A philosopher is someone who practices philosophy,
which involves rational inquiry into areas
that are outside either theology or science.
The term "philosopher" comes from the Ancient
Greek φιλόσοφος (philosophos) meaning
"lover of wisdom".
The coining of the term has been attributed
to the Greek thinker Pythagoras (6th century
BC).In the classical sense, a philosopher
was someone who lived according to a certain
way of life, focusing on resolving existential
questions about the human condition, and not
someone who discourses upon theories or comments
upon authors.
Typically, these particular brands of philosophy
are Hellenistic ones and those who most arduously
commit themselves to this lifestyle may be
considered philosophers.
A philosopher is one who challenges what is
thought to be common sense, doesn’t know
when to stop asking questions, and reexamines
the old ways of thought.In a modern sense,
a philosopher is an intellectual who has contributed
in one or more branches of philosophy, such
as aesthetics, ethics, epistemology, logic,
metaphysics, social theory, and political
philosophy.
A philosopher may also be one who worked in
the humanities or other sciences which have
since split from philosophy proper over the
centuries, such as the arts, history, economics,
sociology, psychology, linguistics, anthropology,
theology, and politics.
== History ==
=== 
Ancient Greece and Rome ===
The separation of philosophy and science from
theology began in Greece during the 6th century
BC.
Thales, an astronomer and mathematician, was
considered by Aristotle to be the first philosopher
of the Greek tradition.While Pythagoras coined
the word, the first known elaboration on the
topic was conducted by Plato.
In his Symposium, he concludes that Love is
that which lacks the object it seeks.
Therefore, the philosopher is one who seeks
wisdom; if he attains wisdom, he would be
a sage.
Therefore, the philosopher in antiquity was
one who lives in the constant pursuit of wisdom,
and living in accordance to that wisdom.
Disagreements arose as to what living philosophically
entailed.
These disagreements gave rise to different
Hellenistic schools of philosophy.
In consequence, the ancient philosopher thought
in a tradition.
As the ancient world became schism by philosophical
debate, the competition lay in living in manner
that would transform his whole way of living
in the world.Among the last of these philosophers
was Marcus Aurelius, who is widely regarded
as a philosopher in the modern sense, but
personally refused to call himself by such
a title, since he had a duty to live as an
emperor.
==== Transition ====
According to the Classicist Pierre Hadot,
the modern conception of a philosopher and
philosophy developed predominately through
three changes:
The first is the natural inclination of the
philosophical mind.
Philosophy is a tempting discipline which
can easily carry away the individual in analyzing
the universe and abstract theory.The second
is the historical change through the Medieval
era.
With the rise of Christianity, the philosophical
way of life was adopted by its theology.
Thus, philosophy was divided between a way
of life and the conceptual, logical, physical
and metaphysical materials to justify that
way of life.
Philosophy was then the servant to theology.The
third is the sociological need with the development
of the university.
The modern university requires professionals
to teach.
Maintaining itself requires teaching future
professionals to replace the current faculty.
Therefore, the discipline degrades into a
technical language reserved for specialists,
completely eschewing its original conception
as a way of life.
=== Medieval era ===
In the fourth century, the word philosopher
began to designate a man or woman who led
a monastic life.
Gregory of Nyssa, for example, describes how
his sister Macrina persuaded their mother
to forsake "the distractions of material life"
for a life of philosophy.Later during the
Middle Ages, persons who engaged with alchemy
was called a philosopher – thus, the Philosopher's
Stone.
=== Early modern era ===
Many philosophers still emerged from the Classical
tradition, as saw their philosophy as a way
of life.
Among the most notable are René Descartes,
Baruch Spinoza, Nicolas Malebranche, and Gottfried
Wilhelm Leibniz.
With the rise of the university, the modern
conception of philosophy became more prominent.
Many of the esteemed philosophers of the eighteenth
century and onward have attended, taught,
and developed their works in university.
Early examples include: Immanuel Kant, Johann
Gottlieb Fichte, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph
Schelling, and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.After
these individuals, the Classical conception
had all but died with the exceptions of Arthur
Schopenhauer, Søren Kierkegaard, and Friedrich
Nietzsche.
The last considerable figure in philosophy
to not have followed a strict and orthodox
academic regime was Ludwig Wittgenstein.
=== Modern academia ===
In the modern era, those attaining advanced
degrees in philosophy often choose to stay
in careers within the educational system.
According to a 1993 study by the National
Research Council (as reported by the American
Philosophical Association), 77.1% of the 7,900
holders of a PhD in philosophy who responded
were employed in educational institutions
(academia).
Outside academia, philosophers may employ
their writing and reasoning skills in other
careers, such as medicine, bioethics, business,
publishing, free-lance writing, media, and
law.
=== Key thinkers ===
==== 
French social thought ====
Some known French social thinkers are Claude
Henri Saint-Simon, Auguste Comte, and Émile
Durkheim.
==== British social thought ====
British social thought, with thinkers such
as Herbert Spencer, addressed questions and
ideas relating to political economy and social
evolution.
The political ideals of John Ruskin were a
precursor of social economy (Unto This Last
had a very important impact on Gandhi's philosophy).
==== German social thought ====
Important German philosophers and social thinkers
included Immanuel Kant, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich
Hegel, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Georg Simmel,
and Martin Heidegger.
==== Chinese social thought ====
Important Chinese philosophers and social
thinkers included Shang Yang, Lao Zi, Confucius,
Mencius, Wang Chong, Wang Yangming, Li Zhi,
Zhu Xi, Gu Yanwu, Gong Zizhen, Wei Yuan, Kang
Youwei, Lu Xun, Mao Zedong, Xi Jinping.
==== Italian sociology ====
Important Italian social scientists include
Antonio Gramsci, Gaetano Mosca, Vilfredo Pareto,
Franco Ferrarotti.
== Prizes in philosophy ==
Variozcv prizes in philosophy exist.
Among the most prominent are:
Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy
Rolf Schock Prizes
Avicenna Prize
Berggruen Philosophy PrizeCertain esteemed
philosophers, such as Henri Bergson, Bertrand
Russell, Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre,
have also won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
The John W. Kluge Prize for the Study of Humanity,
created by the Library of Congress to recognize
work not covered by the Nobel Prizes, was
given to philosophers Leszek Kołakowski in
2003, Paul Ricoeur in 2004, and Jürgen Habermas
and Charles Taylor in 2015.
== See also ==
Sage (philosophy)
Lists of philosophers
