Introduction to Philosophy
1. What are the main branches of philosophy? Do philosophers have the same answers to the same philosophical questions? Why?
Philosophy is a way of thinking about the big questions in life, from the existence of men to its morality. It is an activity which sharpens our reason. The word was coined by Greeks , meaning “the love of wisdom”. Philosophy can be divided into six big issues it is interested with. * First, the question about the nature of the world and the existence of Men which is under the domain of Metaphysics or also called Ontology. From the word “meta” which means beyond and “physics” which means physical it deals about beyond physical world- the spiritual. It also attempt to answer the ultimate reality of life, our reason of very existence, Who and what God is and, how everything relates to it. * Second, what are the right ways to think and build arguments which is under the field of Logic. It tries to distinguish the valid reasons from the fallacies. It also examines the different general forms that argument may take. It is primarily studied in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and science. * Third, How do we know and how do we think we know which is under the area of Epistemology. From the Greek words ”episteme” which means knowledge and “logia” which means study, it basically deals on how do we acquire knowledge and what is the basis for true knowledge. * Fourth, Ethics which generally centers on the morality of our actions. It differentiates wrong from right and studies character’s actions based in his intentions. This field of Philosophy is vital and applied to other disciplines such as business, medicine, science, robotics, and education. * Fifth, Issues about laws, liberty, rights, property and , politics fall under the Political Philosophy. It is also one of the sub-fields of Political Science. Its purpose is to lay bare the fundamental problems and concepts which frames the study of
Philosophy is a way of thinking about the big questions in life, from the existence of men to its morality. It is an activity which sharpens our reason. The word was coined by Greeks , meaning “the love of wisdom”. Philosophy can be divided into six big issues it is interested with. * First, the question about the nature of the world and the existence of Men which is under the domain of Metaphysics or also called Ontology. From the word “meta” which means beyond and “physics” which means physical it deals about beyond physical world- the spiritual. It also attempt to answer the ultimate reality of life, our reason of very existence, Who and what God is and, how everything relates to it. * Second, what are the right ways to think and build arguments which is under the field of Logic. It tries to distinguish the valid reasons from the fallacies. It also examines the different general forms that argument may take. It is primarily studied in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and science. * Third, How do we know and how do we think we know which is under the area of Epistemology. From the Greek words ”episteme” which means knowledge and “logia” which means study, it basically deals on how do we acquire knowledge and what is the basis for true knowledge. * Fourth, Ethics which generally centers on the morality of our actions. It differentiates wrong from right and studies character’s actions based in his intentions. This field of Philosophy is vital and applied to other disciplines such as business, medicine, science, robotics, and education. * Fifth, Issues about laws, liberty, rights, property and , politics fall under the Political Philosophy. It is also one of the sub-fields of Political Science. Its purpose is to lay bare the fundamental problems and concepts which frames the study of