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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]]) greatly influenced philosophical tradition in Europe, beginning the "Scholastic period", which ended with [[Descartes]] and the beginning of the [[Enlightenment]].  The late 18th and early 19th centuries saw a major split between British Empiricism and Continental Rationalism. This divide can be traced back to the late 17th century but culminated in a schism between rationalists like Descartes and Spinoza and empiricists like Berkeley, Locke, and Hume. This divide was rectified by the work of Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher famous for his treatise ''Critique of Pure Reason''. With the divide healed, 20th century philosophy would spark a movement called [[modernism]]. Modernism would give birth to analytical philosophy and would culminate in [[logical positivism]] and [[verificationism]] before slowly dying out and giving way to [[postmodernism]].

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]]) greatly influenced philosophical tradition in Europe, beginning the "Scholastic period", which ended with [[Descartes]] and the beginning of the [[Enlightenment]].  The late 18th and early 19th centuries saw a major split between British Empiricism and Continental Rationalism. This divide can be traced back to the late 17th century but culminated in a schism between rationalists like Descartes and Spinoza and empiricists like Berkeley, Locke, and Hume. This divide was rectified by the work of Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher famous for his treatise ''Critique of Pure Reason''. With the divide healed, 20th century philosophy would spark a movement called [[modernism]]. Modernism would give birth to analytical philosophy and would culminate in [[logical positivism]] and verificationism before slowly dying out and giving way to [[postmodernism]].

The main branches of philosophy are [[Metaphysics]], which is (broadly speaking) the study of what-is; [[Logic]], the rules of reasoning; [[Epistemology]], the study of knowledge; and [[Axiology]], the study of values. Notable sub-branches include:

The main branches of philosophy are [[Metaphysics]], which is (broadly speaking) the study of what-is; [[Logic]], the rules of reasoning; [[Epistemology]], the study of knowledge; and [[Axiology]], the study of values. Notable sub-branches include:

*'''[[Philosophy of Language]]''': the study of language and its effects on humanity

*'''Philosophy of Language''': the study of language and its effects on humanity

*'''[[Philosophy of Religion]]''': the study of religions, what defines a religion, and the tenets of religions

*'''Philosophy of Religion''': the study of religions, what defines a religion, and the tenets of religions

*'''[[Philosophy of Mind]]''': the study of how the mind and the body relate to each other

*'''Philosophy of Mind''': the study of how the mind and the body relate to each other

*'''[[Ethics]]''': the analysis of the nature of [[morality]] and morals, how and why we determine right from wrong.

*'''[[Ethics]]''': the analysis of the nature of [[morality]] and morals, how and why we determine right from wrong.

*'''[[Political Philosophy]]''': the analysis of the nature of the human public sphere, which one may consider the ethics of the way society is arranged.

*'''[[Political Philosophy]]''': the analysis of the nature of the human public sphere, which one may consider the ethics of the way society is arranged.

*'''[[Aesthetics]]''': the analysis of the nature and experience of [[art]] and beauty.

*'''[[Aesthetics]]''': the analysis of the nature and experience of [[art]] and beauty.

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== History of Philosophy ==

== History of Philosophy ==

Conventionally the History of Western Philosophy is divided into four eras: Ancient, Medieval, Modern and Contemporary.  

Conventionally the History of Western Philosophy is divided into four eras: Ancient, Medieval, Enlightenment, and Contemporary.  

The Ancient era starts with the [[Presocratic Philosophy|Presocratic]] philosophers and goes until the fall of the Roman empire; The Medieval goes until the end of the [[Middle Ages]]; The Modern up to the 20th century, and The Contemporary up to present.   

The Ancient era starts with the [[Presocratic Philosophy|Presocratic]] philosophers and goes until the fall of the Roman empire; The Medieval goes until the end of the [[Middle Ages]]; The Modern up to the 20th century, and The Contemporary up to present.   

