“INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY”

PHILOSOPHY

 the study of fundamental knowledge, reality and existence, especially when considered as an academic
discipline

PHILOSOPHER

 a person engaged or learned in philosophy, especially as an academic discipline.

PILOSOPO (Philosopher)

 mapagpilosopo, mapagmaalam
PERSPECTIVE

 a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something

 point of view

BELIEF

 an acceptance that a statement or something exists

 --- trust, faith, confidence in someone

WISDOM

 the quality of having experience, knowledge and good judgement, the

 quality of being wise

REASONING

 the action of thinking about something in a logical, sensible way

ETYMOLOGY

 - the study of the origin of words

SOPHISTS

 a paid teacher of philosophy and rhetoric in Ancient Greek

 a person who reasons with clever but fallacious arguments

WISE

 having a showing experience, knowledge and good judgements.

The original meaning of philosophy based on its etymology is love of wisdom. The term "philosophy" is an English
translation of the Greek word "philosophia" which is a combination of the two Greek words namely; "philio" which means
love and "sophia" which means wisdom. A philosopher, consequently is a lover of wisdom or one who loves wisdom. The
term "philosopher" was first used on by Pythagoras, the Ancient Greek thinker popularly known for his mathematical
formula (The Pythagorian Theorem). Pythagoras preferred to be called a "philosopher" rather than "sophist"- which
literally means wiseman or one who knows. The philosophers Socrates and Plato's are also noted for their early usage of
the term "philosopher" to mean lover of wisdom. This can be read in some of Plato's Dialogues - referring to Plato's
writing in which Socrates (Plato's teacher) debated with some other Greek thinkers (usually the Sophists) on a variety of
topics that included justice, love and friendships. The Sophists were a group of intellectuals who taught oratory (or the art
of public speaking) for a fee to individuals aspiring to have a successful career in politics. The Sophists' believe that all
truths are relative in that all truths are determined by or based a human interests. This view expressed well by Pythagoras,
a leading sophist, when he said that "Man is the measure of all things." Pythagoras, Socrates and Plato called themselves
"Philosophers" partly because they did not agree with this view of the sophists. Based on its etymological meaning,
philosophy, first and foremost, is a kind of love one that is directed at wisdom. This suggests that philosophy is not a
purely intellectual activity, for it is also a kind of attitude or emotion.