Philosophy is an academic discipline that uses reason and logic to understand reality and answer fundamental questions about knowledge, life, morality, and human nature. While philosophy has evolved into other fields over time, it remains important and relevant today. Questioning beliefs and understanding the world in a philosophical way can lead to meaningful personal and social change.

1. As complex as the modern world has become, it seems unlikely that most of what surrounds us is
actually the result of the ancient practice of philosophy. Everything from the structure of democratic
governments to due process of law, from a physician’s Hippocratic oath to computer software, has its
roots in philosophy. Sadly, philosophy as a course of study is disappearing from our nation’s colleges, yet
its focus on analytical thinking and problem solving is more vitally important today than ever
Philosophy is an academic discipline that exercises reason and logic in an attempt to understand reality
and answer fundamental questions about knowledge, life, morality and human nature. The ancient
Greeks, who were among the first to practice philosophy, coined the term, which means “love of
wisdom.” Those who study philosophy are called philosophers. Through the ages, philosophers have
sought to answer such questions as, what is the meaning and purpose of life? How do we know what we
know? Does God exist? What does it mean to possess consciousness? And, what is the value of morals?
Philosophers attempt to answer such questions through the philosophical method. The method usually
begins when a philosopher examines his own beliefs and begins to doubt their validity. From his doubt,
questions emerge. Before answering a question, the philosopher thoroughly analyzes it to ensure it is
clearly and properly defined. This helps narrow the path to the most precise answer. Next, the
philosopher proposes possible answers to the question and provides reasoned arguments to support
each one. The arguments are then critiqued by other philosophers, who may give rebuttals. Through this
process of criticism and judgment, known as dialectic, philosophers attempt to prove the rationality of
their beliefs and discover fundamental truths.
It’s no coincidence that the philosophical method has much in common with the scientific method.
Indeed, early science was known as “natural philosophy.” Philosophers like Aristotle developed the
concepts of inductive and deductive reasoning that form the basis of modern scientific study. The roots
of the physical sciences like physics and geology can be traced back to ancient philosophy.
Philosophy itself is generally considered a type of social science, like sociology or psychology. That’s
because early philosophy was primarily concerned with describing the best way to live and organize
society. From that spawned many other disciplines: economics, political science, law, linguistics, literary
and art criticism, and theology—along with sociology and psychology.
Though many of philosophy’s original topics have evolved into other fields of study over time, the
discipline remains rich and varied. Modern philosophy contains six main branches of thought, each with
their own unique focus:
Metaphysics: the nature of reality and the universe.
Epistemology: the study of knowledge and how it is acquired.
Logic: how to develop valid arguments; includes mathematical logic.
Ethics: the study of right and wrong and how people should live.
Politics: the study of government, citizen rights and political obligations.

2. Aesthetics: beauty, art and artistic perception.
At first glance, it would appear that such study has little application in the real world. Yet, philosophy
shapes modern existence. Unlocking the secrets of knowledge acquisition is the primary concern of
passionate educators of young people around the globe. Logic forms the basis of all computer
technology, as more precise programming commands increase computing speed and efficiency. Ethics
plays a major role in medicine, law and foreign policy. Indeed, the hottest debates surrounding the
issues of our time—abortion, capital punishment, welfare, environmentalism, torture and end-of-life
care—all stem from philosophical questions.
However, the study of philosophy is not necessarily about discovering all of the answers to life’s
toughest questions. Skepticism lies at the heart of philosophy. Therefore, asking a question is more
fundamentally important than answering one. In philosophy, questioning a deeply held belief or social
practice sets one onto the path of true understanding, and it’s this understanding that leads to
meaningful personal and social change. A good philosopher recognizes the danger of accepting
knowledge at face value. Social or scientific theories may be untested or contain personal bias; trusting
them immediately could result in terrible consequences.
Today, philosophers can be found working in nearly every career field. Some are scientists developing
ways to test household products without using animals. Some are politicians and human rights activists
fighting for changes in foreign policy that will alleviate war and poverty for millions of Third World
citizens. Some are economists seeking practical solutions to economic inequality. Still others are
programmers working on the cutting edge of technology to develop faster and more efficient computer
software.
Those who study philosophy also tend to lead fulfilling and successful lives. Some of history’s most well-
known figures were philosophers: Socrates, Plato, John Locke, Friedrich Nietzsche, John Stuart Mill,
Adam Smith, Karl Marx and Noam Chomsky, to name a few.