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INTRODUCTION

I. What is philosophy?

A. Original Definition

From the Greek, "the love of wisdom"

Philein ( "to love" )
Sophia ( "wisdom" )

Socrates:
"The unexamined life is not worth living."

Pythagoras' definition
Plato's definition

B. Five Approaches for Definition

1. Synoptic approach--philosophy as "knowledge of ultimate"

Socrates:
James:
Spencer:

2. Analytic approach--philosophy as "the pursuit of meaning"

Schlick:
Russell:

3. Critical approach--philosophy as "critical examination"

Ducasse:
Dewey:
Radel:

4. Scientific approach--philosophy as "science of sciences"

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Spencer:
Sidgwick:
Mill:

5. Linguistic approach---Philosophy as "theory of language"

Carnap:
Austin:

Four "pursuits"

"The pursuit of truth"

"The pursuit of meaning"
"The pursuit of wisdom"
"The Pursuit of criticism"

C. Twelve Common Definitions

As the science of sciences

As the science of man
As the speculative cosmology
As the theory of language
As the theory of critical discussion
As academic activity
As academic process
As academic world view
As academic discipline
As Academic argument

D. Subject Matter of Philosophy

Involving fundamental ideas

Involving questions of meaning, truth and
Logical relations
Resisting solution by empirical sections

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E. Characterization of Philosophy

Speculative
Critical
Skeptical
Explorative
Rational
Objective
Constructive
Cognitive
Directive
General
Theoretical
Connective
Integrative
Intellectual
Continuing
Universal
Popular

F. Function of Philosophy

To theorize
To abstract
To examine
To criticize
To Identify
To Inquire
To generalize
To reason
To verify
To investigate

G. Objects of Philosophy

The basic conceptions of the world and human life

The basic interaction between inwardness and outwardness

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The basic relationship between body and mind
The basic assumptions of reality, entity, substance, existence and nature
The basic justification of value, spirituality, moral principles and social
ideals
The basic examination of truth, reason, experience and knowledge
The basic explanation of causality, necessity, freedom, essence and
phenomena
The basic usage of logical analysis and linguistic clarification

H. Six Main Branches

Metaphysics
Epistemology
Methodology
Ethics
Aesthetics
Logic

I. Classification

1. According to the principle of quantity

Monism
Dualism
Pluralism

2. According to the principle of quality

Materialism
Naturalism
Realism
Idealism
Spiritualism
Phenomenalism
Egoism

3. According to the principle of method

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Dogmatism
Skepticism
Criticism
Transcendentalism
Positivism
Solipsism
Nihilism

4. According to the principle of knowing

Rationalism
Empiricism
Sensationalism
Intuitionalism
Intellectualism
Mysticism
Agnosticism
Gnosticism

5. According to the principle of subject

Moral philosophy
Political philosophy
Legal philosophy
Social philosophy
Educational philosophy
Economical philosophy
Scientific philosophy

J. Four Separations

Religion separated from philosophy

Sciences separated from philosophy
Social sciences and humanities separated from philosophy
Psychology separated from philosophy

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K. Four Main Periods

1. The ancient

The Pre-Socrates
The Greek
The Roman

2. The Medieval

The patristic
The scholastic
3. The Modern

The humanistic
The natural-scientific
The Enlightenment
The idealistic

4. The Contemporary

L. Four Great Traditions

The Western
The Indian
The Chinese
The Arabian

M. Historical Philosophy

Continuity
Progression
Changeability
Connectivity
Interactivity

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N. Philosophic Reshaping

Naive materialism--mechanic materialism--dialectic materialism--

scientific materialism

Naive realism--new realism--critical--physical realism--scientific realism

O. Philosophical Methods

Plato and Hegel: "Dialectic"

Descartes: "skeptical"
Spinoza: "geometrical prove"
Hume: "Experimental inquiry"
Bergson: "intuition"
Russell: "theory of description"
Wittgenstein: "uncovering of nonsense"
Schlick: "clarification"
Husserl: "phenomenological description" & "bracketing"

II. How Philosophize?

A. Four Types of Philosophers

1. The Synoptic

2. The Active

The prophetic
The pragmatic
The existential

3. The Antinomian

The cynic
The Daoist

4. The Analytic

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 The artificial
The natural

B. Three Steps for Philosophizing

1. Before philosophizing

Reading philosophical materials

Listening to philosophical presentations
Observing philosophical phenomena
Learning philosophical approaches

2. In philosophizing

Thinking philosophical issues

Questioning philosophical authorities
Criticizing philosophical dogmas
Clearing up philosophical misconceptions
Analyzing philosophical meanings
Searching philosophical explanations

3. After philosophizing

Theorizing philosophical consequences

Creating philosophical frameworks
Tolerating philosophical differences
Evaluating philosophical achievements
Promoting philosophical developments
Predicting philosophical tendencies

C. Three Processes of Philosophizing

Induction
Synthesis
Description

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 Generalization
Observation--- Abstraction ---Theorization
Speculation
Conceptualization

Deduction
Analysis
Inference
Explanation
Theorization--- Specialization---Actualization
Materialization
Realization

Intuition---Essence (Non-media)

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