Philosophy and Society
As used originally by
the ancient Greeks, the term philosophy meant the pursuit of knowledge
for its own sake. Philosophy comprised all areas of speculative thought and
included the arts, sciences, and religion. As special methods and principles
were developed in the various areas of knowledge, each area acquired its own
philosophical aspect, giving rise to the philosophy of art, of science, and of
religion. (Andrew, 2009) The term philosophy
is often used popularly to mean a set of basic values and attitudes toward
life, nature, and society thus the phrase “philosophy of life.” Because the
lines of distinction between the various areas of knowledge are flexible and
subject to change, the definition of the term philosophy remains a
subject of controversy. The term “philosophy” is derived from the Greek “Philo”
meaning “love,” and “Sophia” which means “wisdom” or “knowledge.” (Sreang, 2008, p. 1)
Philosophy is an activity people
undertake when they seek to understand fundamental truths about themselves, the
world in which they live, and their relationships to the world and to each
other. As an academic discipline philosophy is much the same. Those who study
philosophy are perpetually engaged in asking, answering, and arguing for their
answers to life’s most basic questions. To make such a pursuit more systematic
academic philosophy is traditionally divided into major areas of study. (Mele) While the Philosophical mode of
thought exists alongside of those of Religion, Science and Art it is distinct
from them and influences each of them and in part responds to developments
within each of these fields or dimensions of human experience. While
Religion offers a comprehensive view of all aspects of human life, it is a view
which is uncritically formulated and does not itself encourage or tolerate
criticism of the fundamental tenets of faith or the principle applications of
those basic beliefs to the affairs of everyday life. Science, on the
other hand, is quite critical in the evaluation of hypotheses and theories but
it lacks the comprehensive nature of philosophic thought. The various
branches of scientific inquiry have not as yet demonstrated that they are
capable of being welded into a single comprehensive view of all reality built upon
a single coherent set of basic principles or laws. Art remains as a
discipline capable of demonstrating, representing and encouraging values but it
is not a discipline of thought at all least of all one that is characterized by
the critical and comprehensive features of philosophical thought. I believe philosophy understood in one
important sense as “right thinking” must precede any solution of any problem,
especially moral and intellectual that impact social and economic. (Philip A. Pecorino, 2000)
A society, or a human society, is a group of
people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social
grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the
same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Human societies
are characterized by patterns of relationships (social relations) between
individuals who share a distinctive culture and institutions; a given society
may be described as the sum total of such relationships among its constituent
members. In the social sciences, a larger society often evinces stratification
and or dominance patterns in subgroups. Society is made up of individuals who have agreed to work
together for mutual benefit. It can be a very broad term, as we can make
generalizations about what the whole of Western society believes, or it can be
a very narrow definition, describing only a small group of people within a
given community. But no matter the size, and no matter the link that binds a
society together, be it religious, geographic, professional or economic,
society is shaped by the relationships between individuals.
The simplest definition of society
is a group of people who share a defined territory and a culture. In sociology,
we take that definition a little further by arguing that society is also the
social structure and interactions of that group of people. Social structure is
the relatively enduring patterns of behavior and relationships within a
society. Thus, a society is not only the group of people and their culture, but
the relationships between the people and the institutions within that group. (
HowStuffWorks, Inc, 1998-2011)
We already that, philosophy are necessity that
train integrate your observations, your experiences, and your knowledge into
abstract ideas, into principles. Your only choice is whether these principles
are true or false, whether they represent your conscious, rational convictions or
a grab-bag of notions snatched at random, whose sources, validity, and
consequences you do not know, and notions in order to solve the problem in the
society. If we don’t use philosophy the society will be difficult to live,
because people who live maybe think in the wrong ways but they don’t know it’s
right or wrong. It maybe become the worse society by they will kill it others
because of the ignorance. That why society need it to compromise the right or
the find the solution for their community by good ways. One more thing, It will
train you about the ethics is the science we use to judge good from evil. We
don't want to do evil, and we would like to do good if we can. But to do that,
we need to know what it means to be good, and what kind of actions tend to
achieve it. People make demands on us: What do we owe to others and what do we
deserve for ourselves? To organize our moral views and take the right course in
life, we need to avoid being torn apart by contradictory goals and principles.
Philosophy has train people to have knowledge.
When we have knowledge we know how to think in right ways and people could be
avoid the wrong think that they do in human life that why they will open mind
to be good or thoughtful persons. After think maybe choice the good idea or the
bed idea to do, the result will be got bad or good by the each person who chose
it. So, people will be thinking if they do this thing they will get those
things. So, it can be control by each person.
In conclusion, Philosophy is very important for
the human being. So we should learn to have knowledge. It train people and help
people live in good sense of life.
Bibliography
Philip A. Pecorino. (2000). Retrieved December 25, 2011, from www.qcc.cuny.edu
Andrew. (2009, December 25). What is Philosophy. Carpenter.
Mele, A. R. (n.d.). philosophy.fsu.edu.
Retrieved December 25, 2011, from www.philosophy.fsu.edu
Sreang, H. (2008). Philosophy and Society.
Phnom Penh: PUC.
HowStuffWorks,
Inc. (1998-2011). Retrieved
December 26, 2011, from howstuffworks: www.people.howstuffworks.com
