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Philosophy is accurately described as both the first science and the "Queen of the Sciences".  Until the late 19th century, what is now called "science" was subsumed under ''Natural Philosophy''.

Philosophy is accurately described as both the first science and the "Queen of the Sciences".  Until the late 19th century, what is now called "science" was subsumed under ''Natural Philosophy''.

Philosophy in the West has its origins in Ancient Greece, ca. 600 B.C. After the fall of the Roman Empire, much of Greek philosophy was lost to the West, preserved only in the Arab world until the time of the Crusades and the Moorish conquest of Spain.  Contact with Arab philosophers (especially [[al-Ghazali]], who developed a version of the [[Cosmological argument]] and wrote more than 70 books, [[ibn Rushd]], and [[ibn Sina]]) kick-started the largely dormant philosophical tradition in Europe, beginning the "Academic period", which ended with [[Descartes]] and the beginning of the [[Enlightenment]].  The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a major split between [[Analytic philosophy]] (or Anglophone philosophy) and [[Continental philosophy]]. This divide can be traced back to the late 19th century and a split in focus between [[Gottlob Frege]] and the intellectual descendants of [[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel|Friedrich Hegel]].

Philosophy in the West has its origins in Ancient Greece, ca. 600 B.C. After the fall of the Roman Empire, much of Greek philosophy was lost to the West, preserved only in the Arab world until the time of the Crusades and the Moorish conquest of Spain.  Contact with Arab philosophers (especially al-Ghazali, who developed a version of the [[Cosmological argument]] and wrote more than 70 books, ibn Rushd, and [[ibn Sina]]) kick-started the largely dormant philosophical tradition in Europe, beginning the "Academic period", which ended with [[Descartes]] and the beginning of the [[Enlightenment]].  The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a major split between Analytic philosophy (or Anglophone philosophy) and [[Continental philosophy]]. This divide can be traced back to the late 19th century and a split in focus between [[Gottlob Frege]] and the intellectual descendants of [[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel|Friedrich Hegel]].

The main branches of philosophy are [[Metaphysics]], which is (broadly speaking) the study of what-is; [[Ethics]], the study of correct action; [[Logic]], the rules (both formal and informal) of reason; [[Epistemology]], the study of knowledge, and [[Aesthetics]], the study of the nature of beauty and the artistic criteria of judgment. Notable sub-branches include [[Philosophy of Science]], [[Philosophy of language]], [[Philosophy of Religion]], [[Political Philosophy]], and [[Philosophy of mind]].

The main branches of philosophy are [[Metaphysics]], which is (broadly speaking) the study of what-is; [[Ethics]], the study of correct action; [[Logic]], the rules (both formal and informal) of reason; [[Epistemology]], the study of knowledge, and [[Aesthetics]], the study of the nature of beauty and the artistic criteria of judgment. Notable sub-branches include [[Philosophy of Science]], Philosophy of language, Philosophy of Religion, [[Political Philosophy]], and [[Philosophy of mind]].

== Branches of Analytic Philosophy ==

== Branches of Analytic Philosophy ==

=== Greek Philosophy ===

=== Greek Philosophy ===

[[Image:Parmenides book.jpg|240px|right]]

[[Image:Parmenides book.jpg|240px|right]]

