The nature of philosophical problems. Specificity and structure of philosophical knowledge

Philosophy seeks to reveal the essence of things in their original form without the shadow of mysticism. It helps a person find answers to those questions that are of particular importance to him. The nature of philosophical problems begins with the search for the meaning of the origin of life. Historically, the first forms of worldview are mythology and religion. The highest form of perception of the world is philosophy. Spiritual activity involves posing and analyzing questions of eternity, helps a person find his place in the world, discusses death and God, the motives of actions and thoughts.

Subject of philosophy

Terminology defines philosophy as "love of wisdom." But this does not mean that any person can be a philosopher. An important condition is knowledge that requires a high level of intellectual development. Ordinary people can be philosophers only at the lower everyday level of their existence. Plato believed that one cannot become a real thinker, one can only be born. The subject of philosophy is knowledge of the existence of the world and its understanding for the sake of finding new knowledge. The main goal is comprehension of the world. The specificity and structure of philosophical knowledge determines the essential points inherent in the doctrine:

• Eternal philosophical problems. They are considered in the general spatial concept. Highlighting the material and ideal world.
• The analysis of problems. The questions of the theoretical possibility of cognition of the world are considered. Searches for static true knowledge in a changeable world.
• Studying the existence of the public. Social philosophy is highlighted in a separate section of philosophical doctrine. Attempts to find out a person’s place at the level of world consciousness.
• The activity of the spirit or man? Who rules the world? The subject of philosophy is the study of essential knowledge useful for the development of human intelligence and increase the awareness of earthly existence.

Philosophy Functions

The specificity and structure of philosophical knowledge cannot be fully disclosed without clarifying the functions of learning. All theses are interconnected and cannot exist separately:

• Worldview . It involves attempts to explain the abstract world using theoretical knowledge. It makes it possible to come to the concept of "objective truth."
• Methodological . Philosophy uses a combination of various methods to fully explore the issue of being.
• Predictive . The main emphasis is on existing scientific knowledge. The wording is guided by hypotheses about the origin of the world and suggests their further development within the framework of the environment.
• Historical . Schools of theoretical thinking and wise teaching keep the dynamics of the progressive formation of new ideologies from leading thinkers.
• Critical The fundamental principle of subjecting all existing to doubt is used. It has a positive value in historical development, as it helps to detect inaccuracies and errors in time.
• Axiological . This function determines the entire world existence from the point of view of established value orientations of various kinds (ideological, social, moral and others). The axiological function finds its most vivid manifestation during times of historical stagnation, crisis or war. Transitional moments allow you to clearly identify the most important values ​​of existing. The nature of philosophical problems considers the preservation of the main as the basis for further development.
• Social . This function is designed to unite members of society according to certain criteria into groups and subgroups. The development of collective goals helps to translate into reality global ideologies. Right thoughts can change the course of history in any direction.

Philosophy Issues

Any kind of worldview primarily considers the world as an object. The basis is the study of the structural state, limitation, origin. Philosophy was one of the first to be interested in issues of human origin. Other sciences and theories did not yet exist even in a theoretical concept. Any model of the world requires any axioms that the first thinkers compiled on the basis of personal experience and natural observations. The philosophical perspective of the coexistence of man and nature helps to realize the general meaning of the universe in the direction of development. Even natural science cannot give answers to such a philosophical worldview. The nature of eternal problems is as relevant today as it was three thousand years ago.

The structure of philosophical knowledge

The progressive development of philosophy over time complicated the structure of knowledge. Gradually new sections appeared that became independent streams with their own program. More than 2500 years have passed since the founding of philosophical doctrine; therefore, there are a lot of additional points in the structure. New ideologies are emerging to this day. The nature of philosophical problems and the main question of philosophy distinguishes the following sections:

• Ontology . He has been studying the principles of world order since its foundation.
• Epistemology . Considers the theory of knowledge and features of philosophical problems.
• Anthropology . He studies a person as a resident of the planet and a member of the world.
• Ethics Affects in-depth study of morality.
• Aesthetics . Uses artistic thinking as a form of transformation and development of the world.
• Axiology . Examines value landmarks in detail.
• The logic . The doctrine of the thought process as an engine of progress.
• Social philosophy. The historical development of society as a structural unit with its own laws and forms of observation.

Where can I find answers to common questions?

The nature of philosophical problems seeks answers to general questions. The “Ontology” section, which tries to find a definition of the most important category of study, the concept of “being,” considers the problems most fully. In everyday life, this word is used extremely rarely, most often replaced by the familiar term "existence". The nature of philosophical problems consists in stating the fact that the world exists, it is the habitat of the human race and all living things. Also, the world has a stable state and an invariable structure, an orderly way of life, and well-established principles.

Eternal questions of being

Based on philosophical knowledge, the following interrogative points develop:

1. Has the world always existed?
2. Is it endless?
3. Will the planet always exist and nothing will happen to it?
4. Thanks to what power do new inhabitants of the world appear and exist?
5. Are there many such worlds or is it the only one?

Theory of knowledge

What section of philosophy deals with cognition? There is a special discipline responsible for a person’s knowledge of the world - epistemology. Thanks to this theory, a person can independently study the world and make attempts to find himself in the structure of world life. Existing knowledge is investigated in accordance with other theoretical concepts. Having studied which section of philosophy deals with cognition, one can draw the appropriate conclusions: epistemology studies the measures of movement from complete ignorance to partial knowledge. It is the problems of this section of the doctrine that occupy a leading role in philosophy as a whole.

Philosophy Methods

Like other sciences, philosophy takes its roots from the practical activities of mankind. The philosophical method is a system of techniques for mastering and understanding reality:

1. Materialism and idealism. Two conflicting theories. Materialism believes that everything arose from a certain substance, idealism - everything is spirit.
2. Dialectics and metaphysics. Dialectics defines the principles, laws and characteristics of cognition. Metaphysics considers the situation on one side only.
3. Sensationalism. Feeling and sensations are taken as the basis of knowledge. And an absolute role is given in the process.
4. Rationalism . Considers the mind as a tool for learning new things.
5. Irrationalism . A methodological action that denies the status of the mind in the process of cognition.

Philosophy combines all the methods and sages who propagate their thoughts. It acts as one general method that helps in understanding the world.

The specifics of philosophical knowledge

The nature of philosophical problems has a dual meaning. Features of knowledge have a number of distinctive features:

• Philosophy has much in common with scientific knowledge, but is not pure science. It uses the fruits of scientists to achieve its goals - comprehension of the world.
• You can not call philosophy a practical doctrine. Knowledge is built on general theoretical knowledge that does not have clear boundaries.
• Integrates all sciences, searching for important aspects to obtain the desired result.
• It is based on primitive basic concepts obtained through the accumulation of human experience throughout life.
• Philosophy cannot be fully evaluated objectively, since each new theory bears the imprint of the thoughts of a particular philosopher and his personal qualities, which created an ideological stream. Also in the writings of the sages is reflected the historical stage in which the formation of the theory took place. You can trace the progress of the era through the teachings of philosophers.
• Knowledge can be artistic, intuitive, or religious.
• Each following ideology is a confirmation of the doctrines of previous thinkers.
• Philosophy is inexhaustible and eternal in nature.

Awareness of Being as a Problem

Being means all that is in the world. The existence of being is determined by the question: "Is it there?" Nothingness also exists, otherwise the whole world would stand still and never move. Everything comes from non-existence and leaves there, based on a philosophical worldview. The nature of philosophical problems determines the essence of being. In the world, everything changes and flows, therefore, there is no denying the existence of a certain concept of where everything comes from and where everything disappears.