Topics Philosophy

Question I've read various explanations of what philosophy is, but what is "A philosophy"? When a philosopher sits down to write "a philosophy of . . . .," what is s/he trying to do? Thank you!!!

Accepted:
November 24, 2010

Comments

good question. you know the degree 'Ph.D.', the hghest degree you can obtain in many fields, is a 'doctor of philosophy', so presumably what one gets in completing a PhD in say literature, language, art history, physics, etc., is 'a philosophy of that field' -- and that in turn indicates something like a 'highest-level mastery of the field', which in turn typically includes two levels of accomplishment: mastering all/the major knowledge and principles of obtaining knowledge within the field (eg how to be a good physicist) but also mastering perhaps some of the phiosophical elements of any given field ... a good physicist knows how to create/evaluate good theories, but a good philosopher of science knows what counts generally about a good theory and whether good theories should be construed about truth or something else (like usefulness) ....

Question I've read various explanations of what philosophy is, but what is "A philosophy"? When a philosopher sits down to write "a philosophy of . . . .," what is s/he trying to do? Thank you!!! Accepted:November 24, 2010

Question I've read various explanations of what philosophy is, but what is "A philosophy"? When a philosopher sits down to write "a philosophy of . . . .," what is s/he trying to do? Thank you!!!

Accepted:
November 24, 2010