Definition of Philosophy – Philos, Sophia, Darshana

1. Definition of Philosophy – Philos, Sophia, Darshana, etc.

According to Encyclopædia Britannica, philosophy is the critical examination of the grounds for fundamental beliefs and an analysis of the basic concepts employed in the expression of such beliefs. Philosophical inquiry is a central element in the intellectual history of many historical civilizations.[1]

The English word ‘philosophy’ has its root in the Greek term – ‘philo–sophia’. The term ‘philo’ refers to ‘love’ and ‘sophia’ refers to wisdom (human reason). The Greek terms can be literally translated in English as “love of wisdom” or “love of human judgment and discrimination.” The introduction of the terms "philosopher" and "philosophy" has been ascribed to the Greek thinker Pythagoras.

Philosophy is divided into many sub-fields. These include epistemology, logic, metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics.

From the Indian viewpoint, the word ‘philosophy’ suggests “observing and surveying"  the existence.

In Sanskrit, the philosophy is referred to as ‘darshana’.  The Sanskrit word ‘darshana’ has its root in the word ‘drs’ that means ‘to see’, ‘to look’ or ‘to view’. “Seeing” or “viewing” the reality and the facts of experience forms the basis of philosophy. Senses, mind and even consciousness are involved in this ‘seeing’. “Seeing” also encompasses “contemplation”. Seeing is not simply a sensory activity. ‘Seeing’ may primarily be a perceptual observation. But it may also concern the conceptual knowledge or an intuitional flash.  Thus 'darshana' suggests vision. In other words, ‘darshana’ is a whole view revealed to the inner self, what we term as the soul or the spirit or the inner being.  Philosophy or ‘darshana’ is concerned with the vision of ‘truth and reality’.

In Sanskrit, the ‘philosophy’ is also referred to as ‘tatva’. The Sanskrit word ‘tatva’ is concerned with ‘the nature of reality.’

In India, the philosophy is not restricted to the intellectual pursuit. According to Indian view, the word 'philosophy'  is concerned with ‘the revelation of the nature of reality'  or  ‘the vision of Ultimate Truth and Reality’.

In a more simple sense, philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with reality, existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.[2] The philosophy is concerned with the understanding of the life and the universe.  It is aimed at comprehending the nature of existence. Philosophy is a human endeavor that leads to the Ultimate Truth.

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 1. "philosophy" Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite.  (Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2012). (CD-ROM).
2. Jenny Teichmann and Katherine C. Evans, Philosophy: A Beginner's Guide (Blackwell Publishing, 1999), 1.