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A/N: Taking a chronological approach to self-studying philosophy

This year, I have decided to take cocky-studying Philosophy seriously. Upwardly to this point, I've been casually listening to an assortment of podcasts and reading and abandoning texts from Sartre, Plato, Aristotle, Epictetus, Simone de Beauvoir, Descartes, Kant, and Hobbes. Now, if that reads like a mess, that's because it is.

I have been blest with a very short attending span, which means that I am nigh-hopeless at single-tasking. That spills over to reading. At the moment, I have five unfinished books on my bedside tabular array. Every mean solar day, I read a few pages from each book—but it's a existent struggle non to add another one to that pile.

So, as y'all can see, I am a person that needs structure otherwise I'm all over the place. Hence, the decision to written report Western Philosophy chronologically. I figured it would be easier for me to follow the birth and development of various philosophical movements this style, equally opposed to randomly moving through philosophers or philosophical teachings.

That beingness said, on to today'southward learnings.

THE Vi Principal BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY

In a previous post chosen What is Philosophy ?, we defined Philosophy as a study that "seeks to uncover the nature, root, and meaning of life, being, reality (metaphysics), ethics, and knowledge (epistemology)." As is evident in that definition, Philosophy is a study that covers a lot of footing. And similar other complex fields of study, it is 1 that contains a multitude of classifications. Today, nosotros're going to be focusing on its half dozen chief branches or themes.

(Note: some sources leave out logic and politics in their lists, merely I'thousand keeping those in.)

METAPHYSICS

Metaphysics is the philosophical branch that studies reality, being, the nature of being, the physical earth, and the universe.

Information technology seeks to answer difficult questions like, what is the nature of reality? How tin can we say that the world exists outside of our thoughts? How did mankind come to be? How was the universe fabricated? Was the universe fabricated?  How can our disembodied minds command or bear on our physical bodies? How tin can we testify the existence of something? Can "pettiness" exist? Etc.

EPISTEMOLOGY

So there's my favorite branch, Epistemology. And so, Epistemology is often referred to as the theory of cognition. Information technology delves into the definition, scope, and parameters of knowledge and knowledge formation. It seeks to explicate how we acquire knowledge, how cognition relates to notions similar justification, truth, and belief, and how and where it falls in the spectrum of certainty and fault.

It is a study that asks big questions like what is knowledge? What can we know for certain? How do we know what we know? How can nosotros acquire noesis? What is a justified belief, and what makes it justified? Etc.

LOGIC

Logic is the co-operative of philosophy that studies reasoning. It teaches us how to differentiate between good and bad reasoning and how to construct valid arguments. It seeks answers to questions like, what is valid reasoning? How tin can you distinguish between a practiced argument and a bad statement? How can you spot fallacies or errors in an statement?

At present, we've all studied logic in one class or another. In Math grade, logic came in the form of puzzles or word problems that required the use of anterior or deductive reasoning to go far at the correct equations or solutions. In English language/Speech class, we studied fallacies and paradoxes and solved riddles with inferences, which taught us how to create convincing and logical arguments and how to debate properly. And the list goes on.

Ideals

Ethics, also known equally moral philosophy, is often referred to as the study of morality. It seeks to accost questions about how we should live our lives, how we ascertain proper bear, and what nosotros mean by the adept life. Information technology's a study that teaches the states what the virtuous life is similar and how nosotros can put these virtues into practice.

Ethics concerns itself with questions similar, what is the skilful life? How should we act? What do we mean by virtue? What does "right" fifty-fifty mean?

AESTHETICS

In the world of philosophy, Aesthetics refers to the study of everything related to beauty, fine art, and good taste. This includes how we define art, how we feel when viewing art or witnessing beauty, how we judge works of fine art, and how nosotros course our sense of taste.

This branch of philosophy concerns itself with questions that include: What is art? What makes an artwork successful? Is art an expression of feelings? Can it be a "vehicle of truth?" Is "good gustatory modality" innate or learned? And, is art and morality connected?

POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

Last on our list is Politics or Political Philosophy. Equally yous can already tell from its name Political Philosophy examines diverse concepts related to politics, authorities, laws, freedom, justice, rights, authority, country, and fifty-fifty ethics (ethical ruling). It discusses how states should be congenital and run, and how its constituents should act.

Information technology posits and attempts to reply questions similar What is government? What makes a government work? Why do nosotros need governments? What rights and freedoms should be granted to a state's constituents? Why should the constituents follow any of the laws gear up by the government? What is the extent of the power of the regime? And so on, so along.

Now, these six themes are very broad representations of the many categories in Philosophy. Of course, within these themes/branches are fifty-fifty more philosophical movements that give nascence to more studies—seemingly advertizing infinitum. But that is the nature of philosophy. It'due south a thinking subject area. It'due south a progression. It'southward meant to movement the states forward, oftentimes by looking backwards.

Not-so-random thought:

When i thinks oneself out of a box, it'due south but a matter of time earlier nosotros've thought ourselves into some other box to recall out of.

Sources:
http://www.evphil.com/philosophy-101.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_philosophy
https://www.philosophybasics.com/branch_logic.html
Kleinman, Paul (2013). Philosophy 101
Blackburn, Simon (Third Edition, 2016). The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy