlightenment · gnosis · sophia · profundity
Right and wrong principles
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- justiceFair treatment under law
- dutyRequired moral task
- conscienceInternal moral sense
integrity · principles · values · goodness · autonomy · utilitarianism · deontology · consequentialism
Basis or justification
- VoltaireFrench Enlightenment satirist
- DiderotPhilosopher who assembled comprehensive knowledge
- natural rightsFreedoms inherent to personhood
- social contractAgreement exchanging freedom for order
Montesquieu · secularism · humanism · liberalism · progressivism · rationality · tolerance · liberty
academic
Relating to education or theory
theorist · intellectual · pedagogue · tutor · researcher · doctorate · treatise · dissertation · tenure · symposium
Socrates
Ancient Athenian questioning philosopher
- PlatoGreek philosopher, academy founder
- AristotleGreek founder of formal logic
- DescartesCogito ergo sum's author
Kant · Nietzsche · Hegel · Hume · Locke · Rousseau · Spinoza · Leibniz · Schopenhauer · Wittgenstein
ontology
Study of existence's nature
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- cosmologyStudy of universal structure
- existentialismPhilosophy stressing self-created meaning
phenomenology · dualism · monism · idealism · realism · materialism · pantheism · transcendentalism · solipsism · nihilism
logic
Science of valid reasoning
- dialecticLogical argument through opposition
- syllogismFormal deductive argument structure
- argumentReasoned case or dispute
inference · deduction · induction · rationalism · empiricism · skepticism · critique · analysis · synthesis · thesis
sage
Wisdom keeper or seasoning
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
- knowledgeUnderstood facts and skills
- understandingMental comprehension of something
prudence · discernment · contemplation · reflection · sapience · enlightenment · gnosis · sophia · profundity · judgment
morality
Right and wrong principles
conscience · integrity · principles · values · goodness · autonomy · utilitarianism · deontology · consequentialism · categorical imperative
reason
Basis or justification
- VoltaireFrench Enlightenment satirist
- DiderotPhilosopher who assembled comprehensive knowledge
- natural rightsFreedoms inherent to personhood
Montesquieu · social contract · secularism · humanism · liberalism · progressivism · rationality · tolerance · liberty · equality
- Aristotle biographyLyceum, Plato, Alexander, tutor, student
- Classical EducatorsSocrates, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Seneca
- Greek educationacademy, lyceum, gymnasium, palestra, pedagogy
- sagessage, wise man, wise woman, wise elder, seer
- Medieval Scholarsscholastic, schoolman, Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, William of Ockham
- Wikipedia topicsbiography, country, city, animal, plant
philosopherpractitioner
One who works regularly
pragmatist · man of action · doer · realist · craftsman
- 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
philosophy, philosophical, philosophic, philosophies, philosophers, philosophize, philosophically, philosophizing, philosophizes