An essential part of my introductory philosophy courses is the attempt to understand the essence of philosophy. What is philosophy?




Is philosophy an ancient activity performed only by dead people whose images are known through old paintings and busts?




Is philosophy an exotic activity performed only by people who live in far away lands?




Is philosophy an elitist activity performed only by people who devote their entire lives to it?




Is philosophy a depressing activity performed only by people who seem brooding and unapproachable?




Is philosophy an impractical activity performed only by people with too much time on their hands?




Is philosophy a solitary activity performed only by anti-social and lonely people?




Is philosophy an activity performed only by men?




Like many activities, philosophy can take these forms. But there is nothing about philosophy that makes these characteristics essential. Philosophy remains a contemporary, familar, everyday, hopeful, practical, and potentially social activity pursued by people throughout the world. To unreflectively assume otherwise can cheat oneself out of an opportunity to discover philosophy's potential for yourself.

On the other hand, answering the question "What is Philosophy?" can be challenging. Philosophy involves questioning our most basic assumptions about the nature of the universe and the human condition, including questions about how one attempts to answer such questions. So while one can, as I do in my classes, propose ways to understand philosophy, part of doing philosophy is questioning those proposals and determining the best answer for oneself. I've created our web site's "What is Philosophy?" section to encourage you to do this. It includes a timeline depicting the history of Western Philosophy, a list of philosophical quotes, a list of secondary sources on different philosophers and philosophical traditions, a collection of philosophically-inspired poetry, and a student philosophy paper. It also includes philosophical resources such as two encyclopedias of philosophy, a philosophy dictionary, a list of online philosophy resources, and a link to the Santa Rosa Junior College Philosophy Department. Lastly, it includes a playful, but accurate instructor biography. What types of life experiences lead me to become an academic philosopher? I'm not sure if you'll find the answer here; but it is a good reminder that academic philosophers can come from familar backgrounds. While none of these materials is required for any of my courses, they hopefully will be a rewarding part of your educational experience this semester.