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BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy being an inquiry dealing with every things existing in this world, It is divided in to four branches having sub branches of specification in each as follows;

METAPHYSIC

This is the branch of philosophy that attempts to study the reality of things beyond physical manifestation, it is made by two Greek words”Meta” that means beyond and “physics” that means material. In studying this metaphysics performs the speculation and synthesis activities of philosophers as the ask the question

WHAT IS REAL?

Metaphysics does its attempts in four branches

a) Cosmology: This is the sub branch dealing with the study of reality about the universe in its material, nature, origin, space period and purpose.

b) Theology: The sub branch dealing with the study of reality about faith religions and beliefs in question like the nature of humanity the divine power existence of God and gods how many gods ,Satan and Angels and the relationship between man and God.

c) Anthropology: The study of man as an object and subject. It answers the question who and what man is the relationship between body and mind, the evil and goods that man has, and the soul of man.

d) Ontology: The sub branch that answer the questions like the meaning of life and existence and what existence , what exists the size shape and color of existing idea etc.

2. EPISTEMOLOGY

This is the branch of philosophy that deals with the theory of knowledge and truth. It studies the nature of knowledge ability sources, acquisition and the validity of it in human mind. Epistemology thus shows some approaches identifying the type of knowledge and its sources.

TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE

(a) Empirical knowledge – This is the type of knowledge obtained through experiments and experience done by sensing smelling and testing.

(b) Revealed knowledge – This is the kind of knowledge obtained through inspiration and divine power, people are manifested to have this type of knowledge on their interpretation and prophesying ability.

(c) Authoritative knowledge – It’s a kind of knowledge obtained from personal authority and experts in something it may be connected to actual practices and authorities in social lives to vise elders.

(d) Rational knowledge – This is the type of knowledge obtained from critical and rational reasoning on something existing. It involves the power of thought and judgement of materials.

(e) Intuitive knowledge – It’s the kind of knowledge derived from the instances of intuition (knowing something without going through sensory perception or reasoning).

III AXIOLOGY

This is the branch of philosophy dealing with the general theory of values. It answers the questions on what good and bad values in connection with its judgement association with the human mind on how appreciate them. Their justified in two aspects.

(a) ETHICS

The part of axiology that studied and analyses the moral values it identified the right and wrong conducts together with its nature in human behaviors.

(b) AESTHETICS

Is the aspect of dealing with creation and principle of art and beauty, It studies human feelings, thoughts and attitudes on how he appreciates what is seen beautiful. Aesthetic the principle of beauty its nature and how beauty is made.

IV LOGIC

Is the fourth branch of philosophy that deals with the principles and methods of correct reasoning, it explores how we can distinguish the rational or logic thoughts and irrational thoughts.

There are two methods of reasoning

(a) Deductive reasoning.

Is the form of reasoning general premises of something to specific idea or thought in this form a conclusion is reached through the method of demonstration.

(b) Inductive reasoning

This is the form of reasoning whereby a conclusion is reached by using premises from specific to general, in this approach one is forced to accept the conclusion through given premises.

Importance of logic to man
(i) Logic investigates how argument are formed
(ii) Logic examines argument in any language, in order to make a distinction between correct and incorrect reasoning.

RELATIONSHIP AND IMPORTANCE OF PHILOSOPHY TO MAN

(i) Philosophy enables people to generate principles and norms of conduct for example there are several norms adopted in some social institutions like churches, schools e.c.t

(ii) Philosophy helps to enhance an understanding about the existence of man in the world through speculations.
(iii) Philosophy develops curiosity among people in critical thinking. Through critical thinking a person can apply deep logical and analytical process of material to get the reality
(iv) Philosophy ennglish-swahili/courage” target=”_blank”>courages the love of work and responsibility of the people in the society.
e.g. Philosophy of socialism and self-reliance in Tanzania advocated by J.K.Nyerere ennglish-swahili/courage” target=”_blank”>couraged equality and hard working
(v) Philosophy is regarded as the core mother of all other subject in the world.
(vi) Philosophy has been used to boost social services such as Education. Different Philosophers have been surveyed to be used in the field of Education (Education for self reliance

APPROACHES TO PHILOSOPHY

Philosophers are seen to have advocated their philosophical ideas focusing on two approaches. These are
TRADITIONAL APPROACH AND MODERN APPROACH

1. TRADITIONAL APPROACH

(i) Idealism
(ii) Materialism or Realism schools of thoughts.

IDEALISM

This is the school of thought which emphasize the reality of anything to have been associated with the mind conscious (idea). These believe that it is only idea which is real and not material object.

The idealists suggest that an idea is the primary unit of material, the idea starts first in our minds then an object is structured and deigned to reality.

The idealists here are Plato, Hegel and G.Bekerley

MATERIALISM / REALISM

It is the school of thought criticizing the idealists according to them the existence of objects depends on experience over any material and the inductively reasoning (reasoning/judging from specific to general). The materialists believe that an object is real simply because even the universe is material in nature. So by them material/object starts first then ideas are produced from the material. Philosophers here are Karl max, Aristotle, V. Lenin who is also considered to develop communism with Karl max who called it socialism.

2. MODERN APPROACH

This approach also emerged as a critique to the traditional approach that they failed to establish the frame work or their ideas and belief on the nature of reality. The modern approach developed their ideas that were said to identify the frame work of thoughts as;

(i) Pragmatism

This was the school of thought who supported the idea of scientific observation and experience in suggesting the nature of reality.

They believed that the nature of reality is an observation of experimental changes of the material rather than basing on beliefs ideas. Basing on scientific observations and experiments, the modern approach also suggest some other ideas given the existentialism, neo Marxism and Marxism which is all much focus on the reality of humanness and consideration of human being as the only unique creature in the world .

Form 5 General Studies (GS) – PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION

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