What is Philosophy?
What is philosophy? According to the etymology of philosophy, it means love of wisdom. We have a general idea of what love is, but wisdom needs to be clarified further. Wisdom can be considered as the virtue or it can be considered as God Himself as the Supreme Wisdom. The virtue of wisdom is the knowledge of how to properly use knowledge. It is the moral application of facts. If we know a certain fact, what would be the good way of using that fact? That is wisdom. However, as the best way of using any fact is to order them towards God, then in the etymology of philosophy, philosophy is directed towards God and is the love of God.
In my personal definition, philosophy is the study of fundamental reality. What is a fundamental reality? Simply put, it is the reality which causes or is the determinant of every other reality. In this case, the fundamental reality is called God. Therefore, philosophy is the study of God and not only that, it is the motion of the intellect towards God, towards perfective union with God by way of the intellectual union. Now philosophy is not only motion, but it is also the consequence of that motion, which in the end is God. And since in a consideration the motion and the destination are identical, then philosophy in its highest form is simply God. God is The Philosophy.
What is the distinction between philosophy, science, and theology? In the ideal form, philosophy uses the pure intellect to discern the truths of God. Science uses senses in primacy along with reason to discern the truths of creation, which integrated with philosophy aids in revealing truths of God. Finally, theology uses a balanced mix of reason and sense to receive and interpret divine communication known as divine revelation.
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