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A. MEANING
Philosophy is derived from two Greek words Philos/Philia meaning love of, and
Sophos/Sophia meaning wisdom. Hence, philosophy would mean LOVE OF WISDOM.
B. BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
3. COSMOLOGY – came from the Gk. Word “kosmos” meaning order and system
of the universe and “logos” meaning the study of. Its primary concern is the
study of the universe as a rational and orderly system. Its concerns include
the origin, structure, constituting elements, characteristics, laws that underlie
the existence and operations of our world and the universe. Space, time,
matter, change and motion are also studied by the cosmologists.
4. SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY – deals with the social processes with reference to the
principles underlying social structures and social functions.
5. LOGIC – studies the nature and problems of clear and accurate thinking and
the systematic and orderly argument or reasoning. The term logic is derived
from the Gk. Word logos/logike/logikos which originally meant the word that
came to mean thought or reason.
6. ETHICS – it is the science or study of morality. Derived from the Gk. word
“ethos/ethikos” meaning customs, character, traditions, norms etc., this field
studies the right and wrong in man’s behavior as well as his pursuit of the
good life by examining his morals base on ethical standards.
7. PSYCHOLOGY – it is a philosophical field that studies man including his
nature, attributes and operations. This covers the concept of life and its
operations, the soul, sensation, appetition and volition.
8. THEODICY – is derived from the Gk. word “theos” meaning GOD. This is a
discipline that deals with the existence, nature and attributes of GOD in the
light of the truth arrived at by our human reason. It is not to be taken as
synonymous with Theology.
C. IMPORTANCE OF PHILOSOPHY