Defining Philosophy Paper
Running head: DEFINING PHILOSOPHY PAPER
Defining Philosophy Paper
University of Phoenix
PHL/215 Defining Philosophy
The word philosophy comes from the two Greek words philein, which means “to love,” and sophia, which means “knowledge” or “wisdom.” Because knowledge can be discovered in many fields, the Greeks, who invented philosophy, thought of any person who sought knowledge in any area as a philosopher. Thus, philosophy once encompassed nearly everything that counted as human knowledge. A philosophy is a comprehensive system of ideas about human nature and the nature of the reality we live in. It is a guide for living, because the issues it addresses are basic and pervasive, determining the course we take in life and how we treat other people Copyright, The Atlas Society. Also, according to Encarta, philosophy is the branch of knowledge or academic study devoted to the systematic examination of basic concepts such as truth, existence, reality, causality, and freedom. Philosophy comes with all types of different questions, such as: Why are we here? How did we get here? What is my purpose in life? But there is no simple answer to these questions or any other type of philosophical questions. Philosophers feel that the answer shouldn’t come easy but can still be answered; any unanswered question is not worth thinking about. The nature of having philosophical questions is to get people to think outside the box, and look through a different view point. The authors of the American Philosophical Association’s 1992 publication on “The Philosophy Major” have put it this way: The study of philosophy serves to develop intellectual abilities important for life as a whole, beyond the knowledge and skills required for any particular profession. Properly pursued, it enhances analytical,
Defining Philosophy Paper
University of Phoenix
PHL/215 Defining Philosophy
The word philosophy comes from the two Greek words philein, which means “to love,” and sophia, which means “knowledge” or “wisdom.” Because knowledge can be discovered in many fields, the Greeks, who invented philosophy, thought of any person who sought knowledge in any area as a philosopher. Thus, philosophy once encompassed nearly everything that counted as human knowledge. A philosophy is a comprehensive system of ideas about human nature and the nature of the reality we live in. It is a guide for living, because the issues it addresses are basic and pervasive, determining the course we take in life and how we treat other people Copyright, The Atlas Society. Also, according to Encarta, philosophy is the branch of knowledge or academic study devoted to the systematic examination of basic concepts such as truth, existence, reality, causality, and freedom. Philosophy comes with all types of different questions, such as: Why are we here? How did we get here? What is my purpose in life? But there is no simple answer to these questions or any other type of philosophical questions. Philosophers feel that the answer shouldn’t come easy but can still be answered; any unanswered question is not worth thinking about. The nature of having philosophical questions is to get people to think outside the box, and look through a different view point. The authors of the American Philosophical Association’s 1992 publication on “The Philosophy Major” have put it this way: The study of philosophy serves to develop intellectual abilities important for life as a whole, beyond the knowledge and skills required for any particular profession. Properly pursued, it enhances analytical,
References: What is philosophy. (1990-2009). The Atlas Society, (), . Retrieved from http://www.objectivistcenter.org/cth--409-FAQ_Philosophy.aspx Moore, Brooke N., & Bruder, Kenneth. (2005). Philosophy: The power of ideas (6th ed.). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies. Philosophy. (2009). In Encarta. Retrieved from http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/philosophy.html