What is philosophy? How does it differ from science, religion, and common sense?
At its core, philosophy is an exploration of fundamental questions about the world, ourselves, and how we ought to live. The task of philosophy is rarely to provide ready-made answers or solve specific, concrete problems, but rather to redefine problems and ask the right questions. To ancient Greek philosophers such as Pythagoras and Socrates, philosophy was itself a way of life—a pursuit of truth and knowledge for their own sake, rather than for worldly wealth or success. Indeed, life and philosophy are inseparable; every step we take in life is, in fact, a philosophical choice.
How Studying Philosophy Helps Us in Everyday Life
Studying philosophy is not just about exploring esoteric theories; it actually brings many down-to-earth benefits to our daily lives, helping us lead more fulfilling and happier lives:
Helps you rediscover yourself and take control of your life choices. Philosopher Simone de Beauvoir once said, “Philosophy and life are inseparable. Every step we take in life is actually a philosophical choice.” Studying philosophy allows us to understand that your identity is not fixed from birth, but is constantly “becoming” and changing.
Why Kant Believed Morality Should Not Rely Entirely on Religious Faith
Kant believed that morality should not rely entirely on religious faith for a few straightforward reasons:
Morality stems from human reason, not external commands: Kant held that moral laws do not come from external dictates by God, as traditional religions suggest, but rather from humanity’s inherent rational nature. He argued that true morality lies in acting on principles that can serve as universal laws for everyone—a logical consistency grounded in reason that requires no guidance from divine teachings.
True morality must be based on “free will”: In Kant’s view, an action only counts as moral when a person determines their behavior through free will, rather than being driven by natural instincts or external forces.
Where Plato, Confucius, and Kant Each Located Philosophical Questions
Plato: Anchored philosophical inquiry in an “eternally unchanging objective essence” (Forms). Plato believed that the physical world we perceive daily is constantly changing and imperfect, whereas true knowledge and absolute truth (such as absolute justice, beauty, and goodness) exist in an eternally fixed realm of Forms beyond the material world. Not only was he an objectivist, but he also emphasized that human beings must rely on pure intellect to break free from the constraints of sensory experience, thereby apprehending objective realities that exist independently of subjective views.
Confucius: Anchored philosophical inquiry in “real-world human relations and moral cultivation.”
How Plato Believed We Can Know the Transcendent World of Forms
Plato believed that we cannot come to know the perfect world of “Forms” through our senses (such as sight or hearing), because the senses can only touch upon ever-changing material appearances; true knowledge can only be acquired through the intellect.
To explain how the intellect can grasp these transcendent truths, Plato proposed a vivid and remarkable theory: the immortality of the soul and the doctrine of “recollection”. He suggested that before the soul was reincarnated into our present physical bodies, it directly contemplated and knew those eternal “Forms” in a pure state freed from bodily constraints.
However, once the soul is born into a physical body, the overwhelming information from the sensory world causes it to temporarily forget this innate, pure knowledge.
How to Practice Confucius’s Concept of “Ren” in Daily Life
Achieving Confucius’s concept of “ren” (becoming a person of true humanity and benevolence) in daily life does not require earth-shattering deeds. Instead, it begins with the most fundamental relationships around us and everyday norms (li):
Start with the family and filial piety (xiao): The family serves as the training ground for cultivating “ren.” Confucius believed that learning how to treat family members at home—especially fulfilling filial duties toward one’s parents—forms the foundation for living in harmony with others in society.
Practice “li” within the “Five Relationships”: You need to apply proper standards of conduct to the five basic interpersonal relationships: parent and child, husband and wife, elder and younger siblings, ruler and subject (superior and subordinate), and friends.
How Sartre and De Beauvoir’s Existentialism Answers ‘How Humans Exist’
The existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir holds that human beings have no pre-written script or innate mission; human existence is entirely a continuous process of choice, creation, and ‘becoming.’ Their answer to ‘how humans exist’ can be concisely summarized in the following two aspects:
Sartre: Humans are ‘condemned’ to be free and must create themselves. Existence precedes essence: Sartre believed that in a universe without God, human existence is pure contingency. We are not created for a specific purpose like tables and chairs.
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