The Branches of philosophy Most outstanding are five: metaphysics, epistemology, politics, ethics and aesthetics. All of them are interrelated.
The word philosophy literally means"love of wisdom"; It is the study of knowledge, or"thinking about thought", although the breadth of what it covers in its different branches is extensive.
The first systematic investigations of humanity were carried out within a mythological or religious framework. It was a philosophy with branches not very separated from each other, which were based mostly on beliefs, supernatural powers and sacred traditions.
In Ancient Greece, the term"philosophy"meant the pursuit of knowledge by itself, and encompassed all areas of knowledge, including the arts, sciences and religion. Those were the main branches of this discipline at that time.
Philosophy is based on the process of reflection rather than empirical verification. However the methods used may be similar to those of the natural sciences. Depending on the branch of philosophy being discussed, different rules apply.
At the root is metaphysics, the study of existence and the nature of existence. Closely related is epistemology, the study of knowledge and how we know reality and existence. Dependent on epistemology is ethics, the study of how man should act.
A subset of ethics is politics: the study of how men should interact in an appropriate society and what constitutes adequate. Aesthetics, the study of art and the meaning of life, is slightly separated, but also depends on metaphysics, epistemology and ethics.
You may also be interested The 14 most important philosophical currents and their representatives .
Major Philosophy Branches
1- Metaphysics
The study of the universe is one of the themes of metaphysics.
It is the branch of philosophy responsible for the study of existence. It is the foundation of a worldview. It answers the question"What is it?"It encompasses all that exists, as well as the nature of existence itself. It says whether the world is real or simply an illusion. It is a fundamental vision of the world around us.
Why is metaphysics important?
Metaphysics is the foundation of philosophy. Without an explanation or an interpretation of the world around him, he would be helpless to deal with reality. You could not feed or act to preserve life.
The degree to which the metaphysical worldview is correct is the degree to which one is able to understand the world and act accordingly. Without this firm foundation, all knowledge becomes suspicious. Any defect in the vision of reality will make it more difficult to live.
What are the key elements of a rational metaphysics?
The reality is absolute. It has a specific nature independent of thoughts or feelings. The world is real. It has a specific character and must be consistent with that nature. An appropriate metaphysical view of the world must aim to understand reality correctly.
The physical world exists and each entity has a specific nature. Act according to that nature. When different entities interact, they do so according to the nature of both. Every action has a cause and an effect. Causality is the means by which change occurs, but change occurs through a specific nature.
Epistemology
Epistemology is the study of the method of acquiring knowledge. It answers the question:"How do we know?"It covers the nature of concepts, construction of concepts, validity of the senses and logical reasoning.
It also takes care of the thoughts, the ideas, the memories, the emotions and all the mental things. It refers to how minds are related to reality and whether these relationships are valid or invalid.
Why is epistemology important?
Epistemology is the explanation of how one thinks. It is necessary to determine the true of the false by determining an appropriate method of evaluation. It is necessary to use and gain knowledge of the world around you.
Without epistemology, one could not think. More specifically, there would be no reason to believe that thought is productive or correct, as opposed to random images flashing in the mind.
With an incorrect epistemology, one could not distinguish truth from error. The consequences are obvious.
The degree to which epistemology is correct is the degree to which reality can be understood, and the extent to which that knowledge could be used to promote lives and goals. Defects in epistemology will make it harder to achieve anything.
What are the key elements of an adequate epistemology?
The senses are valid, and are the only way to get information about the world. Reason is the method of acquiring knowledge and understanding. Logic is the method of maintaining consistency within the set of knowledge.
Objectivity is the means of associating knowledge with reality to determine its validity. Concepts are summaries of specific details of reality or other abstractions. An appropriate epistemology is a rational epistemology.
3- Policy
Politics is ethics applied to a group of people.
Why is policy important?
Politics tells you how to establish a society and how to act within it.
What is a rational policy?
The requirement of a political system is that individuals within that system can function fully according to their nature. If that is not the case, they will rebel, as in Tsarist Russia, or the system will eventually collapse, as in Communist Russia.
