The Three Main Branches of Philosophy

1. Introduction

Philosophy is called the queen of sciences for the reason that it deals with the most general and fundamental problems of human life, such as being, truth, good and evil, justice and injustice, freedom and determinism, etc. The subject matter of philosophy is reality as a whole. But as this is too much to be dealt with in one lifetime, philosophers have divided their studies into certain main branches or parts.

There are different opinions as to how many and which are the main branches of philosophy. Some say there are three: ontology or metaphysics, epistemology, and axiology; others add logic, aesthetics, and ethics; still others include social and political philosophy. We shall confine our discussion to the three former groups of branches.

2. Main branches of philosophy

2.1. Axiology

The word “axiology” (from the Greek axios, meaning “worthy” or “valuable”) was first used by Paul Erdmann (1859-1932) in his book Vom Werte der Wissenschaft (On the Value of Science; 1885). It has been used by other writers since then, but its currency as a technical term is relatively recent.

Axiology is the philosophical study of value. It is the part of philosophy that investigates what is intrinsically good or bad, valuable or worthless. Questions about what is good and what is bad make up a large part of our ethical inquiries; questions about what is valuable and what is worthless make up a large part of our aesthetic inquiries.

The distinction between “good” and “bad” is called the moral dimension of value; the distinction between “valuable” and “worthless” is called the non-moral dimension of value. (This last distinction was first made by G. E. Moore in Principia Ethica, 1903.)Values may be either intrinsic or extrinsic. Something has intrinsic value if it is good or valuable in itself; something has extrinsic value if it is good or valuable for something else.

Most things that we value–health, friendship, knowledge, money, pleasure–have both intrinsic and extrinsic value. We value them for themselves and for what they can do for us. Health is intrinsically valuable because it is good for us; it also has extrinsic value because it enables us to lead active lives and to enjoy other things. Friendship is intrinsically valuable because it gives us companionship and someone to confide in; it also has extrinsic value because friends can help us in times of need and can introduce us to other people with similar interests. Knowledge is intrinsically valuable because it enables us to understand the world we live in; it also has extrinsic value because it can be used to solve problems or make decisions. Money has intrinsic value insofar as we use it to buy things we want; but it also has extrinsic value insofar as we use it to buy things we need. Pleasure has intrinsic value insofar as we enjoy it for its own sake; but it also has extrinsic value insofar as it helps us to avoid pain or to achieve some other goal.

Some things–such as virtue, wisdom, glory–seem to have only intrinsic value; others– such as usefulness, productivity, comfort–seem to have only extrinsic value. But this is not always the case. Virtue may be intrinsically valuable because it is its own reward; but it may also be extrinsically valuable because it leads to happiness or to some other goal. Wisdom may be intrinsically valuable because it is a form of knowledge; but it may also be extrinsically valuable because it can be used to solve problems or make decisions. Glory may be intrinsically valuable because it gives us a sense of achievement; but it may also be extrinsically valuable because it brings us fame and fortune. Usefulness may be extrinsically valuable because it enables us to achieve some goal; but it may also be intrinsically valuable insofar as we take pleasure in being useful. Productivity may be extrinsically valuable because it enables us to achieve some goal; but it may also be intrinsically valuable insofar as we take pleasure in being productive. Comfort may be extrinsically valuable because it helps us to avoid pain; but it may also be intrinsically valuable insofar as we enjoy being comfortable.

2. 2. Metaphysics

The word “metaphysics” comes from the Greekmeta ta phusika, which means “after the physics.” It was used by Aristotle to refer to the branch of philosophy that he believed should be studied after one had completed the study of physics. (The word “physics” comes from the Greek physis, which means “nature.”)

Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that investigates the nature of reality. It is concerned with such questions as: What is existence? What are the basic constituents of reality? What is the nature of time and space? What is causality? What is mind? What is matter?

These are all questions about the nature of reality; and thus metaphysics can be defined as the study of the nature of reality.

3. Conclusion

Philosophy main branches are: ontology or metaphysics, epistemology, and axiology.

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