Have you ever asked questions like "What is the meaning of life"? "Does God exist"? "Is there life after death"? "What do terms like good, bad, right and wrong mean? All these are philosophical questions. This tells us philosophy is for everyone. Whether you are aware of it or not, we all engage in philosophy.
In this lesson, we will discuss
The word Philosophy is derived from two Greek words; Philo meaning love and Sophia meaning wisdom. In general, it means the love of wisdom. The field of philosophy spans the nature of the universe, the mind, and the body, as well as the relationships between all three, and between people. Philosophy ponders on questions that go beyond the scope of science.
It is a field of inquiry that 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. It tries to answer general and fundamental questions, such as those about reason, existence, knowledge, values, mind, and language. It encompasses all bodies of knowledge.
A practitioner of philosophy is known as a philosopher.
Traditionally, there are 5 main branches of philosophy. They are:
There are many different schools of philosophy. In this lesson, we will talk about the 10 major schools of philosophy.
1. Existentialism - It is a philosophical theory that people are free agents who have control over their choices and actions. Proponents of this theory believe that society should not restrict an individual's life or actions because that these restrictions inhibit free will and the development of that person's potential. Existentialism in its current form is inspired by the Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard.
2. Nihilism - It is the belief that denies the existence of moral truths, loyalties, and purpose of life. They reject belief in a higher creator and claim that objective secular ethics are impossible. Nihilism is often associated with pessimism, depression, and immorality. To the true Nihilist believers, life is literally pointless. Nihilism is often associated with the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
3. Secular Humanism - It is a non-religious worldview rooted in science, naturalism, and ethics. Instead of relying on faith, superstition, and doctrine, secular humanists use compassion, critical thinking, and human experience to find solutions to human problems. They reject authoritarian beliefs and embrace individual freedom and responsibility and cooperation. Thinkers associated with secular humanism include Bertrand Russell, Paul Kurtz, and Richard Dawkins.
4. Objectivism - It is a liberal philosophy developed by Ayn Rand in the 20th century. Objectivism holds that there is mind-independent reality; that individual persons are in contact with this reality through sensory perception. In his book Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand outlined 4 pillars of objectivism - reality, reason, self-interest, and capitalism. It claims that the meaning of life is the pursuit of one’s own happiness or “rational self-interest". It believes to exist is to be something, to possess a specific identity.
5. Absurdism - It is a philosophical belief that humanity tries to find meaning and inherent value in life, but all the efforts of humanity fail. This is because no such meaning exists, at least to human beings. Absurdism pertains that, although such meaning may exist, the pursuit of it is not essential. Albert Camus was one of the most important absurdist thinkers
6. Positivism - It is a philosophical theory that believes genuine knowledge is only gained through sensory experiences. It is closely associated with empiricism and rationalism. It was first theorized by Auguste Comte in the mid 19th century and developed into a modern philosophy favored by scientists and technocrats.
7. Epicureanism - This philosophical theory is based on radical materialism. It argues that pleasure is the chief good in life. It is based on the teachings of Greek philosopher Epicurus, closely associated with hedonism. It advocates living in such a way as to derive the greatest amount of pleasure possible during one's lifetime, without overindulging in pleasure. Epicurus believed there were three key components of a happy life - friendship, freedom and self-sufficiency, and philosophical thought.
8. Utilitarianism - It is a morality theory advocated by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. According to this philosophy, whatever brings the greatest happiness to the highest number of people is "good". it believes that actions should be evaluated on the basis of their consequences.
9. Determinism - It is the philosophical view that the universe is rational and all events are determined completely by prior occurrences. Determinism was developed by the Greek philosophers during the 7th and 6th centuries BC by the Pre-socratic philosophers Heraclitus and Leucippus, later Aristotle, and mainly by the Stoics. Determinism can take many forms, from theological determinism, which suggests that one’s future be predetermined by a god or gods, to environmental determinism, which suggests that all human and cultural development be determined by environment, climate and geography.
10. Idealism - It is a philosophical approach that ideas are the only true reality. It believes that there is no external reality composed of matter and energy. There are only ideas existing within minds. Idealism associates reality with ideas in the mind rather than material objects. Immanuel Kant is the most renowned Idealism philosopher.
