A Framework for the Study of Philosophy

Some Definitions of "philosophy"

From "A Dictionary of Philosophy" (1967)

There is no definition for philosophy in general just entries for "philosophy of X" where X is a subject like science

From a contemporary Canadian Dictionary

It is the study of truth and everthing, a life style, speaking superficially, calm attitude in crisis, finding meaning and something a person does.

From my self-published lexicon

It is giving relatively truthful artistic responses to an inqiuiry such that they point in the direction of the truth or it's approximation.

From the perspective of chess player

Nothing but nonsense if it cannot be used to win the game.

From a wise philosophy student

I don't know what it is but I expect to get some idea of it.

The literal definition

It is being a friend of wisdom (but not possessing it).

First Question: "What is Philosophy?"

In all things that are complex, like nature. A friend of wisdom must be acustom to, have imagination of, and experience of something in order to have the capability to communicate a understanding to others of what it is. Those who do not strive to become close to a complex thing can only have a simple idea of it, which may or may not have any resemblance to the insight that can be obtained if the path of learning is undertaken in philosophical manner.

What is it to be seen as a philosopher?

No one knows, but if you call and present yourself as one at the begining of a conversation with someone you don't know, you will find how to distance yourself from your self.

Where can one not philosophize?

In a society where there is freedom of communication there is ideally no restriction on asking questions. However it would seem commercial places do not value the activities of an artist.

The End of Philosophy

The end is the begining. I do not mean to be poetic with the previous statement. But, that which begins philosophy is that which ends it. A metaphor that serves to create a mental image for this is that of a snowflake. It begins with a partical in the air, develops by accumulating water, exists as a unique crystaline structure, eventually melts, the partical is left on the surface of the earth until the wind propels it back into the air, from where it originated.

The Future of Philosophy

If philosphy is the friend of wisdom and in the future the most accurate source of wisdom is information derived from search engines on the internet, then what role would wisdomatic people play among the philosophical community? The only statment I can assert here is that philosophy will have to evolve, eventhough it must stay attached to its traditional roots.

The Philosophy of Philosophical Education

If there is an essence to the study of philosophy one would presume that it is epistemology, the part of searching for the truth that deals with the origin, nature and limits of knowledge. Even though philosophy is not psychology, I propose here that how humans develop knowledge (as individuals and as a group), how neurological processes contribute to knowledge building and storage, and how the boundaries of our mental capacities define humanity, is the foundation of philosophy even though formally, psychology is an independent field of study frome psychology. Furthermore and lastly, the epistmological key that most of the great historical philosphers held was the power to relate independent things and communicate these relations to others such that they would be accepted and perhaps understood through value based reasoning or pure logic.