Do you consider yourself a philosopher?

Question

how does one define "philosopher"? I mean, everybody thinks..

Answer 1

Some people think they are thinking when they are only re-arranging their prejudices.

A philosopher knows that he is thinking when he is challenging is prejudices.

Answer 2

HUH?
Philosophy is the discipline concerned with questions of how one should live (ethics); what sorts of things exist and what are their essential natures (metaphysics); what counts as genuine knowledge (epistemology); and what are the correct principles of reasoning (logic).[1][2] The word is of Greek origin: φιλοσοφία (philosophía), a compound of φίλος (phílos: friend, or lover) and σοφία (sophía: wisdom).[3][4]

Though no single definition of philosophy is uncontroversial, and the field has historically expanded and changed depending upon what kinds of questions were interesting or relevant in a given era, it is generally agreed that philosophy is a method, rather than a set of claims, propositions, or theories. Its investigations are based upon rational thinking, striving to make no unexamined assumptions and no leaps based on faith or pure analogy. Different philosophers have had varied ideas about the nature of reason, and there is also disagreement about the subject matter of philosophy. Some think that philosophy examines the process of inquiry itself. Others, that there are essentially philosophical propositions which it is the task of philosophy to prove.[5]

Until the Renaissance, 'philosophy' and 'science' were considered the same discipline.

Although the word "philosophy" originates in the Western tradition, many figures in the history of other cultures have addressed similar topics in similar ways.[6] The philosophers of East Asia are discussed in Eastern philosophy, while the philosophers of North Africa and the Middle East, because of their strong interactions with Europe, are usually considered part of Western Philosophy.

Answer 3

In my view, a philosopher is he who does not only think deeply to examine 'root' issues or aspects, but also thinks objectively keeping the subjectivity completely aside. The true philosopher is a queer person because even when he/she is thinking about self, the thinking is very unattached and sort of generally covering everyone's self in that thinking rather than just confining to own self and moreover, this is done only to get at the root truths rather than out of concern for everyone.

On the above basis, I believe I do think philosophically many a times.

Answer 4

By default, everybody is a philosopher for we seek the truth.

But there are people by choice, they intentionally seek the truth and go beyond others.

Philosopher = lover of wisdom, a person who come up with a structured philosophy.

Answer 5

I do consider myself a philosopher.

Philosophy means Love of Thought.

Everybody thinks, not everbody loves to think.

A philosopher is someone who thinks WAY more than is necessary. Who thinks about stuff most don't give a second thought.

Answer 6

No, I'm a student of philosophy.

Philosophers come up with the ideas that we study. No one here is a philosopher.

Answer 7

A philosopher is a man of practical wisdom. One who who schools himself in calmness and patience under all circumstances. A student of philosophy or a specialist in philosophy.

I will fall as a student of philosophy and therefore am a philosopher in my own right. However, there is a difference as you will associate it with the Great Philosophers in the likeness if Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Hegel, Nietzsche, Russel, Bergson, Voltaire, Kant, Dewey, Russel, Spencer, Locke and Schopenhauer. They have great contributions in philosophy in their own right too. Unlike us we are just students or philosophers learning their philosophies and their literatures.

Thanks for asking. Have a great day!

Answer 8

I think therefore I might be.

Answering a query as to why he got his degree in philosophy Bruce Lee responded, "So I can think deep thoughts about being unemployed." I've been unemployed and thought about it so again maybe.

So the question lies in what really is the essence of philosophizing.

Answer 9

some people think more than others - a philosopher thinks about everything and what it means to everything.

so a philosopher does not focus on their needs and wants but rather how everything affects and is a part of everything else.

Answer 10

No, I don't. In order to be a philosopher, you have to create a coherent system of thought that reflects a complete vision of life. This is not my case and is not the case of many people nowadays.