Practical Philosophy

The division of philosophy into a practical philosophy and a theoretical discipline has its origin in Aristotle's moral philosophy and natural philosophy categories. In Sweden and Finland courses in theoretical and practical philosophy are taught separately, and are separate degrees. Other countries may use a similar scheme—some Scottish universities, for example, divide philosophy into logic, metaphysics, and ethics—but in most universities around the world philosophy is taught as a single subject. There is also a unified philosophy subject in some Swedish universities, such as Södertörns Högskola.

Practical Philosophy is also the use of philosophy and philosophical techniques in everyday life. This can take a number of forms including reflective practice, personal philosophical thinking and philosophical counselling.

Examples of practical philosophy subjects are:

  • Ethics
  • Political philosophy
  • Decision theory
  • Philosophy of law
  • Philosophy of religion
  • Feminist philosophy
  • Aesthetics
  • Value theory
  • Metaphysics
  • Reflective practice
  • Philosophical counselling

Read more about Practical Philosophy:  See Also

Famous quotes containing the words practical and/or philosophy:

    The city is always recruited from the country. The men in cities who are the centres of energy, the driving-wheels of trade, politics or practical arts, and the women of beauty and genius, are the children or grandchildren of farmers, and are spending the energies which their fathers’ hardy, silent life accumulated in frosty furrows in poverty, necessity and darkness.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

    The great critic ... must be a philosopher, for from philosophy he will learn serenity, impartiality, and the transitoriness of human things.
    W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965)