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| 3.4 |
Belief systems and philosophy
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| In Western Culture, the study of the history and nature of belief systems is known by a far less technical term- Philosophy. The word itself comes from Greek, by way of Latin, philosophia, "love of wisdom" and in essence means "the critical examination of the grounds for fundamental beliefs and an analysis of the basic concepts employed in the expression of such beliefs." | ||
| The pursuit and study of philosophy is considered one of the core elements and "higher pursuit" of both Western and Eastern culture. Philosophy and the search for truth in the meaning of our world (inside and out) is considered fundamental to the world in which we live. Philosophy underpins everything we see around us, the city in which we live, the entertainment we choose to view, even the clothes we buy and wear are influenced by it. | ||
| 3.4.1 | The complexity in finding a clear understanding of what philosophy is | |
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For something so important, it is frustrating then that a clear understanding of what is philosophy can be so difficult. It seems that the notion of "philosophy" remains a highly subjective thing depending upon the audience, the time and the culture. Some belief philosophy to mean the search for the wisdom of life (reflecting the original meaning of the two greek words). To others, it is more an empirical journey of discovery and cataloguing of the external universe and our position in it, from stars to planets, to molecules to the very substance of existence. To others again, it is the study of the intention, purpose and relationships between god(s), the world and man place in it. |
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| It is primarily because the word philosophy is used to describe all these potentially quite different systems of ideas that securing a clear definition is almost impossible. | ||
| 3.4.2 | A simple definition of philosophy | |
| The simplest definition of philosophy is the one at the beginning of this page- the study of the history and nature of belief systems. | ||
| It is because the word philosophy is used to describe so many varied and diverse opinions that the concept of belief systems is used as an alternative description. | ||
| 3.4.3 | A brief analysis of the history of philosophy(belief systems) | |
| Over the following parts of this section, we will attempt to summarize a brief history of the different philosophical belief systems that have evolved since ancient times to the present day. | ||
| In doing so, it is important to highlight that our investigation of philosophical contributors is at best a rough summary. To do justice to any belief system would take many dozens of pages more than the room we are limited to document. | ||
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