WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

Etymologically, “Philosophy” came from two (2) Greek words – “philo” and “sophia”, meaning “love of
wisdom.” The love of wisdom is synonymous to the search for wisdom and the desire to acquire it.
Hence, a philosopher is a person who does not only love to know, but loves to know the truth and
desires to live in it.

As per Western Philosophy tradition, the term Philosophy is said to be coined by Pythagoras – a
Mathematician and Philosopher from Ionia (a city in Ancient Greece). According to Pythagoras, there are
three kinds of Man – (1) a lover of pleasure, (2) a lover of success, and (3) a lover of wisdom (the highest
of which is “lover of wisdom”)

The Chinese, on the other hand, described Philosophy as zhe-xue, which means “the study of wisdom.”
The Chinese character zhe bears the emblem of “mouth and hand,” suggesting that words and actions
should go together and complement each other. Hence, among the Chinese, philosophy means doing
what one is saying (practically, practicing what you preach). For example, if a student knows he can be
professional if he is diligent in his studies, then he should be serious in his studies.

For the Hindus, philosophy is rendered as darshana, which means “vision” or “view” or “a mode of
seeing.” “Seeing” in this manner is not only through the sense of sight, but “acting without bias.” (or
simply, objectivity).

Definition of Philosophy

Technically, we define Philosophy as “the science of the knowledge of the essence of things.” It is a
science that tries to investigate all things in their ultimate causes, reasons and principles, by means of
human reason alone. Hence, the core of philosophizing is “wondering.” But it has to be noted that this
wondering, which will eventually lead to questioning, is one that pursues the truth. For it is the truth of
what one actually is which will set one free – be it palatable or not, conformable or not.

What is “to wonder?”

“To wonder means to realize that there is something strange behind the things that we ordinarily
perceive.
To wonder is to notice something extraordinary in the ordinary things we see”.
–Chris John-Terry, For the love of Wisdom

Things to consider in the definition

1. Philosophy is a science. It is a science because it is a unique realm for investigating things.

Science is characterized by a systematic investigation of things.
 2. Philosophy is not an exclusive science. It practically encompasses all things. It goes deep into
the realm of religion, science, mathematics, physics, politics, education, and even health
sciences. In these areas, the philosopher asks questions and tries to find answers. But in the
process, he/ she realizes that philosophy is not about the answers, but about the questions
themselves. Hence, the philosopher ends his/her investigation with a question. Philosophy is a
science of a never-ending questioning.

3. Philosophy investigates things inside and outside of the phenomena. Most of the time, it starts
to pour out gripping questions where science ends. If mathematics, physics and logic go through
phenomena. Philosophy starts with human experience, but stretches beyond and goes out to
meet the noumena (Gk. nous: “mind” or “idea.”) which are the world of ideas.

4. Philosophy uses the mind by necessity. The basic instrument of Philosophy is the human
reason. The mind is the ultimate factor, which the human race can use to recreate itself and the
world around it. However, the philosopher must go beyond mere representation because
meaning does not reside completely in words. Even the realm of faith is worth “philosophizing”
on (of course with the aid of natural reason (rationis lumen naturalis), as opposed to Theology
which uses the aid of supernatural reason (rationis lumen supernaturalis)

When do we begin to philosophize?

 Wonder: For Plato, the poet and the Philosopher are alike in that both begin from wonder.
 Doubt can also impel man to ask Philosophical Questions. Descartes’ Philosophy started from
doubting the existence of everything. Adolescents also doubt their identity.
 Limit Situations are inescapable realities which cannot be change but only acknowledged e.g.
failure, death of a beloved. We may not be able to control them but we can control our
response to them through reflection. They provide opportunities and challenges for us to make
life meaningful. (Existentialists)
 Metaphysical Uneasiness or Inner Restlessness is to be unsure of one’s center ( Gabriel Marcel)
equivalent to Soren Keirkegaard’s “Angst”. Metaphysical Uneasiness is contrasted with
Curiosity. To be curious is to start from a fixed external objects (outside of me) which I have a
vague idea of. Metaphysical Uneasiness is beyond the physical (external ) but more of internal.
 Inquiry. That is, we try to make sense of things (sense of human life as totality, as a whole,
comprehensive reality). When we make sense of things, we bring about the value of things. E.g.
I have a terminal case of stomach cancer. I am given only three months to live. So I ask, “What is
the meaning of my life?” (“Sens de la Vie”)