Reason is the main means of survival of man. A human being can not survive in an environment where reason is ineffective, and will prosper or starve to a degree in proportion to the efficacy of reason. This means that the main objective of a political system must be the preservation and habilitation of the faculty of reason.
The reason does not work under duress. A man may be forced to act at the point of a weapon, but he can not be forced to think. Likewise, in an environment where good is right, reason can not function because the fruits of rationality can not be enjoyed.
A moral political system must prohibit coercion. Or, put another way, a moral political system must prohibit the initiation of force, since retaliation must be fair.
This means that there must be some way to prevent a person from killing, threatening or striking another person. This is achieved by giving the government a monopoly on the force of reprisal and with objective laws.
4- Ethics
Ethics is the branch of study that deals with what is the appropriate course of action for man. It answers the question,"What shall I do?"It is the study of good and evil in human endeavor.
At a more fundamental level, it is the method by which values And these are followed Are you looking for your own happiness, or is sacrificing a greater cause? Is that the basis of ethics based on the Bible, the very nature of man himself, or neither?
Why is ethics important?
Ethics is a requirement for human life. It is the means of deciding a course of action. Without it, actions would be random and aimless. There would be no way to work towards a goal because there would be no way to choose between an unlimited number of goals. Even with an ethical standard, you may be unable to pursue goals with the possibility of success.
To the extent that a rational ethical standard is adopted, goals and actions can be properly organized to achieve the most important values. Any flaw in ethics will reduce your ability to succeed with your efforts.
What are the key elements of an appropriate ethic?
An adequate foundation of ethics requires a standard of value to which all goals and actions can be compared. This standard is life itself and the happiness that makes them habitable.
This is the ultimate standard of value, the goal that an ethical man must always aim for. It is achieved by an examination of the nature of man, and the recognition of his peculiar needs.
A system of ethics must consist not only in emergency situations, but in the daily decisions that are constantly made.
It must include relationships with others, and recognize their importance not only for physical survival, but for well-being and happiness. It must be recognized that lives are an end in themselves and that sacrifice is not only not necessary but also destructive.
5- Aesthetics
Aesthetics is the study of art, as well as the purpose behind it. Does art consist of music, literature and painting? Or does it include a good engineering , Or a beautiful sunset?
These are the questions that point in the aesthetics. He also studies methods of evaluating art, and allows art judgments. Is art in the eye of the beholder, anything that appeals to you falls under the umbrella of art?, or has a specific nature? Does it meet a goal?
Aesthetics are sometimes considered to be part of a larger philosophical category called axiology. Axiology is an area of philosophy that studies values and value judgments. If someone spends millions on a single painting or says that a sculpture is priceless, he or she is making an axiological judgment.
As in ethical decisions, aesthetics try to define the principles that make one thing valued over another. In its essence, aesthetics asks what is valuable in life, what is valuable beyond mere survival and, specifically, how art and beauty are defined.
Ideas about aesthetic value are really judgments about what art, beauty and good taste are. It is no coincidence that the word"taste"refers to one of the five senses, because aesthetics is based on the sensibility of the senses to make judgments and decisions about art and beauty.
Why is aesthetics important?
Art has existed throughout recorded human history. It is unique to humans because of the unique way of thinking. Its importance is based on this nature, specifically, on man's ability to abstract. Art is a little understood tool of man to bring meaning to the abstract concept.
Aesthetics is important because it delves into the reason why art has always existed, the burning need of mankind through the centuries to see the world in a different and clear way.
In addition, it evaluates art by the level of human life, and if it fulfills the task of satisfying the intellectual needs of man, or if it tends to damage or worsen those needs.
What are the key elements of an adequate aesthetic?
Art is a selective recreation of reality. Its purpose is to specify an abstraction to bring an idea or emotion to the observer.
It is a selective recreation, with the selection process depending on the value judgments of the creator. These value judgments can be observed and evaluated through the field of ethics.
References
- Mastin, L. (2008). "What is Philosophy?". Retrieved from philosophybasics.com.
- Landauer, J. (2001)"Importance of Philosophy". Retrieved from importanceofphilosophy.com.
- Vuletic, M. (2007). "The Nature of Philosophy". Retrieved from vuletic.com.
