What is Philosophy?

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, amen. As I recognize that there will be some documents which asks the question of “What is Philosophy?”, I want to formulate my own answer to that question which will serve as a reference point to any commentary or response to such question. This is an initial answer which may develop with a deeper understanding of the nature of philosophy. As such take this writing as an initial understanding of the subject before I read more on the matter.

There are 2 ways to define philosophy, by its etymology and by its common usage. By etymology we know that philosophy means “Love of Wisdom”. Now there are 2 kinds of wisdom, the character of wisdom and also the Summit of Wisdom that is God or commonly attributed to the Son that is Christ. So philosophy can either mean the Love of the Character of Wisdom, or it can be the Love of God in His Wisdom. Both definitions are correct. As to be wise and to love Wisdom or God in His Wisdom is highly correlated. True wisdom can only be of God and in alignment with His own Wisdom, not separate.

Therefore, philosophy is more than knowing things, it is instead knowing how to use our knowledge of things and actually practicing that knowledge. Wisdom has a moral character, while mere knowledge can be twisted and distorted towards the damnation and destruction of one or many people. Now, why is philosophy not just the character of wisdom but rather it is the love of wisdom? As philosophy is a human pursuit and seeking. Humans can never be truly wise, but they can approximate wisdom, or God in His Perfect Wisdom. So we can only love Wisdom, without becoming Wisdom Himself.

The second way of defining philosophy is more practical. Philosophy in this way is defined as the pursuit of truths according to natural reason. Now there are also 2 ways of defining philosophy under this viewpoint, that is philosophy in a broad sense and philosophy in a strict sense. Broad Philosophy includes Strict Philosophy and all studies in general. As the general object of philosophy is truth according to natural reason, then any study of truth, whatever the truth concerns itself with, is part of philosophy. Strict Philosophy is a part of Broad Philosophy which is derived from asking what kind of truths does philosophy study?

From the common usage of philosophy, it is known to us that philosophy studies truths of the higher kind, truths which are universal and is important to all of mankind and also reality. Philosophy can also be distinguished further between purely human philosophy and the philosophy of reality. Human philosophy is the study of truths important only to human life and existence. While the philosophy of reality studies truths important to the entirety of reality and abstracts beyond human existence up to the most universal aspects of reality, with the summit being God Himself.

The etymological definition of philosophy is “The love of God in His Wisdom.” This is expounded into the common definition of philosophy which is, “The study of truths important to human existence or to all of reality.” That is how philosophy is to be understood as an initial understanding prior to further readings and responses. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, amen.

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