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Understanding Philosophy

When most people think of philosophy, they think of long-winded professors discussing the meaning of life in a stuffy classroom. But what is philosophy, really?

By Edison AdePublished 2 years ago 9 min read
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Understanding Philosophy
Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

When most people think of philosophy, they think of long-winded professors discussing the meaning of life in a stuffy classroom. But what is philosophy, really? At its core, philosophy is about thinking critically and asking questions. It's a way to explore different ideas and theories and to analyze them in order to see if they make sense. So whether you're interested in business, history, science, religion or any other topic, philosophy can help you understand it better. In short, it's a way of thinking about the world that can be applied to anything. So if you're curious about philosophy but don't know where to start, this is a good place to begin.

The study of philosophy helps you learn how to think for yourself. You'll learn how to make intelligent value judgements about every important subject. **Philosophy is an education of the whole person.**

Philosophy is one of those fields that always leaves us thinking, but it does not need to be complex. The study of philosophy has helped individuals understand the human condition, life's biggest questions and their own place in the universe. Whether you are looking for knowledge or inspiration this article will help bring clarity to some of these complicated concepts, so stick around until the end! When most people think of philosophy they tend to imagine Socrates sitting at a table with his peers pondering some deep questions. This is actually quite fitting considering Socrates was considered one of the first philosophers in ancient Greece. One of his famous quotes included the phrase, "The unexamined life is not worth living." This statement serves as a reminder that philosophy has played an important role in our understanding of humanity's place within the world and how we ought to live our lives.

Philosophers also play an important role in uncovering knowledge because they tend to explore concepts with unproven theories which lead to new discoveries. For example, Charles Darwin used philosophical thinking when he proposed the theory of natural selection based on his observations about species that were different than previously thought. Another great example would be Einstein's Theory of Relativity which explores how time is not fixed but can actually vary depending on a person's movement or position relative to another person.

Philosophy can also bring understanding to political issues. Philosophers have the ability to look at things objectively and this makes them excellent analysts of social problems that affect us today such as terrorism, human rights, equality etc. Many philosophers throughout history have even worked with governments regarding specific policies on health care, women's rights, etc. They can help find possible solutions given their knowledge about important moral concepts like justice and liberty. A great example would be John Locke (yes, he is considered a philosopher) who had ideas about natural rights that influenced Thomas Jefferson when he wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Philosophy is not just for experts. It's a way of life. We eat, sleep, and breathe philosophy.

Philosophy literally means a love of wisdom. Philosophers are people who are curious about the nature of reality and human existence, and who have developed methods for examining their questions in order to gain deeper knowledge and insight.

The art of asking questions.

It's the origin of all truths and all answers. And it's something that everyone can participate in—not just experts or academics. In fact, philosophy is a way of life.

It is an organized study of the most fundamental questions about what it means to be human. The simplest way to understand these questions is as questions about how we should live—what we should value, how and why we should make decisions, and what makes life meaningful or worth living. In other words, philosophers are concerned with the big picture. When they ask questions like "What exists?" or "What can I know?" or "What is the good life?" they aren't trying to get at abstract answers without real-world consequences. Rather, they're trying to understand things like whether or not our universe has any meaning or purpose; whether or not we can know anything for certain; and what kind of things we ought to value in our lives, given that these have very real-life consequences for how we live.

You can learn philosophy no matter what your age or religious or philosophical background, or even if you have given it little or no thought before. It is an essential tool for rational thinking and so, ultimately, for living productively.

Philosophy is an approach to life that teaches you to question everything you think you know, constantly seek out new ideas and new ways of looking at yourself and your world and treat your opinions as hypotheses that need to be tested and challenged. Philosophy is the study of knowledge itself, which means that studying philosophy improves your ability to make sense of the world and understand how we know what we think we know.

If you want to be a successful professional or entrepreneur, it's important that you understand philosophy. If you want to make an impact in your field, you need to be able to think critically and analyze complex problems. And philosophy can help you do just that. So if you're looking for a way to step up your game professionally, understanding philosophy is a great place to start.

As a child, few people wonder about the universe around them. In fact, most children spend their lives simply enjoying what the world has to offer without giving much thought to why they are here or if there is even something greater than themselves. These basic questions of existence have been pondered since the beginning of time and philosophers have been attempting to uncover their answers for thousands of years. So, in order to understand philosophy and its importance in today's modern society, we must explore its origins and how it has evolved into the science we know today that actually helps us answer some of these very same questions we ponder as children.

