Philosophy, its object and functions

The term “philosophy” comes from the Greek language. It consists of two words :

philos, (love, or philia – friendship, affection привязанность) and

sophos (learned scholar ученый муж, sage, or sophia - wisdom, knowledge, talent).

A brief etymological interpretation sounds like “love wisdom”

The first who used this word, was Pythagoras. He did not dare (не отважился) to call himself as wise man, in his view: it is only God is wise, there’s only God’s wisdom.

So, here one of the first symbols of wisdom, philosophy – Iris, (the rainbow as a bridge between earth people and sky gods).

For the ancient Greek philosophers philosophy was not only a form of knowledge, learning, but also a form of life, existence. And even the first form or way of life (образ жизни).

How can or should begin philosophy in each case? And how a single person attached (приобщается) to it?

Various thinkers have different answers to this question. Plato began to widely use the term “philosophy” in his “Dialogues”.

Then, Aristotle believed that philosophy begins with wonder. (удивление)

Wonder in front of the mystery of the world, its unity and diversity (многообразие), its infinity. To be surprised and to see something in its untouched pristine (первозданность) is very difficult.

Interpretation of the wisdom of Democritus rightly points out (указывает) that philosophy can not be reduced to knowledge. Although in-depth knowledge is necessary for a wise.

For, as pointed out by another ancient Greek philosopher – Heraclitus, “knowledge of much doesn’t teach to be wise”

Descartes saw the real beginning of philosophy in doubt.

Philosophical knowledge is knowledge of a hole(целое), integrity of the hole. “The world as a whole” – that could be defined as the subject of philosophy.

The hole combines, integrates parts, provides them into unity. It is clear that only something in common and significant can ensure (обеспечивать) unity of the objects.

However, it should not be taken so that philosophy does not show any interest in the parts. Of course, a hole doesn’t exist without parts.

But the parts are taken here in that connection that leads to a whole, include them in the general chain (цепь) of the global process, in the fundamental unity of the world.

It is also important to have in view that philosophy is internally dissected (внутренне расчлененное) formation consisting of independent philosophic studies:

Ontology – study of being

Gnoseology – theory of cognition

Epistemology - study of knowledge

Philosophical anthropology– study of man

Social philosophy– philosophy of society

Aesthetics – study of the beauty

Logic – study of thinking

Futurology – study of the future

Axiology– study of values

Ethics – study of morality

Directly to “the world as a whole” goes only ontology. But, this does not mean that there no study of the whole, integrity in other philosophical disciplines.

Social philosophy studies the direction of the historical process (what is the history?), paradigms, i.e., model-patterns of social life of people

In all its forms philosophy teaches “the holistic (целостное) thinking”, an integrated interpretation of all existing parties, all aspects of human existence.

Philosophical knowledge, then, should be classified as problematic one. The problem enter philosophy exdefinitio (by definition).

In a rigorous, logical-philosophical approach the problem reveals (обнаруживает) its true meaning – to be an issue on which there is no answer in the existing system of knowledge, but which, nevertheless, growing out from it.

The problem is a kind of knowledge about ignorance, the bridge from the known world into the unknown world.

In this context we can understand the Socratic phrase:

“I know that I know nothing”

And indeed, expanding (расширяя) the circle of knowledge, we increase the area of ​​contact with the world of ignorance, or the unknown.

There are problems in any science, but in philosophy they have eternal nature. That is philosophy deals with the problems, which don’t have any final decision, solution.

Each era and every great thinker give their own interpretation, understanding and resolution of philosophical problems – more or less authentic (достоверное), compelling (убедительное), but a very relative.

Philosophical knowledge is not only problematic, but alternative. Philosophy makes a lot of different responses on any fundamental question . There is no the Answer, but there are a lot of answers.

Philosophical knowledge is also critical knowledge. Philosophy checks all the dogmas, teachings, authority, all the values ​​that have circulated (имеют хождение) in society.

Philosophical criticism reveals (выявляет) limitations and the relativity of all knowledge.

In this respect, philosophy is different than rhetoric which convinces (убедить) the listener in one way of the truth.

The main instrument of philosophy is not conviction (убеждение), and the discovery and critical test the truth.

Criticism is naturally connected with reflection. Reflection is self-conscious (самоосознающее) or cognitive thinking, self-aware (самоосознающее) knowledge search. Reflective thought is a thought, turned on itself.

Philosophical knowledge can be described as well as humanistic knowledge. In this case, we investigate person as a philosophical phenomenon because he exists in this world.

Philosophy interests in universality in its human, humanistic dimension and meaning. Philosophy explores the world, displayed (отображенный) on the person.

Knowledge becomes philosophical knowledge when it is projected on the human being and is involved in the formation of his worldview.