Definitions for Philosophy
fɪˈlɒs ə fiPhi·los·o·phy

Princeton's WordNet(3.42 / 22 votes)Rate this definition:

1. doctrine, philosophy, philosophical system, school of thought, ism(noun)

   a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school

2. philosophy(noun)

   the rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics

3. philosophy(noun)

   any personal belief about how to live or how to deal with a situation

   "self-indulgence was his only philosophy"; "my father's philosophy of child-rearing was to let mother do it"

Wiktionary(3.14 / 15 votes)Rate this definition:

1. philosophy(Noun)

   (originally) The love of wisdom

2. philosophy(Noun)

   An academic discipline that seeks truth through reasoning rather than empiricism

3. philosophy(Noun)

   A comprehensive system of belief.

4. philosophy(Noun)

   A view or outlook regarding fundamental principles underlying some domain.

5. philosophy(Noun)

   A general principle (usually moral).

6. philosophy(Noun)

   A broader branch of (non-applied) science

7. philosophy(Verb)

   To philosophize.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Philosophy(noun)

   literally, the love of, including the search after, wisdom; in actual usage, the knowledge of phenomena as explained by, and resolved into, causes and reasons, powers and laws

   Etymology: [OE. philosophie, F. philosophie, L. philosophia, from Gr. filosofi`a. See Philosopher.]

2. Philosophy(noun)

   a particular philosophical system or theory; the hypothesis by which particular phenomena are explained

   Etymology: [OE. philosophie, F. philosophie, L. philosophia, from Gr. filosofi`a. See Philosopher.]

3. Philosophy(noun)

   practical wisdom; calmness of temper and judgment; equanimity; fortitude; stoicism; as, to meet misfortune with philosophy

   Etymology: [OE. philosophie, F. philosophie, L. philosophia, from Gr. filosofi`a. See Philosopher.]

4. Philosophy(noun)

   reasoning; argumentation

   Etymology: [OE. philosophie, F. philosophie, L. philosophia, from Gr. filosofi`a. See Philosopher.]

5. Philosophy(noun)

   the course of sciences read in the schools

   Etymology: [OE. philosophie, F. philosophie, L. philosophia, from Gr. filosofi`a. See Philosopher.]

6. Philosophy(noun)

   a treatise on philosophy

   Etymology: [OE. philosophie, F. philosophie, L. philosophia, from Gr. filosofi`a. See Philosopher.]

Freebase(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Philosophy

   Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with reality, existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational argument. In more casual speech, by extension, "philosophy" can refer to "the most basic beliefs, concepts, and attitudes of an individual or group". The word "philosophy" comes from the Ancient Greek φιλοσοφία, which literally means "love of wisdom". The introduction of the terms "philosopher" and "philosophy" has been ascribed to the Greek thinker Pythagoras. A "philosopher" was understood as a word which contrasted with "sophist". Traveling sophists or "wise men" were important in Classical Greece, often earning money as teachers, whereas philosophers are "lovers of wisdom" and were therefore not in it primarily for the money.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia(4.00 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Philosophy

   the science of sciences or of things in general, properly an attempt to find the absolute in the contingent, the immutable in the mutable, the universal in the particular, the eternal in the temporal, the real in the phenomenal, the ideal in the real, or in other words, to discover "the single principle that," as Dr. Stirling says, "possesses within itself the capability of transition into all existent variety and varieties," which it presupposes can be done not by induction from the transient, but by deduction from the permanent as that spiritually reveals itself in the creating mind, so that a Philosopher is a man who has, as Carlyle says, quoting Goethe, "stationed himself in the middle (between the outer and the inner, the upper and the lower), to whom the Highest has descended and the Lowest mounted up, who is the equal and kindly brother of all." "Philosophy dwells aloft in the Temple of Science, the divinity of the inmost shrine; her dictates descend among men, but she herself descends not; whoso would behold her must climb with long and laborious effort; may still linger in the forecourt till manifold trial have proved him worthy of admission into the interior solemnities." Indeed philosophy is more than science (q. v.); it is a divine wisdom instilled into and inspiring a thinker's life. See Thinker, The.

The Roycroft Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. philosophy

   Our highest conception of life, its duties and its destinies.

U.S. National Library of Medicine(4.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Philosophy

   A love or pursuit of wisdom. A search for the underlying causes and principles of reality. (Webster, 3d ed)

The Foolish Dictionary, by Gideon Wurdz(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. PHILOSOPHY

   Something that enables the rich to say there is no disgrace in being poor.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. philosophy

   Is the science and study of creation, language, thought, existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, soul, spiritual being, ethics, wisdom and metaphysics.

   Philosophy is amazing to study and with the internet it has speed up our knowledge and information to contribute to the evolution of humanity

   Submitted by MaryC on March 15, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Philosophy' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2887

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Philosophy' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3792

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Philosophy' in Nouns Frequency: #1183

How to pronounce Philosophy?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say Philosophy in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Philosophy in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Philosophy in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of Philosophy in a Sentence

1. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe:

   Today, the Japan Sports Council reported that Plan A was chosen for the new National Stadium design, the ministerial meeting has checked the selection was made in an appropriate manner. This is an excellent plan that satisfies the principle philosophy, construction, deadline and cost of the Olympic plan.

2. G. I. Gurdjieff:

   Religion is doing; a man does not merely think his religion or feel it, he lives his religion as much as he is able, otherwise it is not religion but fantasy or philosophy.

3. Akram Al Deek:

   One of the reasons for which you ultimately became a teacher, however, is the way by which you were taught. You came to realise that teaching is a political act at the heart of which lies political change. You became a teacher to rectify things. Because you had a great responsibility towards the future. As a teenager, you attended an average boys’ public school in a suburban area of a small city in the northeast of Jordan. It was a school where English was not obligatory until the sixth grade. A school where you were taught to stand up for your superiors as they walked into class, and where any eye-contact was frowned upon. A school where you were inspected for your haircut, nails, and shoes but not your concerns. A school where it mattered more where you are from than who you are. A school where the science teacher taught geography, sports, and Islamic religion, too. A school where you were grabbed by the ears and pulled up, hit repeatedly on the knuckles and slapped on the face for not remembering the capital of Cambodia. And for that you never forgot the capital of Cambodia. A school where philosophy was marginalised by religion. And where you had to wait in queues to urinate because toilets were busy with concealed homosexual activities. A school where during winter you had to wear layers and layers of wool and cotton because there was no central heating, double-glazed windows, or even curtains. A school where the drawing studio was used as a canteen by teachers during lunch-time only. A school where there was no awareness of the disconnection between the teaching curriculum and societal needs. A school where the story always goes with Mr Ali in the office, while Mrs Ali is always in the kitchen. A school where most teachers finished classes 15 to 20 minutes earlier so that they could exploit parents and students in highly expensive private classes outside the school. A school where all music classes were spent teaching you how to play the national anthem. A school where it was always easier to deny and reject than debate and accept. A school where the quiet boy was always neglected. A school where you were always asked what to do, but never did anyone ever do what you asked: to listen. A school where your colleagues were scolded for being overtaken in class by a Palestinian student.

4. Patrick Leahy:

   I hope next week, when the president’s Supreme Court nominee will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee, he provides transparent, truthful answers to Senators’ questions, i will insist on real answers from Judge Neil Gorsuch, because there are real concerns about his record and his judicial philosophy.

5. Isaac Asimov:

   Jokes of the proper kind, properly told, can do more to enlighten questions of politics, philosophy, and literature than any number of dull arguments.

Images & Illustrations of Philosophy

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