philosophising
Contemplating life's questions
Philosophising is the British spelling of philosophizing—engaging in philosophical thought or discussion.
It often carries a slightly dismissive tone, suggesting abstract speculation detached from practical concerns: Stop philosophising and help me fix this.
The word implies prolonged or elaborate reasoning about life, meaning, or morality, sometimes with more talk than insight.
Drawing logical conclusions
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- reflectionReturned light or thought
- ponderingThinking deeply about something
- theorizingForming unproven explanations
speculation · introspection · musing · rumination · questioning · inquiry · examination · analysis
Study of right conduct
- metaphysicsPhilosophy of existence's nature
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- logicScience of valid reasoning
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
aesthetics · morality · cosmology · theology · phenomenology · axiology · teleology · hermeneutics
Philosophy stressing self-created meaning
- stoicismUncomplaining acceptance of difficulty
- nihilismRejection of objective meaning
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
idealism · realism · pragmatism · skepticism · Platonism · phenomenology · utilitarianism · Epicureanism
Formal argument on issues
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
- dialecticLogical argument through opposition
- discourseFormal communication on subjects
- argumentationSystematic reasoning process
discussion · disputation · rhetoric · Socratic method · exchange · symposium · salon · seminar
reasoning
Drawing logical conclusions
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- reflectionReturned light or thought
- ponderingThinking deeply about something
theorizing · speculation · introspection · musing · rumination · questioning · inquiry · examination · analysis · critique
ethics
Study of right conduct
- metaphysicsPhilosophy of existence's nature
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- logicScience of valid reasoning
ontology · aesthetics · morality · cosmology · theology · phenomenology · axiology · teleology · hermeneutics
existentialism
Philosophy stressing self-created meaning
- stoicismUncomplaining acceptance of difficulty
- nihilismRejection of objective meaning
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
rationalism · idealism · realism · pragmatism · skepticism · Platonism · phenomenology · utilitarianism · Epicureanism · Cynicism
debate
Formal argument on issues
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
- dialecticLogical argument through opposition
- discourseFormal communication on subjects
argumentation · discussion · disputation · rhetoric · Socratic method · exchange · symposium · salon · seminar · monologue
philosophisingacting
Temporarily holding position
doing · executing · taking action · implementing · rolling up one's sleeves
philosophisingtroubleshooting
Systematic fault diagnosis
fixing · getting results · problem-solving · getting to the point · engineering
philosophisingsmall talk
Polite trivial conversation
chitchat · idle chatter · shooting the breeze · bantering · gossiping
sophisticated, philosophy, philosopher, philosophical, sophistry, unsophisticated, sophistication, philosophize, sophism