Between the Science of Philosophy and the Act of Philosophising
Distinguishes the Science of Philosophy from the act of Philosophising, exploring study versus lived reflection in thought, action, and inquiry.
The Science of Philosophy and Philosophising are often regarded as identical pursuits, whereas in truth, they are not the same.
Why so?
Because the Science of Philosophy concerns the study of philosophy itself — its methods, its systems, and its history as a discipline of knowledge.
Philosophising, on the other hand, is the lived exercise of philosophical reflection — the practice of applying philosophical reasoning in thought and action.
In what follows, I shall elaborate more precisely on this distinction, and I invite readers to engage thoughtfully with the discussion.
1. What Is the Science of Philosophy?
Philosophy, both among academics and the general public, is commonly perceived as a body of knowledge — that is, as an intellectual tradition rooted in history, sustained by argumentation, and developed through critique among thinkers across different eras.
To study philosophy as a science is therefore not merely to learn how to think philosophically, but to inquire into:
How philosophical thought arises?
Why it emerges?
What historical or intellectual conditions make such thought possible?
In this sense, philosophy as a science occupies a vital role. As is well known, the philosophical tradition extends over more than twenty-six centuries, at least in the Western canon. Consequently, this tradition has become vast and multifaceted, offering a rich and complex terrain that constitutes the object of study within the Science of Philosophy.
2. What Does It Mean to Philosophise?
Many people assume that to philosophise is the same as to study philosophy as a science. Yet this assumption is mistaken. The difference between the two does not merely concern perspective, but rather the sphere of actual practice.
A person well-versed in philosophical theory is not necessarily capable of philosophising. Such a person may understand Descartes’ doctrine of radical doubt and his conclusion “Cogito, ergo sum” — “I think, therefore I am.” Yet in daily life, he might never emulate Descartes’ intellectual journey — the living, self-critical process that gave birth to that insight.
He may be adept at quoting, but not at embodying what he quotes.
This, in essence, is the difference between a scholar of philosophy and a philosopher in practice.
The one who philosophises truly lives philosophically. Even if he lacks deep familiarity with historical details or theoretical systems, he persistently questions assumptions he once took for granted, seeking what is most rational, authentic, and consistent with his own being.
3. Conclusion
Philosophy as a science is not simply the art of thinking and declaring one’s thoughts “original,” for what one deems original may have been conceived long before. Here lies the importance of studying philosophy as a science: it expands our intellectual horizon by acquainting us with thinkers from Thales to Žižek.
Conversely, philosophising concerns the lived dimension of philosophy — whether our reflections and actions genuinely stem from a philosophical process of thought, and whether we live in accordance with the principles we claim to hold.
From this we may conclude that one who masters philosophical theory does not necessarily philosophise, and likewise, one who philosophises does not necessarily master the formal science of philosophy.
The wisdom to be drawn is this: philosophy can serve as a way of life, which is the essence of philosophising, while the study of philosophy as a science broadens our understanding of the long and intricate history of human thought.
Written by Abiyyu Fayyadh
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References
- Russell, Bertrand. History of Western Philosophy. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar, 2018.
- Descartes, René. A Discourse on the Method of Correctly Conducting One’s Reason and Seeking Truth in the Sciences. Translated by Ian Maclean. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.
- Descartes, René. Meditations on First Philosophy: With Selections from the Objections and Replies. Translated by Michael Moriarty. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
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