We explain what philosophical knowledge is, its characteristics, types, examples and how it is related to scientific knowledge.
What is philosophical knowledge?
Philosophical knowledge is knowledge that is obtained from practicing philosophy.
The nature of philosophical knowledge varies according to the conception one has of philosophy itself. For example, if we have a conception of philosophy as a rational exercise, the knowledge obtained from it will be rational. On the other hand, if you think that philosophy is a reflective exercise, you obtain reflective-type knowledge from it.
For some philosophers, such as Aristotle, philosophical knowledge is knowledge of the fundamental causes of things. Those who hold this position usually dedicate themselves to metaphysics. There are also those who consider that philosophical knowledge is knowledge of life in general. These philosophers They dedicate themselves to thinking about how to live better and they have a conception of philosophy that is more ethical than metaphysical.
There are as many forms of philosophical knowledge as there are positions on philosophy. However, despite their differences, they all agree that both issues, philosophy and the knowledge obtained from it, are related in a way as intimate and profound as the way in which philosophy and life are related.
See also: Philosophical disciplines
History and types of philosophical knowledge
Philosophical knowledge is as old and complex as philosophy itself. What makes philosophical knowledge philosophical? What distinguishes it from knowledge in general?
Many philosophers wanted to answer these and other questions that revolve around the issue. Beyond their differences, they all agree that For there to be knowledge there must be a subject who wants to know any object (whether it be a table, a shoe, a country or an idea).
We can classify philosophical knowledge into different groups according to what the essence of this knowledge is believed to be.
- Objective philosophical knowledge. Philosophers of this current believe that the object determines what can be known about it. Philosophers do not decide how things are but discover what they show. This is a knowledge of essences. Plato's theory of ideas is an example of this type of philosophical knowledge.
- Subjective philosophical knowledge. Philosophers of this current believe that the object does not determine what can be known about it, but rather that the subject conditions how that object can occur. Philosophers do not decide how things are, but they do determine what they can discover about them. It is knowledge that is given by a subject that “produces” the object. Kant's theory of knowledge is an example of this type of philosophical knowledge.
- Theological knowledge. In the medieval world, knowledge was given through divine revelation. This is what Saint Augustine maintained. For him, knowledge was not given by the object itself or by any subject who approached the object. In its place, what there was was the figure of God as an absolute subject. This type of knowledge was philosophical, yes, but essentially theological.
Characteristics of philosophical knowledge
Despite the differences that exist between the different forms of philosophical knowledge, in all of them there are some common features that describe philosophical knowledge in general.
Some common features can be summarized in a series of points.
- The subject/object relationship. No matter what type of knowledge it is, it is always given by the relationship between a subject and an object. Furthermore, knowledge is always about the object to be known and its essence: to know the essence of something is to know how and what it is.
- The rational character. For most philosophers, knowledge is rational, that is, knowledge is obtained from reflection and logical thinking, which is produced by reason. Not everyone agrees on this and some maintain that rational knowledge is not necessarily true.
- The critical stance. In general, philosophical knowledge is critical knowledge in the logical sense. Many thinkers evaluate their ideas based on the validity of their own arguments. In these cases, philosophical knowledge is thought of as universal knowledge.
- The analytical procedure. Philosophical knowledge is given in an organized, structured and focused way. Regardless of the object of study, knowledge is given through a precise methodology for the analysis of the object.
- Historical knowledge. Just as philosophy changes with the times, so does philosophical knowledge. This means that he is subject to the cultural precepts of his time. It is not the same to do philosophy in a world that thinks of the planet in a flat way than in one that knows that it is just a small planet within a universe.
Examples of philosophical knowledge
All philosophy books are examples of philosophical knowledge. It doesn't matter if you agree with what the author says, it is evident that, because they are books of philosophy, we find philosophical knowledge in them.
However, being contained in a book is not an essential characteristic for knowledge to be considered philosophical. Socrates, for example, did not publish any books and his ideas are studied in all schools and universities in the world.
