Philosophy, which comes from Greek words philo (love) and sophia (wisdom), refers to rational inquiry about the nature of reality. This basic definition is enough to scare people away from the enigmatic characteristics that this field of study possesses. Philosophy, with its ramifications, has always been considered esoteric. Only people with eccentric minds and plenty of leisure time are believed to be capable of finding the ‘truths and principles of being, knowledge and conduct’. Even the great English philosopher Thomas Hobbes himself considered leisure to be the mother of philosophy. Be that as it may, philosophy – with its ability to answer large questions of human existence – still forms an inevitable part of our lives today.
To pay homage to this ‘love of wisdom’ and to create connections between philosophers and the public, world philosophy day is celebrated on the third Thursday of November every year. Launched in 2002, by the Social and Human Sciences sector, this day used to be referred to as ‘Philosophy Day’ until October 2005 when it was given the name of World Philosophy Day after the proposal by the Kingdom of Morocco got acceptance in the 33rd session of the UNESCO general conference.
By inscribing it in the calendar of annual events, UNESCO seeks to promote the role of philosophy in society by encouraging its member states to organize activities on philosophical issues. But what comprises philosophical issues is a difficult question to answer and needs probing. This, though, is not the only controversy entwined with this notoriously difficult-to-define science.
Ironically, the ‘know-all’ philosophy is yet to ascertain the authority, which gave it its name. While some sources give the credit to Pythagoras, others are happy bestowing honours upon Socrates. A few even mention Plato as the father of the term. As if this was not enough, there is disharmony even over the period in which philosophy actually originated. While proper chronicles can be found from sixth century BCE, experts suggest that philosophy – without this name – was existent in prehistory as well. This contention, which has been an apple of discord among various sections, is just a mild extension of a mammoth strife – the eastern and the western philosophy debate.
Though the disaccord between the two philosophies rests primarily on the beliefs that the two systems countenance, there is a contest, also, on who had these profound thoughts first. In some parts of the world it is believed that Eastern philosophy - broadly the philosophies of India, Iran (Persia), China, Japan, Korea and, to an extent, the Middle East – came first, thanks to Vedas (sacred knowledge) that were composed in 1200 BCE. The Upanishads are believed to have, then, made an entry in the eighth century BCE. Western philosophy on the other hand holds on to its ground of being the first entrant, courtesy the chronicles and the coinage of the term.
These controversies, along with many others, may present an unsightly picture but no one can gainsay that it forms just one part of this profound study. The other part with its many facets is imbued with sagacity, thanks to the savants who made appearances through different centuries to diagnose life and give therapeutic methods for coming to terms with life.
Eastern or western, philosophy has witnessed upholders supporting its cause and passing on the sapience from generations to generations. But what makes an interesting study is the way philosophy originated along with the reasons for its coming into being.
Though there is no evidence to demonstrate how East aided the emergence of philosophy in prehistory, enough substantiation can be found in support of Greece as the best option for the philosophy to flourish during the sixth century BCE.
The biggest advantage that Greece enjoyed was its location. Ideally placed for easy trade between Egypt and the near East, Greece witnessed an influx of foreign ideas that accompanied travellers from both parts of the world. This exposure to a wide array of thoughts left the culture of Greece highly influenced and caused contemplation on the nature and validity of the evolving Greek mythos. The geographical advantage was well supplemented with the unique system of Government in providing an environment conducive for philosophy to thrive.
The structure of Greece, which was less of a unified country and more of a collection of city states, led to a larger degree of freedom for its people than was possible elsewhere. These factors combined with the incessant urge of Greeks to use knowledge beyond its practical purposes helped philosophy come into being.
The early Presocratics (philosophers who existed before Socrates) spoke of elements like water and earth and the elemental nature of divinities but their expressions were inflicted by myths. It was only with Thales (philosopher from the Greek colony of Miletus, 6th century BCE) that philosophy underwent awakening and broke the barriers of myth. Thales’ idea of water being the first element is still given due importance as this was the first time that something other than a deity was given this honour.
While Milesians (from Miletus) nursed their urge to show the single material stuff of which the entire universe is composed, the philosophers from the Greek colony in Italy devoted concern to practical matters. Led by Pythagoras, Mathematikoi (members of the inner circle of Pythagoras’ society) dwelt upon the relation between life and Mathematics and saw patterns in life that could be described in terms of mathematical tools. They promoted life as a small portion of a greater whole and thought of soul as the immortal divine air whose existence outlives the relatively temporary functions of the human body.
