Different researchers distinguish different functions of philosophy . There are a lot of them. The majority of opinions recognize the following main functions of philosophy.
Worldview - lies in the ability of philosophical science to describe the picture of the world and combine knowledge of various sciences, practices and arts. It is characterized by an abstract-theoretical approach to explaining the world. In this regard, philosophical concepts themselves are distinguished by a dual nature, expressed in a tendency either to science or to pseudoscience.
Methodological - consists in identifying the most optimal ways to achieve certain goals, for example, constructing scientific knowledge, social practice or aesthetic creativity. These are methods and principles of action that are characterized by a fundamental rather than a narrow meaning. These methods include the historical method. The functions of philosophy are largely aimed at clarifying the content of the main principles of science and practice.
Philosophy acts as a general doctrine of methods, as well as a set of methods of cognition, which are common to the sciences that are engaged in cognition of the world.
Humanistic - manifests itself quite vividly and is implemented in an extremely attentive attitude towards people. Philosophy is designed to be attentive to people. Therefore, it does not limit itself to a purely scientific approach, and ethical and aesthetic approaches are also widely used.
Practical - consists in caring for the good of people, that is, in morality.
Prognostic - formulates hypotheses of general trends in the development of matter, the world, consciousness, and man. The likelihood of prediction increases with the degree to which philosophy relies on scientific knowledge.
Critical - applies to other disciplines, and to philosophy itself. Since antiquity, the actual principle of this science has been the postulate of questioning everything. By this is meant not abstract nihilism, but constructive criticism based on dialectical negation.
Axiological - is associated with the assessment of the studied object from the standpoint of various values: moral, social, ideological, aesthetic, etc.
The social functions of philosophy are quite multifaceted in the content and coverage of aspects of society. Philosophy performs a two-fold task - it explains social being and contributes to its spiritual and material improvement. In this regard, philosophy has taken the prerogative of developing common concepts for the consolidation and integration of society.
Its tasks include helping to realize and formulate collective goals, as well as directing people's efforts to achieve them. The vitality of philosophical concepts is determined by how much each individual person is able to understand and accept. Therefore, philosophy, while it is comprehensive, should be addressed to each specific person.
The functions of philosophy in culture are manifested at all levels of the functioning of society and individual individuals. All the roles, features and characteristics inherent in philosophy in one way or another suggest the involvement of this science in culture, their interaction.
As history shows, philosophy in culture took a wide variety of forms. Plato's philosophy is riddled with myths. The Roman Stoics turned it into a kind of moral sermon. In the Middle Ages, philosophy became the servant of theology. In modern times , the principle of science penetrated into it. Today, philosophy has become a coherent scientific theory.
All the functions of philosophy are interconnected dialectically. Each of them to some extent includes the rest. Many of them are generally inextricable, for example, ideological and methodological, methodological and epistemological, social and humanitarian, etc. Only through the integrity and unity of functions is the essence and specificity of philosophy as a science manifested.