Meaning, Nature & Method of Philosophy PDF

Meaning, Nature and Method of Philosophy A lecture delivered by Rotimi OMOSULU, B.A (Hons), M.A, Ph.D. (UNILAG)  Introduction This lecture is designed to help you understand the meaning, nature and method of philosophy. Philosophy...

Meaning, Nature and Method of Philosophy A lecture delivered by Rotimi OMOSULU, B.A (Hons), M.A, Ph.D. (UNILAG)  Introduction This lecture is designed to help you understand the meaning, nature and method of philosophy. Philosophy is undeniably a multi-dimensional discipline that concerns itself with the ultimate knowledge about man, the world and the universe (cosmology and cosmogony).  Cont. Philosophers are those who perpetually ask and answer fundamental questions about man, about the world in which they live in, and about the universe. In other words, philosophy deals with what exists and what does not, as well as how we ought to behave in the society. Images on Philosophy Cont. Cont.  Origin of Philosophy Philosophy and wonder are inseparable. In Latin, the word mirari means- to wonder or marvel at something.  Cont. While miraculum in Latin simply means “anything wonderful, beyond human power, and deviating from common action of nature, a supernatural event”. Iyalenu is the word for wonder in Yoruba language.  Cont. According to Aristotle, “it is owing to their wonder that men both now begin and at first began to philosophise.” Children are filled with wonder.  Cont. Consequently, the origin of philosophy is wonder. No country, nation, race, tribe or tradition can lay absolute claim to the origin of philosophy. This is so because humans are naturally predisposed to wonder.  Philosophy as an Academic Term Etymologically, philosophy evolves from two Greek words, Philo (love) and Sophia (wisdom). When conjoined, the term philosophy then means the love of wisdom, and a philosopher is regarded as a lover of wisdom.  Cont. However, the first person to refer to himself as a philosopher in the West was Pythagoras. When Leon, the Tyrant of Philius, asked him of who he was, he replied “a Philosopher”. He conceived a philosopher as ‘one who is attempting to find out’.  Cont. Pythagoras (570 BC – 475 BC) Pythagoras and Ancient Greek Games According to Pythagoras, three groups of people were always present at ancient Greek games (now known as Olympics): 1. those who visited solely to win fame and laurels. 2. Some who came to sell their wares. 3. And there were those who came to the festival for observation. He called the third group the philosophers’ group because they were not interested in fame or in making material gains, but in wisdom.  Cont. Wisdom is the noblest thing that differentiates a philosopher from other people. Wisdom makes a man to be self-conscious, self- critical and indispensable.  The Paradox of Inverse Significance Philosophy is the only discipline that has a solution to any human problem. But as relevant as philosophy is, the discipline has not been well prioritized by humans.  Cont. In other words, philosophy’s status in the modern world is subjected to what we can call the paradox of inverse significance. The more people consciously recognise the place of philosophy in their relationship with the world and universe, the more they consciously misunderstand its significance to life in general.  Defining Philosophy Philosophy, as a term, is ambiguous. That is why there is no definition of philosophy that can furnish us with the meaning of philosophy in totality. It is against this backdrop that I will now connect you with some definitions of philosophy.  Cont. Philosophy is a worldview. Philosophy is what philosophers do. Philosophy is the search for the ultimate reality.  Cont. Philosophy is the search for the ideal life. Philosophy is the search for the indubitable knowledge. Philosophy is the logical analysis of language and clarification of concepts.  Some Philosophers’ Definitions of Philosophy Philosophy, for Plato, is the highest form of inquiry, just because it alone involves no presuppositions. “Philosophy is a search for comprehensive view of nature, an attempt at universal explanation of the nature of things.” –Alfred Weber.  Cont. For William James, “philosophy is the unusually stubborn attempt to think clearly.“ Merlau-Ponty says “philosophy is merely an elucidated experience”.  Core Branches of Philosophy Metaphysics Epistemology Ethics Logic  Metaphysics Metaphysics is the domain that seeks to answer the first question. Metaphysicians are concerned with the ultimate nature of reality, of being and of existence in its general form.  Cont. What is universe? Is it made up primarily of matter, or, does it also contain non-material things like spirits? What is ultimately real? Are there other kinds of reality apart from the physical world? What is time? What is space? Does God exist? and so on.  Epistemology Epistemology is another primary branch that interrogates the nature, scope, extent and the limit of knowledge. The two essential issues that epistemologists are concerned with are (a) What does it mean ‘to know’ anything? (b) Is there anything we know so certainly that it cannot be doubted?  Ethics Ethics or moral philosophy is the critical interrogation of the moral principles that guide human conduct. Ethics, as well as aesthetics and political philosophy, is a component of axiology which is the philosophical analysis of values.  Logic Logic is the branch of philosophy that distinguishes between correct and incorrect reasoning. Logic is the indispensable tool of philosophy.  The nature of Philosophy The nature of philosophy is itself a philosophical issue. However, the nature of philosophy can be known through sorts of questions that philosophers think are important and how they attempt to answer those questions. Unlike scientific questions which must be asked within a specific empirical framework, philosophical questions can only be sufficiently answered through critical thinking.  Cont. For it is the nature of philosophy to search for truth, to seek knowledge and to enthrone wisdom in every sphere of human affairs. No absolute authorities in philosophy, only the superior argument is respected. Agreement and disagreement are common traits of philosophy.  Method of Philosophy Questioning – Curiosity leads to asking questions about things. Reasoning – Critical thinking about ideas, beliefs, issues and things. Argumentation. Analysis. Criticism.  Importance of Philosophy The study of philosophy enables you not to be prone to superficiality and dogmatism. Philosophy helps students to learn about not what to believe, but how to believe in it. It helps to sharpen your problem-solving skill, especially problems that do not present immediate solutions.  Cont. It enthrones you as an independent-minded person. The study of philosophy helps you not to ask the question “what can I do with philosophy?” but to ask the right question “what can philosophy do for me?”  Conclusion The aim of this lecture has been to lucidly explain the meaning, nature and method of philosophy. This aim has been greatly achieved. Despite the challenge of inverse significance facing philosophy in this contemporary time, its importance to humanity can not be overemphasised. Thanks for your rapt attention!