- Wesley, R. (2017). "The Origins and Branches of Philosophy." Recovered from roangelo.net.
- Landauer, J & Rowlands, J. (2001). "Importance of Philosophy: Ethics". Retrieved from importanceofphilosophy.com.
- Peocrino, P. (2017). "What is Philosophy". Retrieved from qcc.cuny.edu.
- Team editor of Philosophy Lander Edu. (2005). "The Divisions and Definition of Philosophy". Retrieved from philosophy.lander.edu.
FAQs
What are the branches of philosophy answer? ›
The four main branches of philosophy are metaphysics, epistemology, axiology, and logic.
What are the 5 branches of philosophy quizlet? ›Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, Political Philosophy, and Philosophy of Religion.
What are the major branches of philosophy PDF? ›Through the 7 branches of Philosophy, i.e. Metaphysics, Axiology, Epistemology, Logic, Ethics, Political Philosophy and Aesthetics, it sets out to harmonize sciences to understand the human mind and the world.
What is the importance of the branches of philosophy? ›The study of philosophy enhances a person's problem-solving capacities. It helps us to analyze concepts, definitions, arguments, and problems. It contributes to our capacity to organize ideas and issues, to deal with questions of value, and to extract what is essential from large quantities of information.
What are the 5 main branches of philosophy and its meaning? ›The major branches of philosophy are epistemology (knowledge & truth), metaphysics (reality & being), logic (argumentation & reason), axiology (aesthetics & ethics), and political philosophy (the state & government).
What are the 5 major philosophies of education? ›There are five philosophies of education that focus on teachers and students; essentialism, perennialism, progressivism, social reconstructionism, and existentialism. Essentialism is what is used in today's classrooms and was helped by William Bagley in the 1930s.
Which branch of philosophy is concerned with the nature of knowledge? ›epistemology, the philosophical study of the nature, origin, and limits of human knowledge. The term is derived from the Greek epistēmē (“knowledge”) and logos (“reason”), and accordingly the field is sometimes referred to as the theory of knowledge.
Which branch of philosophy is concerned with what exists the nature of being quizlet? ›Metaphysics - the study of reality. It is concerned with the existence and nature of an object.
Which branch of philosophy asks questions about being or existence? ›Ontology (being)
Ontology is the branch of philosophy that studies concepts such as existence, being, becoming, and reality. It includes the questions of how entities are grouped into basic categories and which of these entities exist on the most fundamental level.
- Aesthetics.
- Epistemology.
- Ethics.
- Logic.
- Metaphysics.
- Philosophy of mind.
- Philosophy of science.
- Other.
What is philosophy in simple words? ›
Quite literally, the term "philosophy" means, "love of wisdom." In a broad sense, philosophy is an activity people undertake when they seek to understand fundamental truths about themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationships to the world and to each other.
Which branch of philosophy determines the reality of values? ›Axiology is the branch of philosophy that considers the study of principles and values. These values are divided into two main kinds: ethics and aesthetics.
What is the importance of knowing the different branches of philosophy Brainly? ›Philosophy can help us eliminate some bad explanations, by examining the possible answers for solid reasoning, and helping us to cut through and reject bad assumptions. These lifelong skills are helpful no matter what one does for a living.
What is the philosophy of your life? ›The philosophy of life would include things like how you decide what is “good” and “bad”, what “success” means, what your “purpose” in life is (including if you don't think there is a purpose), whether there is a God, how we should treat each other, etc.
How do you use philosophy in daily life? ›It helps us solve our problems -mundane or abstract, and it helps us make better decisions by developing our critical thinking (very important in the age of disinformation). But it's boring, you say. It's hard to understand, you say. As it turns out, philosophy does not have to be a big snooze-fest.
What are the interconnectedness of the five branches of philosophy? ›| Metaphysics | Study of Existence | What's out there? |
|---|---|---|
| Epistemology | Study of Knowledge | How do I know about it? |
| Ethics | Study of Action | What should I do? |
| Politics | Study of Force | What actions are permissible? |
| Esthetics | Study of Art | What can life be like? |
The result is a definition of philosophical questions as questions whose answers are in principle open to informed, rational, and honest disagreement, ultimate but not absolute, closed under further ques- tioning, possibly constrained by empirical and logico-mathematical resources, but requiring noetic resources to be ...
