philosophy

noun

phi·​los·​o·​phy fə-ˈlä-s(ə-)fē 

plural philosophies

1

a

: a discipline comprising primarily logic, aesthetics, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology

a degree in philosophy and religion

b(1)

: the sciences and liberal arts exclusive of medicine, law, and theology see doctor of philosophy

(2)

archaic : all learning exclusive of technical precepts and practical arts

c(1)

: moral philosophy , ethics

(2)

archaic : physical science

2

a

: a system of motivating beliefs, concepts, and principles

Feminist politics is as full of differing philosophies and scholarly debate as other fields.

—Diane Johnson

Our basic philosophy is the same throughout the business: take a chance and learn from it.

—Jane Coaston

… seasonality and sustainability became ever more important to my cooking philosophy.

—Alejandro Pinero

My personal philosophy … teaches mindfulness, focusing thoroughly and deeply on what I am doing at one time.

—Devin Zimmerman

b

: a theory concerning a sphere of activity or thought

the philosophy of war

3

a

: a love or pursuit of wisdom : a formal search for the underlying causes and principles of reality

Aristotle said that philosophy begins with wonder …

—Sarah Bakewell

b

: a quest for truth through logical reasoning rather than factual observation

… those who would exalt philosophy above the sciences …

—Nelson Goodman

c

: a critical examination and analysis of the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs

Broadly speaking, philosophy has three concerns: how the world hangs together, how our beliefs can be justified, and how to live.

—Jim Holt

4

: calmness of temper and judgment befitting a philosopher

Synonyms of philosophy

• ideology

Examples of philosophy in a Sentence

There's plenty of blame to go around: poor regulation, eight years of a failed Republican economic philosophy, Wall Street-friendly Democrats who helped stymie reform, misguided bipartisan efforts to promote home ownership, Wall Street greed, corrupt CEOs, a botched rescue effort, painfully fallible central bankers. —Daniel Gross, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2009

Broadly speaking, philosophy has three concerns: how the world hangs together, how our beliefs can be justified, and how to live. —Jim Holt, New York Times Book Review, 15 Feb. 2009

Almost none of the kids were older than twenty-five, as if there were a sell-by date on radical social philosophy, a legal age limit after which one must surrender lofty ideals and shave off all dreadlocks. —Matthew Power, Harper's, March 2008

In their mission statement, the editors bragged of their firm commitment to equality and social justice, but their philosophy didn't prevent them from summoning Lindsey to perform all their menial tasks. —Kim Wong Keltner, The Dim Sum of All Things, 2004

Her degree is in philosophy and religion.

The group eventually split over conflicting political philosophies.

Her main cooking philosophy is to use only fresh ingredients.

Recent Examples on the Web

Unlike other groups designated as terrorist threats, Antifa is more of a set of tactics and a political philosophy than a discernible group. —Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2026

Speaking earlier this month at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, Netflix chief financial officer Adam Neumann was characteristically on-message, reiterating that the company’s philosophy on live sports is to remain hyper-selective about its commitments. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Mar. 2026

According to Avylo, the product is a continuation of the philosophy of the company to construct an invisible infrastructure of healthier indoor living as opposed to single appliances. —Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026

Brunello Cucinelli also opened its first boutique in Thailand at IconSiam, bringing its philosophy of craftsmanship, human values and long-term thinking into a destination shaped by culture. —Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 25 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English philosophie, from Anglo-French, from Latin philosophia, from Greek, from philosophos philosopher

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b(2)

Phrases Containing philosophy

• analytic philosophy
• doctor of philosophy
• moral philosophy
• natural philosophy
• ordinary-language philosophy
• philosophy of life

Kids Definition

philosophy

noun

phi·​los·​o·​phy fə-ˈläs-(ə-)fē 

plural philosophies

1

: the study of the basic ideas about knowledge, truth, right and wrong, religion, and the nature and meaning of life

2

: the philosophical teachings or principles of a person or group

Greek philosophy

3

: the general principles of a field of study or activity

the philosophy of history

4

: someone's basic beliefs about the way people should live