Foundations of Philosophy: Concepts, Schools, and Key Thinkers

Branches of Philosophy

• Metaphysics: Reflections on everything that exists, making it the general discipline.
• Epistemology: Explores the possibility, origin, and limits of knowledge, also questioning the criteria of truth.
• Logic: Studies valid reasoning, guaranteeing the attainment of true conclusions.
• Ethics: Addresses how individuals should behave, what constitutes good, and the nature of happiness.
• Political Philosophy: Deals with the best way to live and the organization of the state. It addresses issues such as democracy, human rights, and justice.
• Aesthetics: Concerned with the problem of art, it attempts to answer the question: "What is beauty?"

Characteristics of Philosophy

• Rational: Employs logical arguments, demonstrations, and conscious thought. It seeks to convince through contrasting arguments.
• Systematic: Knowledge statements are prioritized and sorted within a system that does not tolerate inconsistencies.
• Critical: Nothing is accepted without rational consideration; any knowledge can be rejected if there are valid reasons against it.
• Problematizing: Takes nothing for granted. Its value lies not in providing answers, but in the questions it poses.
• Universalist: Not limited to a specific range of problems, it attempts to encompass all reality and establish relationships between different sciences.
• Practical: Although often highly abstract, it aims to guide us in life.
• Legislative: Aims to provide proposals, formulated through criticism, to guide society.

The Presocratics

The Presocratics were thinkers in 8th-century BC Greece who questioned mythical explanations of problems, seeking logical alternatives.

The School of Miletus

Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes, disciples of this school, questioned mythical explanations and sought logical ones. They were the first to prioritize logos (reason) over mythos (myth). According to Thales, water was the fundamental principle of all things, while Anaximenes proposed air as the primary matter.

The Pythagoreans

Originating in Italy, Pythagoras (the first to be called a philosopher) was born on the Ionian island of Samos. Due to political reasons, he emigrated to southern Italy and founded a movement aimed at purifying the soul.

Distinction: Miletus vs. Pythagoras

The Milesians sought the material principle from which all things emerged, whereas Pythagoras focused on the structure or shape of the cosmos, rather than its material elements.

Plato's Philosophy

Plato's works are written in dialogue form, and his doctrine was continuously reworked. Its exposition is generally divided into four stages:

1. Socratic Writings

These dialogues were written under the influence of Socrates. They often pose the question, "What is it?" regarding the subject matter, and are typically limited to exploring problems.

2. Dialogues of Maturity

The most important dialogue from this period is The Republic, whose central theme is justice. Another significant topic is knowledge and its varying degrees.