Philosophy as Love of Wisdom

The History of Philosophy as a School of Philosophical Thought

To understand the emergence of philosophy and to present its historical perspective, it is essential to characterize the historical-philosophical process as the development of the world spirit.

Why is it necessary to study the history of philosophy? To learn how to philosophize. But is it truly possible to learn this art?—asks Kant, noting that any thinker builds their structure, so to speak, upon the ruins of the past; yet this construction (their philosophical system) never achieves a state of complete solidity in all its parts, which is why philosophy cannot be studied in isolation, as it does not yet exist as a cohesive whole. Conversely, those who wish to learn to philosophize must view all philosophical systems merely as histories of the application of reason and as objects for the exercise of their own talents.

Thus, the history of philosophy stands as the finest school of philosophical thought, for "theoretical thinking is an innate property of the mind's capabilities. This ability must be developed and refined; hence, since ancient times until now, no other means exists for this development than the study of all prior philosophy," claimed Kant.

From this, we can conclude:

1. The history of philosophy has been and remains the best school of philosophical thought within the framework of contemporary philosophical knowledge and as an academic discipline in higher education institutions in Ukraine.
2. Through the history of philosophy, students can comprehend how forms and categories of theoretical thought, methods of engaging with reality, and methodological culture have evolved.
3. We must start from the premise that students entering higher education are already fully formed individuals with certain capacities for theoretical thinking. These abilities need to be developed and honed, as no other means of enhancing these capacities has existed other than the study of prior philosophy.
4. The history of philosophy as an academic discipline has consistently been the best way for young and inquisitive minds to learn independently and to freely apply their own reason. "Have the courage to use your own understanding," Kant urged.
5. It is precisely the history of philosophy that reveals to them a gallery of noble and wise individuals who, through the strength of their intellects, penetrated the nature of things, understood the essence of nature and spirit, and unearthed for us the most magnificent treasures of intellectual knowledge.
6. The relationship between the history of philosophy and philosophy itself remains relevant; in essence, they are identical; moreover, the history of philosophy transforms into "the principal science of philosophy."
7. However, it is becoming evident today that the history of philosophy, as the last serious theme of 20th-century philosophy (Oswald Spengler), must be written and studied through named chapters rather than through the anonymous aggregation of so-called schools, movements, and trends.
8. Philosophy, as such, does not exist in general; every culture has its own philosophy, and every thought exists within a historical context. Each philosophy is an expression of its time, and there are no two epochs with identical philosophical intentions.
9. Thus, the deepest foundation and meaning of any philosophical endeavor lie within a specific culture. Were there a single, eternally valid philosophy, the history of philosophy would be an absurd notion.

Therefore, the study of the history of philosophy will inevitably be a study of philosophy itself; it cannot be otherwise. The history of philosophy is a school of philosophical thought, a school of reasoning and human wisdom, which alone makes possible a shared culture. Without culture, there is no democracy. This is why Pythagoras advised his followers: "Strive first to be wise, and only then to be learned, when you have the leisure."

Teaching proceeds according to the fundamental historical paradigms of philosophical understanding regarding the content and meaning of human existence: I. Human—Gods—Cosmos (early Greeks), the age of cosmocentrism; II. Human—Universe—God (the Middle Ages), the age of theocentrism; III. Human—Nature—Society (the Modern Age), the age of scientism; IV. Human—Humanity—Humaneness (the 19th World Philosophical Congress). This and more will be discussed in the following chapters.

We may conclude this introductory theme with Nietzsche's words: "Truly, illustrious sages, servants of the people, you have grown alongside the spirit and virtues of the people, and the people—thanks to you!"

Thus, philosophical knowledge serves as a universal understanding of the world in its all-encompassing forms, and the task of philosophy in each era is to integrate the data gleaned from individual sciences into a cohesive whole. Philosophy is the science of all reality, of the world as a whole, and it has the capacity to provide genuine solace to our spirit, for philosophy binds the circle of sciences, and it is through philosophy that diverse knowledge first attains order and connection.