Philosophy
/fəˈlɑːsəfi/
nounB2
Definition
Philosophy means thinking carefully about big questions like "What is real?", "How should we live?", or "What can we know?". It is a subject where people try to understand the world and human life by using reason and clear thinking.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
The study of general and fundamental questions about life, knowledge, and values
- •She studied philosophy to understand different ideas about truth and happiness.
- •Philosophy asks questions like "What is justice?" and "What is the meaning of life?"
- •Many universities have departments of philosophy where students learn about thinkers from history.
A set of ideas or beliefs about how to live or how to do something
- •His philosophy of life is to always be kind and honest.
- •The company's philosophy is to put customers first.
- •She follows a philosophy of healthy eating and exercise.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "philosophy" like "thinking," but much deeper and about big, important questions, not just everyday thoughts
- ✓Picture sitting quietly, asking yourself questions about life, truth, or what is good and bad
- ✓It's the feeling when you wonder about why things happen or what makes something right or wrong
- ✓Sounds like "fill-LOSS-uh-fee" → imagine filling your mind with many ideas and questions like a cup filling with water
- ✓Think about famous thinkers like Socrates or Plato who asked many questions to understand life better
- ✓NOT like "opinion" (a personal idea) but "philosophy" tries to find truth that can be shared and understood by everyone
- ✓NOT like "science" (which tests facts by experiments), philosophy uses thinking and talking to explore ideas
- ✓NOT like "religion" (which is about faith and belief), philosophy uses reason and questions without needing belief
Try Other Words
- •Belief: an acceptance that something is true or real (Use when talking about personal or group opinions)
- •Theory: an explanation based on ideas or facts (Use when referring to organized ideas explaining something)
- •Thinking: the process of using your mind to consider something (Use when focusing on the act of considering or reflecting)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: from Greek "philo-" (love) + "sophia" (wisdom) → literally "love of wisdom"
- •Etymology: comes from Greek, where it meant a strong interest in learning and understanding
- •Historical development: used since ancient times to describe the study of knowledge and life questions by thinkers like Aristotle
- •Modern usage: used for the academic subject and also for personal beliefs or ways of thinking about life
Reflect & Connect
•How can studying philosophy help you make better decisions in everyday life?
•Can a person have a philosophy without studying it formally? What might that look like?
Fill in the blanks
1.Philosophy is about asking ___ questions about life and knowledge.
2.Many people study philosophy to improve their ___ and understanding.
3.His personal philosophy teaches him to treat others with ___ and respect.
4.Philosophy is different from science because it uses ___ instead of experiments.
5.A company's philosophy often guides how it ___ with customers and employees.
6.Philosophy helps people think about what is ___ and wrong.
7.When someone has a strong philosophy, they usually have clear ___ about life.