Today there are hundreds if not thousands of colleges and universities across the globe with philosophy programs that focus on different aspects of this vast topic.

So why study philosophy?

Well taking courses in philosophy can be incredibly rewarding for individuals who have a deep curiosity about the mysteries of life and offer students an opportunity to explore their views about existence, the universe and everything. In fact, it can be argued that philosophy is one of the most rewarding subjects to study because it truly does help us understand ourselves and our world better.

In addition to being a subject consisting of many fascinating courses at colleges and universities, philosophy has been recognized as an academic discipline throughout history that has produced some very big names in the professional world. Individuals such as Socrates, Aristotle, Descartes, John Locke, Derrida are just a few of the philosophers who have made significant contributions to society by exploring themes related to life's biggest questions.

Philosophy also has roots in science which makes sense when you consider that science is essentially the discovery of knowledge. There are many different branches of science that can be considered to be related to philosophy including physics, biology, psychology and mathematics. The power of mathematics especially cannot be denied because it serves as an excellent tool for understanding the world around us by providing numbers needed to measure things accurately.

Philosophy has even made its way into the political realm which should not come as a surprise considering how many political questions have been pondered throughout history. It also seems appropriate when you consider that much of politics is about making choices about how we want our society structured. Political philosophers have different perspectives on issues such as liberty vs equality, natural rights, justice, etc. These ideas have then influenced government structure and policy over the years. In fact, this is why studying philosophy can be so beneficial because it can help us understand the implications of our choices and how they influence society as a whole.

Philosophy helps you learn how to think—not just what to think.

Philosophers aren't interested in telling you what to believe; they just want to help you understand how to reason and how to figure out what beliefs are best for you. If a philosophy seems intimidating, don't worry: All it wants from you is your curiosity and your eagerness to explore ideas.

One common misconception about philosophy is that it has no practical value.

Those with this misconception mistakenly believe that philosophy is solely concerned with abstract and intangible ideas. They think that philosophy provides no tools for solving concrete problems and that it doesn't have any real-world applications. They are wrong.

Philosophy helps us understand ourselves better as well as our relationship with others. For example, if you have ever wondered why someone would choose one path over another, then it might be helpful to know more about how their mind works so that you can better predict what direction they might go next time! And if you're trying to figure out how best to approach someone who seems very different from yourself (for example a stranger), then having some insight into their worldview could make all difference between getting along well with this person or not at all!

Philosophy does not provide the same kind of concrete toolkit as other fields like engineering or medicine, but it does provide a different sort of toolkit. Philosophy gives us the tools to think more clearly and express ourselves more effectively. It helps us communicate our ideas in a way that will be understood by others, while also making sure we understand what we're saying.

Although many people believe that philosophy does not have much practical application in today's modern society there are actually plenty of reasons to study it besides simply gaining knowledge about "wisdom". Learning about philosophical thought has given humanity a better understanding of concepts such as truth, justice, liberty and equality which are things that we value highly in today's democratic societies. As for its relationship to science? Well, let's just say the best scientists are those who practice good philosophical habits by thinking critically and exploring new ideas. And lastly, studying philosophy offers students an opportunity to learn how to make better decisions by exploring ideas that have influenced society for ages.

Finally, philosophy helps students learn how to make better decisions by exploring choices made by individuals throughout history. This critical thinking can lead to an increased understanding of how our actions affect the world around us. In addition, studying philosophy may help you understand why you make certain choices and thus reveal more about your personality. This is perhaps one of the most popular reasons for studying philosophy because it helps people become more self-aware. There are certain personality types that may be drawn to this field, but anyone who has a curious mind can look at life from a philosophical perspective.

I believe there's nothing more important than understanding how humans gain knowledge. We are uniquely capable of finding out how the world works, and how we fit into it—but we are also uniquely capable of misunderstanding each other. We think about things differently from one another, and sometimes our misunderstandings can lead to bad decisions with terrible consequences.

If you are looking to make some changes in your life and bring greater meaning, understanding and clarity to notions such as truth, justice and equality then philosophy could be a great option for you.

So what are you waiting for? Start your journey into the wonderful world of philosophy!

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About the Creator

Edison Ade

I Write about Startup Growth. Helping visionary founders scale with proven systems & strategies. Author of books on hypergrowth, AI + the future.

I do a lot of Spoken Word/Poetry, Love Reviewing Movies.

My website Twitter

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