What does ethics mean in philosophy? ›Derived from the Greek word “ethos”, which means “way of living”, ethics is a branch of philosophy that is concerned with human conduct, more specifically the behaviour of individuals in society.
Why is it important to learn philosophy of education? ›Understanding the philosophy of education will teach them the need to know the whys. Along with the intellectual development of the students, it will also improve the standards of our society and make us more rational.
What is the most important philosophy of education? ›Essentialism and Perennialism are the two types of teacher-centered philosophies of education. Essentialism is currently the leading style of public education in the United States. It is the teaching of basic skills that have been proven over time to be needed in society.
What are the 4 types of philosophy? ›
There are four pillars of philosophy: theoretical philosophy (metaphysics and epistemology), practical philosophy (ethics, social and political philosophy, aesthetics), logic, and history of philosophy.
How many types of philosophy are there? ›Today, major subfields of academic philosophy include metaphysics, which is concerned with the fundamental nature of existence and reality; epistemology, which studies the nature of knowledge and belief; ethics, which is concerned with moral value; and logic, which studies the rules of inference that allow one to ...
Which branch of philosophy evaluates human actions? ›Ethics: the study of values in human behavior or the study of moral problems: e.g., (1) the rightness and wrongness of actions, (2) the kinds of things which are good or desirable, and (3) whether actions are blameworthy or praiseworthy.
What can justify people's beliefs branch of philosophy? ›Epistemology is the study of the nature and scope of knowledge and justified belief. It analyzes the nature of knowledge and how it relates to similar notions such as truth, belief and justification.
What is the purpose of moral philosophy? ›Moral philosophy is the branch of philosophy that contemplates what is right and wrong. It explores the nature of morality and examines how people should live their lives in relation to others.
Which branch of philosophy deals with the questions of how we should live and what happiness is? ›ETHICS. Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is often referred to as the study of morality. It seeks to address questions about how we should live our lives, how we define proper conduct, and what we mean by the good life.
What is the 7 branch of philosophy? ›There are 7 branches of Philosophy, namely, Metaphysics, Axiology, Logic, Aesthetics, Epistemology, Ethics and Political Philosophy.
What is the most specialized branch of philosophy? ›Logic, the most specialized branch of philosophy, is the study of argument or reasoning. In this study one examines the structure of arguments in order to distinguish Avalid@ patterns from Ainvalid@ patterns of reasoning.
What is the main concern of logic as one of the branches of philosophy? ›The philosophy of logic also investigates how to understand the most fundamental concepts of logic, like truth, premises, conclusions, inference, argument, and validity. It tries to clarify the relation between logic and other fields, such as ontology, mathematics, and psychology.
Which branch of philosophy that deals with arguments? ›Philosophy of Religion is the branch of philosophy that is concerned with the philosophical study of religion, including arguments over the nature and existence of God, religious language, miracles, prayer, the problem of evil, and the relationship between religion and other value-systems such as science and ethics.
What is the best definition of philosophy? ›
1 : the study of the basic ideas about knowledge, right and wrong, reasoning, and the value of things. 2 : a specific set of ideas of a person or a group Greek philosophy. 3 : a set of ideas about how to do something or how to live Live and let live—that's my philosophy.
What are the three branches of philosophy in education? ›Answer and Explanation: There are four major branches of philosophy of education; Perennialism, Essentialism, Romanticism and Progressivism.
What Is philosophy summary? ›It is a reasoned pursuit of fundamental truths, a quest for understanding, a study of principles of conduct. It seeks to establish standards of evidence, to provide rational methods of resolving conflicts, and to create techniques for evaluating ideas and arguments.
What is the 5 meaning of philosophy? ›(uncountable) An academic discipline that seeks truth through reasoning rather than empiricism. Philosophy is often divided into five major branches: logic, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and aesthetics. noun.
What is philosophy the study of? ›Philosophy is the systematic study of ideas and issues, a reasoned pursuit of fundamental truths, a quest for a comprehensive understanding of the world, a study of principles of conduct, and much more.