While Pythagorean philosophy was gaining ground in the West, East was imbibing the concept of ‘The Middle Path’ introduced by Gautam Buddha. After leading an ascetic life for six years, Buddha concluded that enlightenment could be attained only by following a balanced life rather than an austere one.
Along with other teachings, which included Ahimsa (Non-violence), Satya (Truth) and Dharma (Righteousness), Buddhism also spoke of Atma (soul) being the real source of all bliss. It is the importance assigned to the soul that indicates the exchange of ideas between East and West. The possibility of Pythagoras’ acquaintance with Buddha has not been ruled out. The Pythagorean belief of soul’s ‘transmigration’ into other living bodies at death found a supporter in Buddhism, which firmly believed in the cycles of reincarnation.
With a thematic structure to follow, philosophers from the fifth century BCE gave philosophy a new dimension by introducing critical thinking. It was also in the fifth century that the concept of plurality of components was introduced. This concept, which was a deviation from the Milesian belief of the universe being made up of one material stuff, broached ‘atoms’ as tiny, indivisible, unobservable solid bodies. It was stated that the collision of atoms was responsible for everything happening in this world. The proponents of this school of thought were called the ‘atomists’.
The fifth century also saw the birth of another breed of philosophers. Known as ‘The Sophists’, these philosophers taught the youth of Athens the art of using logic and rhetoric to win over opponents in arguments. Their pedagogy also included topics like politics, grammar, etymology, history, physics, and mathematics.
Sophists never considered the search for truth as their top priority. On the contrary, they professed that it was the preparation for the business of public life that had to be acquired to be successful in the then litigious social life of Athens. Since these skills were considered indispensable in those settings, the practitioners of such skills commanded very high fees. It is also believed that these ‘givers of sophia’ were the first in Greece to exact fees for teaching wisdom.
Accused of pandering the youth’s passion for a successful political career, the sophists never fought shy of boasting about their ability of making the better cause seem the worse, and the worse the better. Whatever flak they got would be insufficient to deny them the credit of giving the next generation of philosophers an invaluable gift: skepticism.
The theories emanating from different schools of thought had resulted in a condition of unrest, which could only be alleviated by undertaking the route of critical thinking (skepticism). Critical thinking in the fifth century, though prevalent, was bereft of self-criticism. It was Socrates – supposedly the most influential thinker ever - who introduced to the world the concept of calling ‘everything’ into question.
In his early days as a philosopher, Socrates was more inclined towards the scientific theories discussed by his predecessors. Later, his focus shifted towards the ethics and he delved deep into the development of moral character. He preached the citizens of Athens and taught them the art of enquiry.
Though his teaching earned him a lot of loyalists, the parents of his disciples accused him of corrupting their children. This accusation combined with others, such as inventing new deities, and disbelieving in the divine made him a controversial figure. He was sentenced to death by drinking poison in 399 BCE. Rejecting the other option of leaving Athens, Socrates preferred drinking ‘hemlock’ to die an honourable death in his home country.
Socrates’ legacy was carried on by his famous disciple Plato, who conveyed his master’s spirit in his writings. Plato, then, found an able student in Aristotle, who furthered the teachings of his master and went on to become the teacher of Alexander the Great. The philosophies of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle dealt with fundamental issues with such profundity that this trio is believed to be the most venerable in the history of the West. The same position is held by Confucius and Lao-tzu in the East. Siddhartha and Mahavira (founder of Jainism), though considered philosophers, are counted in a different league.
From a less distant past, the likes of Rene Descrates, Immanuel Kant, Issac Newton and Albert Einstein et al are believed to have possessed the ability to question assumptions and challenge the unwarranted confidence in the truth of popular opinions.
Be it any era, philosophy seems to have welcomed only those souls as its ambassadors, who had the courage and willingness to challenge. The challenges may have been immense but so has been their importance. The pursuit of wisdom may seem paralysing, but it is hard to imagine a more worthy goal. It is to this journey from darkness to light that the most fecund minds of this planet have committed their lives. That, according to Plato, is the requisite for being a part of the elite group called ‘philosophers’.
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