What Is Philosophy?

Let’s first deal with some misconceptions. Many people, because they’ve been allowed so little experience with philosophy or have had philosophy taught badly to them, have a negative view of it. They see philosophy as the obscure arcane thoughts of odd reclusive men from bygone times. They see the study of philosophy as dusting off moldy ideas that have little relevance to their daily lives.

Not true!

Literally, the word “philosophy” comes from the Greek words philo (“love”) and sophia (“wisdom”). Thus, on the surface, the label “philosophy” means “the love of wisdom.” Clearly, though, the act of philosophy is much more than simply loving wisdom. It is deeper, broader, and more involved.

Many people have attempted to explain what philosophy is. Some have said philosophy is thinking about thinking, reflecting on experience, or a pursuit of truth. Philosophy is all of those things, but it is also something much more.

Here Is My Definition of Philosophy:

Philosophy is the active intellectual search for fundamental principles on which we can build a better life.

What does that mean? Let’s look at the definition one idea at a time.

Philosophy is active.

Philosophy is not passive. If you submissively believe what you are told, you’re not being a philosopher. Philosophy is about actively thinking for yourself (I can’t emphasize that too much). An active mind is important for philosophy, and philosophers are never satisfied with comfortable feel-good answers.

Philosophers question assumptions — especially their own — and the act of philosophy is a live and ongoing pursuit for better explanations, ideas, and understandings. The most important part in being a good philosopher is actively and open-mindedly listening to other people’s ideas.

Philosophy is intellectual.

Yes, philosophy is engaging in active thinking. Philosophers do not accept ideas because they feel nice but because they make intellectual sense. You need to use your rational powers a lot when engaging with philosophy.

That’s intimidating, especially because what philosophy explores are some of the most difficult concepts possible. We need to think diligently and critically to explore these concepts, discuss them, and arrive at solutions.

Philosophy is an active intellectual search.

When we engage in philosophy, we are looking for something. Philosophy is not an aimless pursuit. Philosophers are not navel gazing, and we aren’t thinking for its own sake. We have a purpose. Philosophy is a quest.

We are searching for answers to our most pressing and vexing questions by actively using our minds. Instead of passively accepting superficial answers, philosophy searches deeper into topics, seeking to understand the essence of issues that affect us in our lives.

Philosophy is searching for fundamental principles.

Fundamental principles are the concepts that underlie our thinking and how we view the world. A main difference between philosophy and other intellectual pursuits is that philosophy searches for the meaning behind concepts and phenomena.

Science is excellent at measuring phenomena and gathering data. Philosophy is exceptional for forming a worldview that strengthens our ability to perceive phenomena and make decisions about them. All of the data in the world can’t give us wisdom.

Philosophy searches for the foundations for our perceptions, understandings, and what we do in the world. Identifying the fundamental principles that underlie our world and how we perceive and think about it is necessary to understand ourselves and our world.

Philosophy has a purpose for its search for fundamental principles.

With few exceptions, philosophy’s purpose is to improve our lives. This is one of philosophy’s greatest strengths. Philosophers engage in philosophical inquiry with the hope of more fully understanding the world in which they live.

Whether that understanding leads to practical benefits or the satisfaction that having answers brings, the goal of philosophy is improving the quality of human life.

Different philosophers have had different views on how life could or should be improved, but one way or another, they all share the same desire to better the human condition through better understanding fundamental principles and how to apply them.

When we understand the fundamental principles of what the world is and how we perceive it, we can build a better life for ourselves and future generations. Philosophy is the active intellectual search for that deeper understanding.

Thinking actively, diligently, and critically about the problems we face helps us to arrive at solutions and improve our lives. That is the answer to what philosophy is and why people engage in philosophy.

What Philosophers Do (Why They Act Differently)

Philosophers have an approach to life that’s distinctively different from other academics, so they act differently. That’s because philosophy is about searching for fundamental principles and trying to change the world for the better. Philosophers are attempting to dig deeper beneath the surface notions for which most people settle. As soon as a philosopher settles, they are no longer a philosopher! Philosophy is an active quest, not lazy thinking.

Rather than give in to conventional wisdom, philosophers question everything. That includes the definitions of terms. I hear sometimes people reading philosophy say “but that’s not how I use that term.”

Yes, philosophers sometimes will, with good reason, use terms in unorthodox ways. That’s because when dealing with fundamental principles, when getting to the heart of issues, the standard, static definitions are insufficient. If the philosopher explains the new use of the term and defends it, that’s more than okay. It’s actually good. Revising our views is how we move forward.

Philosophy moves us forward by expanding perspectives and conversation. (I know, analytic philosophy doesn’t, but that’s different.) Good philosophers are revolutionaries who upset the conventional wisdom. That’s why some people fear philosophy and some people hate it.