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philosophy

[ fi-los-uh-fee ]

noun

plural philosophies.
  1. the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct.
  2. any of the three branches, namely natural philosophy, moral philosophy, and metaphysical philosophy, that are accepted as composing this study.
  3. a particular system of thought based on such study or investigation:

    the philosophy of Spinoza.

  4. the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a particular branch of knowledge, especially with a view to improving or reconstituting them:

    the philosophy of science.

  5. a system of principles for guidance in practical affairs.
  6. an attitude of rationality, patience, composure, and calm in the presence of troubles or annoyances.


philosophy

/ ´Úɪˈ±ôÉ’²õÉ™´Úɪ /

noun

  1. the academic discipline concerned with making explicit the nature and significance of ordinary and scientific beliefs and investigating the intelligibility of concepts by means of rational argument concerning their presuppositions, implications, and interrelationships; in particular, the rational investigation of the nature and structure of reality (metaphysics), the resources and limits of knowledge (epistemology), the principles and import of moral judgment (ethics), and the relationship between language and reality (semantics)
  2. the particular doctrines relating to these issues of some specific individual or school

    the philosophy of Descartes

  3. the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a discipline

    the philosophy of law

  4. archaic.
    the investigation of natural phenomena, esp alchemy, astrology, and astronomy
  5. any system of belief, values, or tenets
  6. a personal outlook or viewpoint
  7. serenity of temper
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

philosophy

  1. A study that attempts to discover the fundamental principles of the sciences, the arts, and the world that the sciences and arts deal with; the word philosophy is from the Greek for “love of wisdom.†Philosophy has many branches that explore principles of specific areas, such as knowledge ( epistemology ), reasoning ( logic ), being in general ( metaphysics ), beauty ( aesthetics ), and human conduct ( ethics ). Different approaches to philosophy are also called philosophies. ( See also epicureanism , existentialism , idealism , materialism , nihilism , pragmatism , stoicism , and utilitarianism .)
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Other ˜yÐÄvlog Forms

  • ²¹²Ôt¾±Â·±è³ó¾±Â·±ô´Ç²õo·±è³ó²â adjective noun plural antiphilosophies
  • ²Ô´Ç²Ôp³ó¾±Â·±ô´Ç²õo·±è³ó²â noun plural nonphilosophies
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˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins

Origin of philosophy1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English philosophie, from Latin philosophia, from Greek ±è³ó¾±±ô´Ç²õ´Ç±è³óí²¹; philo-, -sophy
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˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins

Origin of philosophy1

C13: from Old French filosofie, from Latin philosophia, from Greek, from philosophos lover of wisdom
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"We are a coalition of people who are incredibly different in our philosophies, our theological beliefs, our family structures," says Malcolm.

From

This philosophy, he suggests, must apply to other technology and innovation needs as well.

From

Along the way, we learn about Ono’s crucial life in pre-war Japan, a privileged upbringing that led to her early forays in artistry and philosophy.

From

“The basic philosophy is it’s not the kids who refuse, it’s the parents. And we don’t punish kids for the decisions of the parents,†said Dr. Adam Breslow, the group’s president and CEO.

From

McLaren's approach to running their team is exactly what most fans of F1 would want - it is a sporting philosophy, based on a fundamental belief in the integrity of competition.

From

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More About Philosophy

What does ±è³ó¾±±ô´Ç²õ´Ç±è³ó²âÌýmean?

Philosophy is a field of science that investigates reality and human existence, as in I am currently studying philosophy in college.

The word philosophy is also used to mean a specific doctrine based on such investigation, as in I wrote my term paper on the philosophy of Plato.

And philosophy is used more generally to mean a set of beliefs or an outlook, as in My philosophy on life is to be kind to everyone.

Philosophy is a complex, abstract field of science. It often analyzes difficult and ultimately unanswerable topics, such as the meaning of life, the morals and ethics of humanity, and what it means to be human. Philosophy is divided into the three branches of natural philosophy (nature and the natural world), moral philosophy (morals and ethics), and metaphysical philosophy (the nature of existence and origins of the universe).

In a related sense, the word philosophy is used to refer to the specific doctrines or schools of thought of a person who studies philosophy, such as Plato and Socrates, two famous ancient Greek philosophers.

More generally, the word philosophy means any set of beliefs or values. It could be a philosophy on how to organize societies, as with political philosophy. Or it could be your personal outlook or viewpoint.

Example: Jaime did some research on feminist philosophy to better understand feminism.

Where does philosophy come from?

The first records of the word philosophy come from around 1250. It ultimately comes from the Greek philosophos, meaning “lover of wisdom.â€

Humans have long wondered about the meaning of life and the nature of our universe. We still study many philosophies of the ancient Greeks, whom we think of as the creators of philosophy. However, some academics now think the ancient Egyptians also wondered about what awaited them after death and what their place was in the world. It is sometimes difficult to say where philosophy ends and religion begins because the two often overlap and attempt to answer the same questions.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to philosophy?

What are some synonyms for philosophy?

What are some words that share a root or word element with philosophy?Ìý

What are some words that often get used in discussing philosophy?

How is philosophy used in real life?

Philosophy is a common word that most often means the particular scientific discipline or a set of beliefs.

Try using philosophy!

True or False?

If you are studying the philosophy of Aristotle, you are studying his ideas and doctrine.

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