Is "philosophy" is just a fancy word used to attract attention to your opinion?

Answer 1

Not to me.

"if you are not interested in abstract ideas, why do you (and all men) feel compelled to use them? The fact is that abstract ideas are conceptual integrations which subsume an incalculable number of concretes--and that without abstract ideas you would not be able to deal with concrete, particular, real-life problems. You would be in the position of a newborn infant, to whom every object is a unique, unprecedented phenomenon. The difference between his mental state and yours lies in the number of conceptual integrations your mind has performed.

You have no choice about the necessity to integrate your observations, your experiences, your knowledge into abstract ideas, i.e., into principles. Your only choice is whether these principles are true or false, whether they represent your conscious, rational conviction--or a grab-bag of notions snatched at random, whose sources, validity, context and consequences you do not know, notions which, more often than not, you would drop like a hot potato if you knew.

But the principles you accept (consciously or subconsciously) may clash with or contradict one another; they, too, have to be integrated. What integrates them? Philosophy. A philosophic system is an integrated view of existence. As a human being, you have no choice about the fact that you need a philosophy. Your only choice is whether you define your philosophy by a conscious, rational, disciplined process of thought and scrupulously logical deliberation--or let your subconscious accumulate a junk heap of unwarranted conclusions, false generalizations, undefined contradictions, undigested slogans, unidentified wishes, doubts and fears, thrown together by chance, but integrated by your subconscious into a kind of mongrel philosophy and fused into a single, solid weight: self-doubt, like a ball and chain in the place where your mind's wings should have grown. "

Ayn Rand
Address To The Graduating Class Of
The United States Military Academy at West Point

Answer 2

It is a word that is to make a person think. The problem here is there are a lot of people that ask question at Y/A that have nothing to do with philosophy. this question a good one and it is open ended and that is the bases of philosophy is keep an open mind and think things through. Opinion is in its raw form an open ended idea so you are on the right track.

Live Long Live Free

Answer 3

My understanding is that a philosophy is a statement of the fundamental nature, function and purpose of a subject. To understand something at depth is more than just to form an opinion about it.

I worked with school kids from 11 to 17 in age, and opinions fly fast and furiously at that age, but real understanding is more rare. Some may apply the term "philosophy" to what is really just a collection of opinions, but that is intellectually lazy at best, and dishonest at worst.

The truth is that while one may gain temporary attention for something by mislabeling it, the attention will diminish over time as those who seek to be enlightened are disappointed.
A mislabeled philosophy could be somewhat like a pool of clear water on a hot day: If there is no depth, many will splash about and enjoy it for a time, but we would find it impossible to swim.

Answer 4

In Yahoo! answers, it's kind of a residual category, which people use to ask a whole bunch of questions which they find difficult to fit anywhere else.

In an academic setting, it is the study of certain fundamental problems of knowledge, logic, existence, morality, etc... which have undergone a much more profound treatment.

Maybe the distinction is simply one between good and bad philosophy, just as one can distinguish doodling from a brilliant painter's works. Philosophy is indeed hard to define. I like the definition "metaphysics without religion". So whenever you hear somebody talk about thought and the nature of things without referring to a set of traditional dogma, you are in the presence of a philosopher.
Of course, theist philosophers would disagree, but I would argue there is still a difference between theist philosophy and plain dogma in the sense that at least, the theist philosophy recognizes the necessity of according his beliefs with human reason.

Answer 5

I learned in one of my first philosophy classes that philosophy means "love(philos) of wisdom(sophie)".
I guess you could say being interested in philosophy is the same as having a passion for knowledge.
It's not a fancy word, it's actually quite literal.

Answer 6

I think that you can expect that people who associate themselves with philosophy are more likely to have some sort of foundation for their "opinions." You can actually discover different ways of looking at something by exploring possibility. I come to this category for that very reason. I can count on some people to give me their take on something and then expand on it. That is more much enlightening than to hear something like "because I said so" or "because that is what I believe."

To answer your question... no. Philosophy is not about what you know (or think you know). It's about the process of discovery - the pursuit of wisdom.

Answer 7

Those who do what you say are numerous. However, philosophy is a rigorous study of thought. Epistemology is one of the hardest subjects to master. Those who do what you say have no idea of how the science works.
By the way, Annie has the best answer, not me. Are you capable of understanding it, because THAT answer is the science.

Answer 8

Indian concept of philosophy is to know the Absolute within ourselves through pacticing sravana(reading or listeningfrom scholars),manana (contemplating on what is understood)and nidhidhyasana(meditation).
It is meaningfull for myself.Hence attracting others has nothing to do with philosophy.

Answer 9

There are many definitions of "philosophy". To me, it is the science of literally everything.

Answer 10

Perhaps when one views philosophy as simply ones own worldview of life.