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 MY VIEW ABOUT PHILOSOPHY IN GENERAL

       The most general definition of philosophy is that it is the pursuit of wisdom, truth and knowledge. Whenever people think about deep, fundamental questions concerning the nature of the universe and ourselves, the limits of human knowledge, their values and the meaning of life and they are thinking about philosophy. For me, philosophical thinking is found in all parts of the world, present and past.   

      Philosophy is a term used in academia to distinguish one field of study from all others, such as science and the humanities. Philosophers usually address topics that are larger or more basic than those posed by other inquirers. Academic philosophy's primary method is to construct and analyze arguments (reasons intended to justify some conclusion). These conclusions could be about whether a theory is valid or wrong, or regarding the proper analysis or definition of a subject. These arguments are usually conceptual and intellectual in nature.

       Quite literally, the term "philosophy" means, "love of wisdom." In a broad sense, philosophy is an activity people undertake when they seek to understand fundamental truths about themselves, the world in which they live and their relationships to the world and to each other.

     At its simplest, philosophy is the study of knowledge, or "thinking about thinking", although the breadth of what it covers is perhaps best illustrated by a selection of other alternative definitions:

• The discipline concerned with questions of how one should live (ethics), what sorts of things exist and what are their essential natures (metaphysics), what counts as genuine knowledge (epistemology, and what are the correct principles of reasoning (logic) (Wikipedia).

• Investigation of the nature, causes or principles of reality, knowledge or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods (American Heritage Dictionary).

• The study of the ultimate nature of existence, reality, knowledge and goodness, as discoverable by human reasoning (Penguin English Dictionary).

• The rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics (WordNet).

• The search for knowledge and truth, especially about the nature of man and his behavior and beliefs (Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary).

• The rational and critical inquiry into basic principles (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia).

• The study of the most general and abstract features of the world and categories with which we think: mind, matter, reason, proof, truth, etc. (Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy).

• Careful thought about the fundamental nature of the world, the grounds for human knowledge and the evaluation of human conduct (The Philosophy Pages).