Philosophy in the West begins with [[Thales]] of Miletus, who was the first astronomer in recorded history to accurately predict a solar eclipse. The Milesian School founded by Thales included [[Anaxagoras]], [[Anaximander]], and [[Anaximenes]]. It was [[Pythagoras]] (ca. 582 - 504 BC) who first brought Philosophy into connection with practical life; he also gave Philosophy its name "the love of wisdom". Closely related to Milesianis is the work of [[Heraclitus]] of Ephesus. Around the time of Heraclitus, [[Parmenides]] of Elea, with his pupil [[Zeno]], raised some serious objections to the project of [[Milesian philosophy]]. These objections laid the groundwork for [[Socrates]] and his pupil [[Plato]], and [[Aristotle]], as well as the Atomists, [[Democritus]] and [[Leucippus]]. After the Greek philosophical golden age other systems appeared, like [[Cynicism]], [[Stoicism]], [[Epicureanism]] and [[Skepticism]]. At the closing period of Greek philosophy [[Neoplatonism]] was founded by [[Plotinus|Plotinus of Lycopolis]]. Parmenides' thoughts influenced Plato and through him, all western philosophy. ''While Plato's dialogues are among the supreme philosophical works of the western tradition, it was Parmenides who established the implicit framework of their debates.'' <ref>[http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=9972 Parmenides] by Raymond Tallis</ref>

Philosophy in the West begins with [[Thales]] of Miletus, who was the first astronomer in recorded history to accurately predict a solar eclipse. The Milesian School founded by Thales included [[Anaxagoras]], [[Anaximander]], and [[Anaximenes]]. It was [[Pythagoras]] (ca. 582 - 504 BC) who first brought Philosophy into connection with practical life; he also gave Philosophy its name "the love of wisdom". Closely related to Milesianis is the work of [[Heraclitus]] of Ephesus. Around the time of Heraclitus, [[Parmenides]] of Elea, with his pupil [[Zeno]], raised some serious objections to the project of Milesian philosophy. These objections laid the groundwork for [[Socrates]] and his pupil [[Plato]], and [[Aristotle]], as well as the Atomists, [[Democritus]] and [[Leucippus]]. After the Greek philosophical golden age other systems appeared, like [[Cynicism]], [[Stoicism]], [[Epicureanism]] and [[Skepticism]]. At the closing period of Greek philosophy [[Neoplatonism]] was founded by [[Plotinus|Plotinus of Lycopolis]]. Parmenides' thoughts influenced Plato and through him, all western philosophy. ''While Plato's dialogues are among the supreme philosophical works of the western tradition, it was Parmenides who established the implicit framework of their debates.'' <ref>[http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=9972 Parmenides] by Raymond Tallis</ref>

[[Saint Augustine]] (354-430 A.D.), carrying some traces of Plato, has been of momentous importance in the development of Christian thought.

[[Saint Augustine]] (354-430 A.D.), carrying some traces of Plato, has been of momentous importance in the development of Christian thought.

==== Phenomenology and Hermeneutics ====

==== Phenomenology and Hermeneutics ====

[[Edmund Husserl]] (1859 – 1938) founder of [[phenomenology]], [[Martin Heidegger]] (1889 – 1976), and [[Hans-Georg Gadamer]] (1900-2002) are the core writers here.

Edmund Husserl (1859 – 1938) founder of phenomenology, [[Martin Heidegger]] (1889 – 1976), and Hans-Georg Gadamer (1900-2002) are the core writers here.

==== Logical Positivists ====

==== Logical Positivists ====

The [[Vienna Circle]] philosophers, most notably [[Moritz Schlick]], [[Rudolf Carnap]], [[Herbert Feigl]], the famous mathematician [[Kurt Godel]], and [[Otto Neurath]] established a rigorous tradition called "Logical Empiricism", but usually referred to as [[logical positivism]].  This tradition, a stricter development of [[Auguste Comte]]'s positivism, is no longer an active research program, unlike [[Existentialism]] and [[Phenomenology]].

The [[Vienna Circle]] philosophers, most notably Moritz Schlick, Rudolf Carnap, Herbert Feigl, the famous mathematician [[Kurt Godel]], and Otto Neurath established a rigorous tradition called "Logical Empiricism", but usually referred to as [[logical positivism]].  This tradition, a stricter development of [[Auguste Comte]]'s positivism, is no longer an active research program, unlike [[Existentialism]] and Phenomenology.

Often thought of as a logical positivist [[Karl Popper]] was in fact a fierce critic.

Often thought of as a logical positivist [[Karl Popper]] was in fact a fierce critic.