This document outlines several major branches and traditions of philosophy. It discusses metaphysics, epistemology, and axiology as the three main branches of philosophy concerned with reality, knowledge, and values respectively. It then summarizes some of the key ideas and proponents of major philosophical traditions like idealism, realism, neo-Thomism, pragmatism, existentialism, and analytic philosophy.

1. Branches of Philosophy
Reality, Knowledgeand Value
DR.V.S.SUMI

2. THREE BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
METAPHYSICS
-What is the nature ofREALITY?
EPISTEMOLOGY
-What is the nature ofKNOWLEDGE?
AXIOLOGY
- What is the nature ofV
ALUES?

3. METAPHYSICS
ONE OF THE KEY CONCEPTS OF UNDERSTANDING PHILOSOPHIES
CONCERNED WITH REALITY AND EXISTENCE
ASKS: WHAT IS THE NATURE OF REALITY?
SUBDIVIDE INTO TWO CATEGORIES
1.ONTOLOGY: What is the nature of existence 2.COSMOLOGY:
Origin and organization of the universe

4. EPISTEMOLOGY
RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NATURE OF KNOWLEDGE
LOGIC IS A KEY DIMENSION TO EPISTEMOLOGY
TWO KINDS OF LOGIC:
1.Deductive logic: from general to specific 2.Inductive
logic: from specific facts to generalization

5. AXIOLOGY
EXPLORES THE NATURE OF VALUES
ETHICS: study of human conduct and examines moral values
AESTHETICS: values beauty, nature, and aesthetic experience (often
associated with music, art, literature, dance, theater, and other fine arts)

6. MAJOR TRADITIONAL PHILOSOPHY:
IDEALISM
CONSIDERED OLDEST PHILOSOPHY OF WESTERN CULTURE
THE WORLD OF MIND, IDEAS AND REASON IS PRIMARY
METAPHYSICS: stresses mind over matter (nothing is real except for an idea in the
mind)
EPISTEMOLOGY: all knowledge includes a mental grasp of ideas and concepts
AXIOLOGY: values are rooted in reality
IDEALISTS BELIEVE THAT VALUES CAN BE CLASSIFIED AND ORDERED INTO A
HIERARCHY

7. LEADING PROPONENTS OF
IDEALISM
• PLATO- Greek Philosopher
- considered father of idealism
- ”Allegory of the Cave” from The Republic
• AUGUSTINE- Theologian of 4th & 5th centuries
- Applied Plato’s assumptions to Christian thought
• DESCARTES, KANT & HEGEL
- Descarte: “I think, therefore I am”
- Kant: certain universal moral laws- categorical imperatives
- Hegel: approached reality as “contest of opposites”

8. MAJOR TRADITIONAL PHILOSOPHY:
REALISM
The antithesis of Idealism
Universe exists whether mind perceives it or not
METAPHYSICS- reality composed of matter (body) and form (mind)
EPISTEMOLOGY- sense realism (knowledge comes through senses)
AXIOLOGY- values derived from nature

9. LEADING PROPONENTS OF REALISM
• ARISTOTLE- father of realism
-student of Plato
-argued that knowledge can be acquired through senses
• FRANCIS BACON
-advanced a rigorous form of inductive reason
• JOHN LOCKE
-theory of tabula rasa (no such thing as innate ideas)
• COMENIUS, ROUSSEAU, and PESTALOZZI

10. MAJOR TRADITIONAL PHILOSOPHY:
NEO-THOMISM
• Datesto the time ofThomasAquinas (1225-1274)
• Alsoknown astheistic realism
“God exists and canbe known through faith andreason”
Metaphysics- Godgivesmeaning to universe
Epistemology- hierarchy of knowingGod
Axiology- unchanging moral laws

11. CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHIES:
PRAGMATISM
Also known as experimentalism- experience or things that work
Philosophy of 20th century developed by John Dewey
Metaphysics- regard reality as an event or process. Meaning is
derived from experience in environment.
Epistemology- truth is not absolute but determined by consequences.
Arrived at by inquiry, testing, questioning, retesting, ect.
Axiology- primarily focused on values. Determined by own
experiences

12. LEADING PROPONENTS OF
PRAGMATISM
• AUGUSTE COMTE
-suggested science could solve social problems
-problem solving was key
CHARLES DARWIN
-theory of natural selection implied reality was open ended, not fixed
AMERICANS: Charles Pierce, William James and John Dewey

13. CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHIES:
EXISTENTIALISM
Appeared as a revolt against the mathematical, scientific
philosophies that preceded it.
Focus on personal and subjective existence
Metaphysics- no purpose or meaning to universe. No world order or
natural scheme of things
Epistemology- we come to know truth by choice. The authority is
found in self.
Axiology- choice to determine value.

14. LEADING PROPONENTS OF
EXISTENTIALISM
• SOREN KIERKEGAARD
-Danish philosopher/theologian
-Father of Existentialism
-Rejected scientific objectivity for subjectivity and choice
• MARTIN BUBER
-Jewish philosopher/theologian
-”I/Thou” relationship- divine and human are related
• HUSSERL and HEIDEGGER
• JEAN-PAUL SARTRE
-We construct our own existence

15. ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY
Sought out to clarify, and define philosophies
Began in post WWI era- Vienna Circle
Studied the alienation between philosophy and science
Established the concept of logical positivism: there are logical and empirical types
of scientific expression
Shifted to Analytic philosophy in 1950’s
Analytic philosophy has recently focused on political philosophy, ethics and
philosophy of human sciences