Knowing that exceptions exist, the majority of philosophical knowledge was collected in different books and publications. Socrates' ideas were published by his most important disciple, Plato in most of his works. Aristotle's treatises were also published, as well as the ideas of Saint Augustine, Hume, Kant and Heidegger.
Branches of philosophy
Philosophical knowledge is organized around the different branches of philosophy. The branches into which philosophy is divided are:
- Metaphysics. It is the study of the nature, structure, components and guiding principles of reality, which includes the attempt to define what is real and other concepts associated with it, such as: identity, being, existence, object, subject, etc.
- epistemology. Also called Theory of Knowledge, it is the philosophical branch dedicated to the study of knowledge and knowledge: its nature, its limits and its origin.
- Epistemology. It studies knowledge from the perspective of the historical, psychological and sociological circumstances that allow the knowledge of humanity to be justified, validated or invalidated.
- Logic. It also constitutes a formal science, related to mathematics, that studies the principles of demonstration, validation and invalidation of thought, as well as the notion of truth, fallacy, paradox, etc.
- Ethics. Also known as moral philosophy, it focuses its interest on human behavior, and tries to define or understand concepts such as good, bad, moral, immoral, happiness, virtue and duty.
- Aesthetics. It is the branch of philosophy concerned with understanding beauty and the beautiful, its essence and its way of perceiving itself.
- Political philosophy. It focuses on the study of the relationships between human beings and the community, and covers ideas such as government, State, society, law, freedom, equality, justice, etc. It is fundamental for political science, for example.
- Philosophy of language. It is dedicated to the study of language, both in its fundamental and basic concepts (meaning, signifier, reference, etc.), and in its uses (pragmatics, translation, etc.), as well as its relationships with thought.
- Philosophy of mind. Also called philosophy of the spirit, it tries to understand the human mind itself through itself, focusing on complex issues such as emotions, feelings, dreams, thoughts and beliefs.
Differences with scientific knowledge
Scientific knowledge is the object of study, organization and debate of philosophy, understood as the mother of all sciences, since it was once the only tool available to humanity to understand the laws that govern the world, many of which today are object of the different branches of science (chemistry, physics, etc.).
However, there is a fundamental difference:
- Scientific knowledge requires verification and demonstration. To understand how a natural phenomenon occurs and find its fundamental laws, it is necessary to replicate it under controlled conditions.
- Philosophical knowledge does not require verifications, beyond the formal ones: that it obeys logic and that the thread of deductions or inductions can be followed, that it is understandable and that it does not have procedural errors or fallacies.
Other types of knowledge
Other forms of knowledge are the following:
- Scientific knowledge. It is derived from the application of the scientific method to the different hypotheses that arise from the observation of reality, in order to demonstrate the laws that govern the universe.
- Empirical knowledge. It is acquired through direct experience, repetition or participation.
- intuitive knowledge. It is acquired without formal reasoning, quickly and unconsciously, the result of often inexplicable processes.
- religious knowledge. It is linked to the mystical and religious experience, that is, to the knowledge that studies the link between the human being and the divine.
Continue with: Knowledge
References
- Hessen, J., Gaos, J., & Romero, F. (1981). Theory of knowledge. Espasa-Calpe.
- Sanguineti, J.J. (2005). Human knowledge: a philosophical perspective (Vol. 10). Word.
- Zuluaga, E.G. (1993). Theory of knowledge. Journal of the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, (92), 160-184.
- Kant, I. (1977). Critique of pure reason. Porrúa.
- Hume, D. (2003). A treatise of human nature. Courier Corporation.
- Descartes, R. (1946). Rules for the direction of the spirit (Vol. 95). Secretary of public education.
- Marías, J., Zubiri, X., & and Gasset, JO (1941). History of philosophy (No. B94. M37 1974.). Madrid: Western Magazine.
- “Philosophy” on Wikipedia.
