Feb 21 2009
Introduction To Christian Philosophy: The Definition of Philosophy
Preliminary: Definition of Philosophy. Its Excellence and Utility. Its division.
1. Philosophy is the science of things through their highest or ultimate causes, so far as it may be attained by the light of reason. Whatever exists may be known in two ways: the first is by a spontaneous, common knowledge of things, such as every man may acquire; the second is by a reflex knowledge, peculiar to minds desiring to account for things and to know them in their principles and ultimate causes: this latter is philosophic knowledge. But the principles of things are partly confined to special sciences, and partly underlie all human knowledge; the former constitute the philosophy of this or that science; the latter alone are the object of philosophy properly so called. These principles or ultimate causes are investigated by the light of reason; and so philosophy is divided off from Sacred Theology, which rests on divinely revealed principles.
2. The excellence and utility of philosophy are manifest, whether it be considered in itself, or in its relations with the other sciences. Since philosophy treats of things in their highest causes, it is in itself the noblest object that can engage the mind of man; it teaches him the knowledge of truth and enables him to attain his greatest natural perfection. Relatively to the other sciences, it is evident that since philosophy lays down their first principles, it is their foundation, and exercises the most direct influence over their development, as experience besides has shown.
3. Philosophy may be divided into real, rational, and moral philosophy. Every science may be divided into as many parts as there are different aspects under which the object of which it treats may be viewed. But the object of philosophy in general is being, which may be considered under three aspects: as real and possessing attributes independent of our cognition; as ideal and having attributes which result from our mental action; or as moral when regarded as the term (see note 1) of voluntary action. Philosophy, then, may treat of the ultimate principles of things either in the order of reality, or of cognition, or of morality; its divisions are, therefore, called physical, logical, and ethical; or, if we use the Latin equivalents, natural, or real, rational, and moral. The ontological order, or order of existence would require us to begin with real philosophy or metaphysics; we must, however, first study rational philosophy, because it points out the laws of the human mind in acquiring knowledge, and trains it to discern the true from the false, thus furnishing the means to study real being more easily and securely.
Rational Philosophy. Its Divisions.
Rational philosophy is divided into Logic, Ideology, and Criteriology. As rational philosophy considers entities in respect to the knowledge which we have of them, it ought (1) to investigate the laws which govern the intellect, the instrument by which we know; (2) to treat of ideas, the means by which we know; (3) to determine the value of the knowledge acquired by the intellect. Hence rational philosophy is divided into three principle parts: 1. Logic, or the science of the laws of thought; 2. ideology, or the science of the laws of thought; 3. Criteriology, or the science of the criteria of certitude.-Brother Louis of Poissy
Next post on this topic: Logic: its definition, Utility, and Division.
