How philosophy is to be divided into sub-disciplines has seemed to fascinate philosophers throughout its history. Four different approaches to the divisioning of philosophy are given as diagrams below:
- The Aristotelian Division
- The Thomistic Division
- The Wolffian Division
- A Modern Revision by Dr. Jonathan Dolhenty
In general, the following non-technical definitions will apply:
- Ontology:Â The philosophic science of the nature of being “in general”
- Epistemology:Â The philosophic science dealing with the problem of knowledge
- Psychology:Â Really “rational” or “philosophical” psychology, dealing with man as a “being”
- Theodicy:Â The philosophic science of God, First Cause, Creator – sometimes “natural theology”
- Logic:Â The philosophic science of correct thinking
- Ethics:Â The philosophic science dealing with human acts – sometimes “moral philosophy”
- Politics:Â The philosophic science of man’s social end, including the form of state organization
- Axiology:Â The philosophic science which studies the general nature of “value”
- Aesthetics:Â The philosophic science which studies art, beauty, artistic value
The Aristotelian Division![]()
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Propaedeutic or Introductory![]() |
Logic |
Speculative Philosophy![]() |
Physics Mathematics Metaphysics |
Practical Philosophy![]() |
Ethics Politics |
Poetical Philosophy![]() |
Art |
The Thomistic Division![]()
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Propaedeutic![]() |
Logic | |
Speculative Philosophy![]() |
Philosophy of Nature | Cosmology Psychology |
Philosophy of Mathematics![]() |
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Philosophy of Being | Ontology Natural Theology |
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Practical Philosophy![]() |
Philosophy of Art | |
Philosophy of Morals | Ethics Political Philosophy |
The Wolffian DivisionSome realistic philosophers prefer to follow him on this point. ![]()
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Metaphysics![]() |
General | |
Special | Ontology Psychology Cosmology Theodicy |
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Normative Sciences![]() |
Logic | |
Ethics | General Special |
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Aesthetics |
A Modern Revision of the Divisions of Philosophy![]()
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Metaphysics![]() |
Ontology
Psychology Cosmology Theodicy |
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Criteriology![]() |
Logic
Epistemology |
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Axiology | ||
Ethics | Individual | ||
Social | |||
Special | Medical Scientific Legal Business |
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Politics | |||
Aesthetics | |||
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As applied to Disciplines and Knowledge | Philosophy of Law Philosophy of History Philosophy of Science Philosophy of Religion Philosophy of Mathematics Philosophy of Education |
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As applied to Institutions and Individuals | Philosophical Consulting for Institutions Philosophical Counseling for Individuals |