Philosophy

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /fɪˈlÉ’sÉ™fi/

Alternative forms

• philosophie obsolete
• phylosophie obsolete
• phylosophy nonstandard

Origin

From Anglo-Norman philosophie, Old French philosophie, and their source, Latin philosophia, from Ancient Greek φιλοσοφία, from φίλος (philos, "beloved") + σοφία (sophia, "wisdom").

Full definition of philosophy

Noun

1. (uncountable, originally) The love of wisdom.
2. (uncountable) An academic discipline that seeks truth through reasoning rather than empiricism.
   Philosophy is often divided into five major branches: logic, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and aesthetics.
• 1661, John Fell, The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. HammondDuring the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant...
3. (countable) A comprehensive system of belief.
4. (countable) A view or outlook regarding fundamental principles underlying some domain.
   a philosophy of government;   a philosophy of education
5. (countable) A general principle (usually moral).
6. (archaic) A broader branch of (non-applied) science.

Meronyms

Derived terms

• analytic philosophy
• antiphilosophy
• continental philosophy
• personal philosophy
• philosophize
• philosophy of mind

Related terms

• philology
• philosopher
• philosophic
• philosophical
• philosophically

Verb

1. (now rare) To philosophize.
• 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.12:Plato hath (in my seeming) loved this manner of Philosophying, Dialogue wise in good earnest, that therby he might more decently place in sundry mouthes the diversity and variation of his owne conceits.