The Philosophical Discourses

The purpose of this work is to analyze the meaning of philosophy in addition to providing a creative interpretation of the nature of the field. The work begins by positing two essential preconditions which gave rise to the discipline and the reasons why the meaning of the field is not agreed upon by philosophers. A proposed definition is then ventured, yet with no claim of finality. Alternative definitions of philosophy are then given and analyzed.

Next, the value of philosophy itself is explored and its uniqueness. The relation of philosophy to other fields of inquiry are then investigated including religion, mythology, the sciences and the humanities. This includes the necessary training for philosophical insight, the nature of journals in philosophy and the quality of reference books in the discipline. The stratification structure in philosophy is also explored.

The metaphysics of knowledge is analyzed which includes recommendations for future research. The procedure stressed for investigation is then exemplified in the subdisciplines of aesthetics, ethics and philosophy of religion. The book deals with the insights of numerous philosophers and has hundreds of footnotes. A bibliography and glossary are included.