What is philosophy?

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I think that philosophy is a person's outlook on something and its how people perceive things.
What is philosophy in your own definition/opinion??

Campfire banter

philo=friend; sophy=wisdom

So philosophy mean in ancient greek "friend of wisdom". So philosophy is a search of wisdom.

Philosophy has several contexts, and it depends on the nature of the discussion. For example, a company may have a philosophy on social enterprise, or on governance. Groups of people, such as the scout group or the church group or the chess club, will have a philosophy that is derived from the nature of their reason for being, and can be limited or wide in scope. Individuals will usually have a philosophy that's personal to them and subjective in how they approach things. Philosophy as a method or study often attempts to be objective, or a presentation of the nature of a particular philosophy. Philosophy is also present in art forms and other expressions or communications. Think of the philosophy of the TV show Big Bang Theory versus the philosophy in Pride and Prejudice.

So, depending on where you're coming from, philosophy can be many things. Its umbrella can also be small or big in what it covers.

I do love philosophy, as an observer. But the trouble with it is interpretation, especially in context with all of the above.

I think the OP's definition is a darn good one.

It's a viewpoint on how one, personally views the world, in conjunction or not in conjunction with other peoples' world views.

Sometimes, people join in with others in a common view of the world

Sometimes, they don't.

Philosophy is the reciprocal of sagacity.

I also think philosphy is derieved and formed from something which affects you very much
Also writting down how i feel and think makes me feel better, I sometimes think thats also philosphy but I'm not sure
I like literature so much and also philosphy and I find them so similar

For the elitist - Variations on the correct and ideal ultimate knowledge, and means of living life and one's outlook.

For the intelligent - It's a means to study the borders of one's own knowledge, and to push one's own cognitive boundaries. It's a way of understanding what one thinks one understands, questioning how one understands what they do, justifying one's knowledge base, and growing as an individual entity capable of acknowledging, perceiving, conceptualising, formulating, predicting, evaluating, and studying the reality one is a part of.

For the open-minded - A wide field of study bursting at the seems with knowledge applicable to almost each and every situation imaginable. A subject wherein there is no correct answer, nor could ever be one, but that does not cease the mind's curiosity. "I know one thing: that I know nothing at all."

For the unwilling - It's a word that means and encompasses one's own life and ideal. "My Philosophy is simple...", "Well, my Philosophy is..." ect.

For the insular - It's a word that symbolises a weakness, the weakness of searching for things that don't matter. "Why bother with metaphysics? What beyond reality is going to get you food, a car, a tv, a house? It's stupid."

For the shallow - It's a means to prove your knowledge is better than others'.

There is no right or wrong way of looking at Philosophy, I myself have been through a few stages I listed, but I think after some time, the open-minded stage is a good place to sit and a stage that comes naturally to each individual who holds even the slightest of curiosity. However, sometimes you can become stuck in a certain stage, as I am now, and although this can be a bad thing, it can also provide a great deal of inspiration.

I am absolutely certain there is no "one truth."

I believe religion is a matter of faith. I don't have faith in it--but I don't decry those who do.

I have found things in Nietzsche that I find to be appealing. As well as people like Adam Smith and even Jean Paul Sartre. And many others.

I cull most of my "philosophy" from what I read, as well as my personal experience, in conjunction with the personal experience of others.

I never believe in the entire corpus of one particular philosopher, or even one particular person.

My belief-system is really a patchwork of influences. I'll read something by Socrates (who dictated to Plato) which I would find most applicable. I like his STYLE of discussion. I'll also read something by Aristotle (who is seen as being opposed in m any ways to Plato) which I would find most applicable.

I think the word philosophy comes from the Greek for love of knowlege or something like that. So I take it to mean knowlege through discourse. It doesn't matter the topic, just that ideas are exchanged and general knowlege grows.

Modern philosophy, especially in an academic setting, tends to be so much mental masturbation--it can be fun (figuring out all those thought experiments and stuff), but ultimately, it amounts to nothing much of the time...

If we look at the two most widespread and successful schools of classical philosophy, The Epicureans and The Stoics, we'll see that both had the same goal of figuring out how to live a good life.

And, for me that's what philosophy is, a system of thought (and ethics) that (hopefully) let's one figure out how to live a good and worthwhile life.