philosophy
Wisdom's formal study
Philosophy is the study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, ethics, and reasoning.
Philosophers ask what is real, what we can know, what makes actions right or wrong, and how to think logically.
The word also names any systematic set of beliefs or guiding principles: my philosophy of life, a coaching philosophy.
Someone who takes bad news calmly is said to be philosophical about it.
Uncomplaining acceptance of difficulty
- epicureanismPursuit of refined pleasures
- cynicismDistrust of human sincerity
- neoplatonismRevival of Platonic metaphysics
- scholasticismRigorous dialectical learning method
pragmatism · existentialism · phenomenology · positivism · analytic · continental · structuralism · postmodernism
Penetrating mental acuity
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
- sapienceProfound intellectual discernment
sophia · judgment · foresight · understanding · erudition · perspicacity · contemplation · reflection
Understood facts and skills
- truthAccordance with reality
- beliefTrust held as true
- justificationReason proving rightness
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
empiricism · skepticism · cognition · perception · understanding · certainty · doubt · a priori
Existing as something
- realityWhat actually exists
- essenceFundamental nature of something
- existenceState of being real
- phenomenologyStudy of subjective experience
substance · materialism · idealism · dualism · monism · universals · particulars · causation
Right and wrong principles
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- justiceFair treatment under law
- dutyRequired moral task
- conscienceInternal moral sense
integrity · principles · righteousness · altruism · utilitarianism · deontology · normative · goodness
French Enlightenment satirist
- RousseauFrench surname, philosopher or painter
- KantGerman Enlightenment thinker
- HumeScottish Enlightenment philosopher
- LockeEnglish empiricist philosopher's surname
Montesquieu · Diderot · encyclopedists · deism · natural rights · social contract · autonomy · reason
Group discussion for learning
- thesisAcademic argument requiring defense
- dissertationExtended academic treatise
- treatiseFormal scholarly composition
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
professor · scholarship · curriculum · pedagogy · lecture · symposium · dialectic · hermeneutics
Conclusion from premises
- inductionFormal admission process
- syllogismFormal deductive argument structure
- inferenceConclusion reached through reasoning
- validityQuality of being sound
soundness · premise · conclusion · proposition · argumentation · fallacy · contradiction · tautology
Airtight, impervious condition
- esotericismStudy of hidden teachings
- transcendentalismIntuition-based idealist philosophy
- theosophyMystical divine knowledge system
- gnosticismPrivileging inner revelation
neoplatonism · kabbalah · vedanta · zen · emanation · unity · divine · ineffable
Complete change of form
- quintessencePurest embodiment of something
- magnum opusCreator's supreme achievement
- elixirMythical healing draught
- sulfurYellow combustible element
mercury · salt · transformation · purification · hermetic
stoicism
Uncomplaining acceptance of difficulty
- epicureanismPursuit of refined pleasures
- cynicismDistrust of human sincerity
- neoplatonismRevival of Platonic metaphysics
scholasticism · pragmatism · existentialism · phenomenology · positivism · analytic · continental · structuralism · postmodernism · deconstruction
sagacity
Penetrating mental acuity
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
- discernmentKeen perception and judgment
sapience · sophia · judgment · foresight · understanding · erudition · perspicacity · contemplation · reflection · enlightenment
knowledge
Understood facts and skills
- truthAccordance with reality
- beliefTrust held as true
- justificationReason proving rightness
rationalism · empiricism · skepticism · cognition · perception · understanding · certainty · doubt · a priori · foundationalism
being
Existing as something
phenomenology · substance · materialism · idealism · dualism · monism · universals · particulars · causation · determinism
morality
Right and wrong principles
conscience · integrity · principles · righteousness · altruism · utilitarianism · deontology · normative · goodness · responsibility
Voltaire
French Enlightenment satirist
- RousseauFrench surname, philosopher or painter
- KantGerman Enlightenment thinker
- HumeScottish Enlightenment philosopher
Locke · Montesquieu · Diderot · encyclopedists · deism · natural rights · social contract · autonomy · reason · progress
seminar
Group discussion for learning
- thesisAcademic argument requiring defense
- dissertationExtended academic treatise
- treatiseFormal scholarly composition
dialogue · professor · scholarship · curriculum · pedagogy · lecture · symposium · dialectic · hermeneutics · exegesis
deduction
Conclusion from premises
- inductionFormal admission process
- syllogismFormal deductive argument structure
- inferenceConclusion reached through reasoning
validity · soundness · premise · conclusion · proposition · argumentation · fallacy · contradiction · tautology · predicate
hermeticism
Airtight, impervious condition
- esotericismStudy of hidden teachings
- transcendentalismIntuition-based idealist philosophy
- theosophyMystical divine knowledge system
gnosticism · neoplatonism · kabbalah · vedanta · zen · emanation · unity · divine · ineffable · contemplative
transmutation
Complete change of form
- quintessencePurest embodiment of something
- magnum opusCreator's supreme achievement
- elixirMythical healing draught
sulfur · mercury · salt · transformation · purification · hermetic
- nonfictionbiography, autobiography, biographies, history, memoir
- topicsnature, health, sports, science, politics
- academic fieldsmathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, history
- Ancient Greece & RomeGreek myths, Roman myths, mythology, muses, Apollo
- book genresfiction, novels, nonfiction, mystery, thriller
- European cultureFrench cuisine, Italian art, opera, ballet, Renaissance
philosophyexperimental science
Study through controlled observation
physics · natural science · empiricism · applied science · chemistry
philosophypractice
Repeated work toward mastery
pragmatism · action · praxis · hands-on experience · real-world application
philosophydogma
Unchallengeable official beliefs
blind faith · fundamentalism · orthodoxy · superstition · religious 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
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