=== Medieval era ===

=== Medieval era ===

In the West, until the twelfth century, little was known of Plato and Aristotle, except a few dialogues  and some treatises on logic. [[Anselm of Canterbury|St. Anselm]] (1O33-1109) made a first attempt at systematizing [[Scholasticism|Scholastic philosophy]]. Some decades later, the Arabic and Byzantine thinkers entered into relation with Western culture, and affecting a philosophical revival; Al-Ghazali, founder of the Ash'ari school of [[Atomism]], entered [[Europe]] through ibn Rushd; translations of the ancient authors were made and the philosophical works of [[ibn Sina]] and ibn Rushd became better known. In the thirteenth century important names appeared like: [[Maimonides]], Alexander of Hales (ca. 1185 - 1245), St. Bonaventure, [[Albertus Magnus]], [[Roger Bacon]], [[St. Thomas Aquinas]], and in the following century: William of Occam, Eckhart and [[Nicholas of Cusa]], and later, [[Thomas More]] and Grotius. (cf: [[Ibidem]] Catholic Encyclopedia.)

In the West, until the twelfth century, little was known of Plato and Aristotle, except a few dialogues  and some treatises on logic. [[Anselm of Canterbury|St. Anselm]] (1O33-1109) made a first attempt at systematizing [[Scholasticism|Scholastic philosophy]]. Some decades later, the Arabic and Byzantine thinkers entered into relation with Western culture, and affecting a philosophical revival; Al-Ghazali, founder of the Ash'ari school of [[Atomism]], entered [[Europe]] through ibn Rushd; translations of the ancient authors were made and the philosophical works of [[ibn Sina]] and ibn Rushd became better known. In the thirteenth century important philosophers like [Maimonides]], Alexander of Hales (ca. 1185 - 1245), St. Bonaventure, [[Albertus Magnus]], [[Roger Bacon]], and [[St. Thomas Aquinas]] made significant contributions to thought and in the following century William of Occam, Eckhart,[[Nicholas of Cusa]], [[Thomas More]] and Grotius made further contributions to philosophy during the scholastic period (cf: [[Ibidem]] Catholic Encyclopedia).

Classifications of Philosophy in this period are mostly akin to the Platonic division into [[logic]], [[ethics]], and [[physics]].

Classifications of Philosophy in this period are mostly akin to the Platonic division into [[logic]], [[ethics]], and [[physics]].

=== Modern era ===

=== The Enlightenment Era ===

[[Image:JohnStuartMill.jpg|thumb|[[John Stuart Mill]]]]

[[Image:JohnStuartMill.jpg|thumb|[[John Stuart Mill]]]]

The main figures from this era are: [[Thomas Hobbes]], [[Rene Descartes ]], [[Gottfried Leibniz]], [[David Hume]], [[Immanuel Kant]], [[Arthur Schopenhauer]], [[Auguste Comte]], [[John Stuart Mill]], [[Herbert Spencer]], [[Karl Marx]] and [[Friedrich Nietzsche]].

The main figures from this era are: [[Thomas Hobbes]], [[Rene Descartes ]], [[Gottfried Leibniz]], [[David Hume]], [[Immanuel Kant]], [[Arthur Schopenhauer]], [[Auguste Comte]], [[John Stuart Mill]], [[Herbert Spencer]], [[Karl Marx]] and [[Friedrich Nietzsche]].

Dividing Philosophy Kant, distinguishes [[metaphysics]], [[moral]] philosophy, [[religion]], and [[anthropology]].  

Dividing philosophy, Kant distinguishes [[metaphysics]], [[moral]] philosophy, [[religion]], and [[anthropology]] as the main four branches.

The most widely accepted scheme, that which still governs the division of the branches of philosophy is due to [[Christian Wolff]] (1679-1755):

The most widely accepted scheme, that which still governs the division of the branches of philosophy is due to [[Christian Wolff]] (1679-1755):

==== Existentialists ====

==== Existentialists ====

The earliest [[existentialism|existentialist]] was the Christian philosopher [[Søren Kierkegaard]]. Other prominent existentialists include [[Henri Bergson]] (1859 – 1941), winner of the 1927 Nobel Prize in Literature, [[Karl Jaspers]], and the noted philosopher, playwright, and novelist [[Jean-Paul Sartre]] (1905 – 1980).

The earliest [[existentialism|existentialist]] was the Christian philosopher [[Søren Kierkegaard]]. Other prominent existentialists include Henri Bergson (1859 – 1941), winner of the 1927 Nobel Prize in Literature, [[Karl Jaspers]], and the noted philosopher, playwright, and novelist [[Jean-Paul Sartre]] (1905 – 1980).

==== [[Phenomenology]] and [[Hermeneutics]] ====

==== [[Phenomenology]] and [[Hermeneutics]] ====