Philosophical Knowledge Examples and Characteristics

The examples of philosophical knowledge they can be scientific like Darwin's theory or everyday actions like learning to read.

Philosophical knowledge is that which is derived from research, reading, observation and analysis of phenomena. In this way, it is responsible for generating new ideas, product of the observation of specific events and the analysis of texts and conclusions given by other philosophers previously in history (Matthew, 2012).

Philosophical knowledge is inherent in the human race and is derived from observing its behavior. In this way, it is said that the tools used by a philosopher to produce knowledge are analysis and criticism..

Analysis enables the philosopher to understand how ideas and reasoning have arisen and been structured. In this way it is possible to identify possible flaws and contradictions present in philosophical discourse. Criticism, for its part, makes it possible to refute the flaws and contradictions found in the reasoning (Strevens, 2017).

In this way, it is possible to propose alternatives to overcome these differences. Criticism is the way that philosophers cover the phenomena of study in a general way, with the aim of understanding the relationships that exist between them and being able to emit new knowledge.

You may also be interested in knowing the 8 most important characteristics of philosophy.

Main examples of philosophical knowledge

1- empirical philosophical knowledge

This type of knowledge is acquired through experience and personal experiences. It depends on the perception, repetition and reading of the medium. Some examples are: 

1. Learn to read and write.
2. Learn a language.
3. Know the colors and numbers.
4. Give our environment a name.

2- Theological philosophical knowledge

This type of philosophical knowledge is what allows us to feel confidence or faith in the face of phenomena that cannot be verified..

1. The creation of the universe in 7 days.
2. The existence of Jesus Christ.
3. The revelation of the 10 commandments.
4. The miracles of Jesus Christ.

3- Scientific philosophical knowledge

It is the knowledge that is supported by verification and depends on the execution of rigorous methods and objective practices..

1. Heliocentrism (the Earth revolves around the Sun).
2. The theory of gravity.
3. Archimedes principle.
4. Darwin's theory of evolution.

4- Intuitive philosophical knowledge

It is clear from the events that take place within our day to day. It is directly related to the “vox populi” and is accessed through the everyday world.

1. Know when someone else is angry.
2. Read the different moods
3. Identify a risky situation when walking down the street.
4. Interpret a look.

5- Philosophical knowledge in itself

It is the one that is related to wisdom. Part of the need to understand the nature of man and his thinking. Raises concerns constantly whose answers have not yet been given.

1. You ask for me (Who am I?).
2. Questioning the social nature of man.
3. Analysis of the behavior of the masses.
4. Concerns about the future of the species.

Characteristics of philosophical knowledge

Knowledge is something that is understood as true. It is common to a group of people (community) and is created from its validation, that is, it is legitimized.

The tradition of the Aristotle school indicates that philosophical knowledge can be divided into several categories: empirical, theological, scientific and intuitive..

Thus, empirical philosophical knowledge is born from the experience and experiences of an individual; the theological is derived from religious revelations and is only valid for those who believe in them; the scientist is born from controlled experimentation, and the intuitive from the perception of the world around us. The latter is the weakest of all.

In turn, there is a type of philosophical knowledge in itself, which has to do strictly with the cultivation of the mind and is related to wisdom. The term wisdom refers to the knowledge that guides life in its prosperous course (Hetherington, 2017).

Wisdom is achieved through reflection and argumentation. Thanks to it, philosophers can propose an ethical and morally correct model of life for man.

Characteristics

The characteristics for which philosophical knowledge stands out allow the philosopher to understand how and to what extent reality can be known and understood.

The objective of philosophy is to know all the theories of thought, reformulate their problems and inquire deeply about them in order to seek answers and propose solutions (Beyer & Burri, 2007).

Scientific knowledge appears before man needs to know his world, understand the origin of life and predict possible future events and the future of the species. Thanks to all the accumulated theory, questions have also been accumulated that philosophical knowledge helps to answer (Kusch).

1- It is rational

Philosophical knowledge is channeled through logic. Therefore, he uses categories, concepts and logical principles that help him to deal with a specific topic of study. It completely lacks an emotional plot.

2- It is critical

It passes all claims through a filter and judges their validity in order to determine if there are contradictions or problems with your claim. During this process, it issues value judgments based on the prevailing reality.

3- It is analytical

Although it can cover any topic, philosophical knowledge focuses on specific categories of the whole, detailing concepts and theories in a particular way.

4- It is historical

Philosophical knowledge is always linked to the historical and social context in which it takes place.

5- It is a totalizer

As previously stated, philosophical knowledge can encompass any discipline or science.

6- It is systematic

It has a specific order. Its principles are classified into concepts and categories that serve to support theories and arguments in a coherent way (Ayaita, 2010).

References

1. Ayaita, m. A. (2010). Philosophical Knowledge: The Search for Truth and Its Limits. Noorderstedt: Books On Demand.
2. Beyer, C., & Burri, A. (2007). Philosophical Knowledge: Its Possibility and Scope. New York: Rodopi.
3. Hetherington, S. (2017). Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy . Obtained from Knowledge: iep.utm.edu.
4. Kusch, M. (s.f.). The Sociology of Philosophical Knowledge. London: Kluwer Academic Publisher.
5. (April 20, 2012). Simply Philosophy. Obtained from Philosophical Knowledge: simplyphilosophy.org.
6. Strevens, M. (2017). Michael Strevens. Obtained from Philosophical Knowledge: strevens.org.