Philosophy Explained: What is philosophy?

What is philosophy? I’m a philosopher, and in this video I explain what that means. Before diving into specific branches in future videos, I give a big-picture view of philosophy as a whole: what it covers, how it’s practiced, and why it matters.

My working definition: philosophy is the pursuit of truth through careful and clear thinking (with a little observation), especially as it has developed in the academic tradition.

By the end of this video, you’ll learn:

• What philosophy is (and isn’t)
• The major sub-disciplines of philosophy
• How to recognize a philosophical question or topic
• How you can start doing philosophy yourself