What is philosophy
Philosophy is a colorful concept with many faces. On the one hand, it is one of many individual disciplines in the canon of university courses. On the other hand, it is a way of life, a way of thinking and arguing. As long as the history of philosophy is, you can still discover so many different facets in it today.
What is philosophy - Concept and meaning
The term "philosophy" has its origins in the Greek language. It is made up of the components "phil" and "sophia". The syllable "phil" expresses an affinity, a positive relationship to something. "Sophia" is the Greek word for wisdom. Philosophy is, literally translated, the love of wisdom.
- Philosophy is a science that belongs to the field of the humanities. It is one of the disciplines that children sometimes encounter in school. At the same time, however, it also forms its own course with numerous sub-areas.
- In school philosophy is often interpreted as an opponent of religion. Students can usually choose this subject from high school, sometimes even earlier. In some cases philosophy is seen as a substitute for religion. It is wrong to assume that the two subjects are mutually exclusive. The opposite is true, there are many similarities.
Philosophy deals with questions of faith, just as religion does. The focus is on people and society. This general topic creates a lot of overlap. Moral issues are just one of many topics discussed in both disciplines.
History of the development of philosophy
the story philosophy goes back to antiquity. The most famous philosophers come from Greece. Therefore it is said that the cradle of philosophy is there.
In the allegory of the sun, which can be traced back to the Greek philosopher Plato ...
- One of the oldest and most famous philosophers is Socrates (469 BC). Chr. - 399 BC Chr.). He coined the term so-called midwifery, also called mäeutics. With skillful and targeted questions, he got his counterpart to find answers and solutions himself.
- Socrates' pupil Plato (428 BC) Chr. - 348 BC Chr.) Is almost as well known today as his teacher. He wrote the book "Politeia", in the German translation "Der Staat". Here he describes and evaluates various state models that are still valid today, such as democracy and monarchy.
- A famous example from the work of Plato is part of every philosophy class today. It is the famous allegory of the cave contained in Plato's "State". The parable speaks of people who sit tied up in a cave and are cut off from the outside world. Anyone walking along the cave only sees it as a shadow on the wall. This reality, which is real to them, is destroyed when one of them leaves the cave. He attains a higher level of knowledge, because he not only sees the images of reality, but reality itself. When he comes back and tells of his discovery, the others don't believe him. With this parable Plato draws attention to the different stages of the process of knowledge. It was intended as a means of educating rulers philosophically.
- With Aristotle (384 BC) Chr. - 322 BC BC), the pupil of Plato, continues the series of famous Greek philosophers. His main work is the Nicomachean Ethics. The aim of this work is to give tips on how to lead a happy life and live virtuously.
Different branches of philosophy have developed from the trains of thought of the ancient Greeks such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Each area is so extensive that it could represent a single science in itself. The central areas of philosophy include the philosophy of language, metaphysics and the directions of empiricism and rationalism. Each of the central areas can be assigned one or more philosophers who have decisively shaped it.
What is philosophizing good for?
The meaning of the term "philosophy" has expanded greatly over the years. Today you will come across the word in a wide variety of situations.
- Today, as then, philosophy is more than just a science or a school subject. The expression also denotes a personal attitude, an attitude towards life. When the other person asks you about your philosophy, he or she would like to hear a personal opinion, an idea, a worldview.
- Having a philosophy brings you clear advantages in your professional life. It means being clear about what is important to you and how you work. It is true that the term "philosophy" is rarely used in an interview. However, what is connected with him always hovers between the lines. Your own philosophy is one of the central latent aspects that make up a person and his or her personality or conviction.
- Philosophizing is also a useful activity in everyday life. Philosophizing means thinking about social or political issues. It is important here that you also allow thoughts that initially appear absurd to you. In the course of history, significant inventions have emerged from many seemingly absurd mind games.
- You don't necessarily have to interpret philosophy as just science. It can be very entertaining to philosophize in a circle of friends about current or whatever topics. You will find that you are capable of thoughts that you would never have thought yourself capable of before.
Philosophy is one of the most comprehensive individual sciences. But with its clear relation to everyday life and society, it is much more than that. Although it is also one of the oldest sciences, its content has lost none of its topicality. It is not without reason that there are philosophical matinees today, evenings with philosophical ones literature, Philosophy conferences and similar events. If you want to grapple with this discipline, you just need to think outside the box. You will easily find material for philosophical discussions anywhere.
