Philosophically

Philosophically is an adverb that describes doing something in a manner consistent with philosophical inquiry or with the aims and methods of philosophy. It can signal consideration of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language, or the use of analytic rigor and conceptual analysis.

Etymology: The form is derived from philosophy; the adverb is built from the noun philosophy plus the -ly suffix. In English, the related adjective philosophical derives from the same root and is often used to describe perspectives or arguments.

Usage: The term commonly prefaces discussions to indicate a theoretical or reflective stance, rather than a practical one. In writing, it may indicate that a claim rests on philosophical assumption or method. For example: "Philosophically, virtue is understanding and choosing the good."

Relation and scope: Philosophically oriented inquiry spans ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, logic, and the philosophy of mind. The word is often used to contrast with practically minded discourse or with empirically oriented analysis.