The Methods of Philosophy
Most sources agree that the chief method of philosophy is logical, rational, critical enquiry and argument "of a more or less systematic kind." Thomistic philosophers refer similarly to the "natural light of reason".
Stephen Toulmin defines three basic approaches to philosophy:
- the philosopher as geometer: centers on formal inquiry; thinkers from Plato to Frege.
- the philosopher as anthropologist: tries to find the basics of human nature; thinkers such as David Hume and Adam Smith.
- the philosopher as critic: investigates the a priori conditions on which e.g. knowledge can exist; Immanuel Kant.
Read more about this topic: Metaphilosophy
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