What is the philosophy essay? ›What is a philosophy paper? Philosophical essays prove some point through the use of rational argument. A philosophical essay is not about flowery language, story-telling techniques, or surprising the reader.
How did philosophy begin? ›The earliest beginnings of philosophy are traced back to the sixth century B.C.E., when the first scientists of Western history, the Pre-Socratics – among them Thales, Heraclitus and Parmenides – advanced revolutionary theories concerning the natural world, human knowledge and humans' relationship with the gods.
What is axiology in simple words? ›Axiology is derived from the Greek to mean “value or worth,” and is primarily concerned with classifying things as good and how good they are. Often called the theory of value, axiology is the philosophical study of goodness or the worth of something.
What is the importance of axiology in philosophy? ›The importance of Axiology in Philosophy
An axiologist studies the value in general and concentrates deeply on more findings. With the implication of axiology in philosophy, one can discern what is valuable, advantageous, desirable and be familiar with the top-most moral values.
Explain and differentiate three main areas of philosophy: ethics, epistemology and metaphysics.
What are the 10 branches of philosophy PDF? ›
- Philosophy of Language.
- Mental Philosophy.
- Metaphysics.
- Ontology.
- Theology.
- Gnoseology.
- Philosophy of science.
- Natural Philosophy.
There are four pillars of philosophy: theoretical philosophy (metaphysics and epistemology), practical philosophy (ethics, social and political philosophy, aesthetics), logic, and history of philosophy.
Which branch of philosophy is mainly focused on answering questions related to what is real? ›Ontology or Metaphysics: the study of what is really real.
What are the 4 branches of metaphysics? ›In this work of ontology, he defines four realms of being; The Realm of Essence, The Realm of Matter, The Realm of Truth, and The Realm of Spirit.
Is Psychology a branch of philosophy? ›-- Psychology (tês psuchês logos) is that branch of philosophy which studies the human mind 0r soul. By the mind or soul (psuche) is meant the thinking principle, that by which I feel, know, and will, and by which my body is animated.
Who is the 7 philosopher? ›Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant: these are the seven philosophers who stand out from the rest in what is known as the `modern' period in philosophy. Their thought defines the mainstream of classical or early modern philosophy, largely responsible for shaping philosophy as we now know it.
What is main branch of philosophy? ›- Aesthetics.
- Epistemology.
- Ethics.
- Logic.
- Metaphysics.
- Philosophy of mind.
- Philosophy of science.
- Other.
Quite literally, the term "philosophy" means, "love of wisdom." In a broad sense, philosophy is an activity people undertake when they seek to understand fundamental truths about themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationships to the world and to each other.
Which branch of philosophy determines the reality of values? ›Axiology is the branch of philosophy that considers the study of principles and values. These values are divided into two main kinds: ethics and aesthetics.
What is the 5 meaning of philosophy? ›(uncountable) An academic discipline that seeks truth through reasoning rather than empiricism. Philosophy is often divided into five major branches: logic, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and aesthetics. noun.
What are the 7 philosophy of education? ›
These include Essentialism, Perennialism, Progressivism, Social Reconstructionism, Existentialism, Behaviorism, Constructivism, Conservatism, and Humanism. Essentialism and Perennialism are the two types of teacher-centered philosophies of education.
Who founded the philosophy? ›Definition. Socrates of Athens (l. c. 470/469-399 BCE) is among the most famous figures in world history for his contributions to the development of ancient Greek philosophy which provided the foundation for all of Western Philosophy. He is, in fact, known as the "Father of Western Philosophy" for this reason.
Which branch of philosophy asks questions about what can be known and how? ›Epistemology (from the Greek episteme meaning knowledge) is a core branch of philosophy that deals with the nature, origin, and scope of knowledge.
Which branch of philosophy evaluates human action? ›Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".
What is the branch of philosophy that studies the nature and means of human knowledge? ›Epistemology, the study of knowledge and knowing, has absorbed philosophers from ancient times. As a branch of philosophy, epistemology concerns the nature, origins, and limitations of knowledge, as well as the justification of truth claims.