Philosophy has always been part
of human being. It is philosophy or elements of philosophy that made human
being evolve as human being from her ancestor (if we were to believe theory of
evolution). In early period man would have philosophies things related directly
to feeding stomach and survival. But, as civilization flourish and more leisure
and free time are available men begin to philosophies regarding various
dimension. More abstract and imaginary philosophy begins. Comparing to its
existence the name ‘philosophy’ and ‘Greek philosophy’ could be a late
development. But surely it was Greek philosophy which has shape the modern
contemporary philosophy in great detail.
With the birth of every child a
new philosopher is born unto this Earth. Like the historic progress of
philosophy, I have evolve through different phase. I was ignorant of the study
of philosophy though I might have applied in various part of my daily life. In
my childhood I keep wondering if this world is a little landscape stuck in
upper parts of giant sleeping snake. Which would make our Earth parish as the
snake wake up and moves its way. I also grew wondering that somewhere in the
corner of this world someone exactly looking like me and with same name might
be living. As I went for hunting with my father a bird narrowly escape with
injury from my father’s target. Up above me fly away the bird and that point of
time I was thinking that all those birds or animal injured would meet up in a
particular place on this world to recover and heal themselves. In my early
elementary education I grew up as an orthodox believer that scientist knew
everything and are equivalent to God. Now I wonder but in clueless where all
those concepts or believes are form in my mind. Have I been wondering about the
place where we live, wondering for the meaning of its existence or about the
uniqueness or commonality of an individual?
Lately, as my profession
encounter the ‘philosophy of education’ I begin to ponder upon the systematic
study of philosophy. In the beginning I was overwhelm by the literal meaning of
philosophy ‘the love of wisdom’ derive from Greek word “philosophia”.
Because my idea of wisdom initially comes from the notion of wisdom in
religious text (The Bible). Which means something like the endowment form God
to man for obeying Him or younger ones obeying to elders. Something of
supernatural or miraculous acts, words or thoughts. But, this confusion still hardly cease even
now for I hardly came across the term used in the systematic study of philosophy.
I hope moving on I will be able to clear up this cloud of confusion. Reading
the history of philosophers seems to confluence with philosophy. Initially I
find it quite awkward but now I find more reasons why it is impossible to
divide philosophy and philosophers.
Before classifying or dissecting the
components of philosophy I would like to deal with some general definition of
philosophy as well. Some defined philosophy as the pursuit of truth like any
other pursue or science. Philosophy is also defined as an activity of working
out the right ways of thinking about things. Which makes philosophy a second
order activity. I think the idea that philosophy is totally a mind activity is
also exaggerated, knowing something (branch of philosophy-epistemology) is
possible due to our capacity to receive representation by our senses. This
gives us an object which makes possible mind activity to think about the
object. Philosophy in contemporary may range from arm chair activity to
argument to some complex integrated experiment example Milgram test. One may come across good philosophy, bad
philosophy and non-philosophy which are name on the basis of the road they took
in their course. On the other hand some find it meaningless to question what
philosophy is. There is nothing philosophical in asking the question. Or will
gain any philosophical understanding by answering it. Philosophy is what
philosopher do. Let, me try to explain this with an analogy. When someone asked
who Guru Prasad Sharma is? I think we will begin by explaining what he is
doing, where he belong to, what are admirable qualities about him etc. etc.
obviously not by explaining the literal meaning of what Guru, Prasad and Sharma
stands for. If I tried to explain the meaning of Guru translated as teacher
then it may begin to dissociate from the person himself. For he may not have
been a teacher in his life. Therefore, it could be rightly said that philosophy
means what philosopher do.
These are some of my dilemma and
wonders when it comes to the topic of philosophy. In the next write-up I will
go further to explore inquires dissecting the components of philosophy and in
particular ‘epistemology’.
