filosofie

Philosophy, or filosofie in Dutch, is the study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. It seeks clarity through argument and reflection rather than empirical experimentation alone. The term derives from the Greek philosophia, love of wisdom, and philosophy as a discipline asks what can be known, what is real, how we ought to live, and how language expresses meaning.

Key subfields include metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, logic, and philosophy of science, with specialized areas such as philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, political philosophy, and philosophy of religion. These branches address questions ranging from the nature of reality to the foundations of knowledge and judgments about right and wrong.

Methods center on conceptual analysis, critical argument, and structured debate, often complemented by thought experiments and rigorous reasoning. Although rooted in reason, philosophy interacts with empirical disciplines, mathematics, and the humanities to inform theory and practice.

Historically, philosophy spans ancient Greece, India, and China, followed by medieval scholasticism, the early modern revolution in thought, and the emergence of 19th- and 20th-century traditions such as analytic and continental philosophy. Contemporary philosophy continues to diversify, addressing science, politics, technology, and global concerns.

In society, philosophy contributes to ethical deliberation, public policy, legal reasoning, and the interpretation of science and culture. It remains a core tool for critical thinking, intellectual inquiry, and the examination of assumptions underlying everyday life.