What It Means to Do Philosophy

Deleuze on Problems, Concepts and Creation

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The question of what philosophy is and what it means to do philosophy is not easy to answer. If I were to ask you, I am pretty sure I would get quite different answers depending on where you live, what kind of education you have, whether you have had philosophical training or not, and what kind of training that is (analytical, phenomenological, and so forth).

Some of you would probably tell me that philosophy is the love of wisdom or knowledge (philosophia, φιλοσοφία), which is the standard answer from Plato. However, this definition says very little about what it really means to do philosophy, and it does not capture the complex nature of philosophy as a field of inquiry.

Philosophers themselves struggle with this question and have long debated the nature and purpose of philosophy. Is it about discovering truth, questioning assumptions, or improving the way we live? Some see it as a rigorous method of reasoning, while others see it as a way of life. To make matters worse, philosophy is an ever-evolving discipline, constantly adding new aspects to the practice of philosophy.

Greek philosophy played a major role in shaping how we think about philosophy itself. Figures such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle explored knowledge, ethics, and the…