Philosophy
What is Philosophy?
Philosophy is basically the study of reality, causes and the principles of thought, knowledge and values. Philosophy describes the different systems of thought and values that are used by humans to live by.
Areas of Philosophy
Usually, Philosophy is divided into five main areas. Logic deals with reasoning—determining the laws of valid thought. Metaphysics is the study of the nature of the universe and the meaning of reality. Ethics is the system of human value based on the concept of "right and wrong". Epistemology is concerned with knowledge, the nature of it, and the process of aquiring it. Finally, Aesthetics covers beauty and art, and how these can be properly judged by the mind.
Origins of Philosophy
Early philosophy was largely rooted in religion. Ethics and Metaphysics were decided by the dogma of the religion. Many Eastern philosophical views continue this way.
Around 600 BCE, the Greeks began to form what would become modern Western philosophy. They separated the two ideas, philosophy and theology, creating a study that would be free of religious interference, and rely on human experience and logic rather than faith. (Similarly, science would later break away from philosophy to be free of metaphysical speculation, although many still consider some areas of science to be a branch of philosophy.)
Eventually, as Christianity began to form in the Common Era, medieval philosophy began. The largest area of this was scholasticism, which is based on the teachings of Aristotle. Leading this area was St. Thomas Aquinas, who also developed many of Christianity's principles. Like in earlier times, philosophy came closer to religion, but was still seperated from it by science.
Eventually, epistemology became a larger area of philosophical development, and what is known as modern philosophy emerged. Large developments and divisions of philosophy include the scientific theories of Charles Darwin, the political ideas of Karl Marx, the phenomenology of Edmund Husserl and existentialism.