Definition of Philosophy

When humanity began trying to explain the nature ang origin of the universe through reasoning and
observation, instead of through poetry and mythology, it is said that humanity was taking the first
step in the development of philosophy. Etymologically, the word “philosophy” comes from the Greek
words, philo meaning “to love”, and sophia, meaning “wisdom”. Thus, philosophy originally meant,
“love of wisdom”, and in a broad sense, wisdom is still the goal of philosophy. This “love of wisdom is
something in which all human nature in some measure at least participates and which predisponses
all toward sympathy for the philosopher/s enterprises (Scott, et al., 1993). With this meaning, we
realize that there is nothing disgusting with philosophy. It is not about rummaging through musty
manuscripts of great dead men (though this part of “philosophizing”). Rather, philosophy emphasizes
our living desire to understand the world that surrounds us and the world within us (Demetrio, 1997)

The proceeding discussion will have their present purpose if they make clear the point that
“philosophers” are not strange human beings, with interests and ambitios alien to the rest of
humankind. Rather, one is a “philosopher” precisely because one possesses and cherishes above the
rest of humankind that “love of wisdom” which is part of all human nature and because one more
reflectively and critically brings to light and examines the largest and widest implications of the life of
all human beings. The ancient philosophers understood the term philosophy as the sum total of the
main branches of scientific study (physics , or the study of nature: mathematics or the science of
proportio; metaphysics, or the science of being as such; logic, or the science of correct inferential
thinking; and ethics, or the science of morality). Thus, there is no distinction between philosophy and
science, for the entire body of these sciences constitutes what we call philosophy. Philosophy is also
defined as the science that by natural light or reason studies the first causes or highest priciples of all
things. Under this definitio, four things are to be considered:

1. Science it is called science because the investigation is systematic. It follows certain steps or it
employs certain procedures, in other words, it is an organized body of knowledge just like any other
science.
2. Natural Light of Reason Philosophy investigates things, not by using any other laboratory
instrument or investigate tools, neither on the basis of supernatural revelation, otherwise it becomes
theology instead the philosophers uses his natural capacity to think, or simply human reason alone, or
the so-called unaided reason.
3. Study of all things this dets the distinction between philosophy form other sciences. All other
sciences concern themselves with a particular object of inevestigation. For example, anthropologist
study human beings in relation with the society; sociologists study society, its from, structures, and
functions; botanists focus their attention to plants; linguist limit themselves with language;
theologians investigate God; whereas, a philosopher studis human beings, society, religon, language,
god, plants, and many more. In short, a philosopher does not limit himself to a particular object of
inquiry. He questions almost anything, if not everything.
4. First cause or highest principle a principle is that from which something proceeds in any manner
whatsover.
4.1 The first principles
A. Principle of identity - states that, whatever is, is; whatever is not, is not; everything is what