The Branches of Philosophy

Philosophy

Philosophy is "The Love of Wisdom"
(from the Greek words Philo meaning "Love" and Sophia meaning "Wisdom")

Love means "to pursue"
(or "to desire" or "to want" or "to like" or "to tend toward")

Wisdom means "the best kind of knowledge"
(or "most important, highest, deepest kind of knowledge")

To Philosophize is "To Love Wisdom"
(or "to pursue the best kind of knowledge")

A Philosopher is "A Lover of Wisdom"
(or "one who pursues the best kind of knowledge")

What is Philosophical is anything relating to "Loving Wisdom"
(or "that which pertains to pursuing the best kind of knowledge")

Metaphysics
a.k.a. Ontology or Philosophy of Being

Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that studies "Being"
(or "Existence")

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Metaphysician
(a.k.a. Ontologist or Philosopher of Being)

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Metaphysical
(a.k.a. Ontological)

What is being? What exists in reality? What exists in the mind? What is a thing? What is nothing?

Epistemology
a.k.a. Philosophy of Knowledge

Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that studies "Knowledge"
(or "How We Know Things")

A philosopher specializing in this is called an Epistemologist
(a.k.a. Philosopher of Knowledge)

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Epistemological

What is knowledge? What can we know? How do we come to know? What can we be certain of?

Ethics
a.k.a. Morality or Moral Philosophy

Ethics is the branch of philosophy that studies "Good and Evil Actions"
(or "Right and Wrong Actions")

A philosopher specializing in this is called an Ethicist
(a.k.a. Moralist or Moral Philosopher)

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Ethical
(a.k.a. Moral)

What makes an act good? What makes an act bad? Does it depend? Are some acts always good or always bad?

Aesthetics
a.k.a. Esthetics or Philosophy of Beauty or Philosophy of Art

Aesthetics is the branch of philosophy that studies "Beauty"
(especially about "Art")

A philosopher specializing in this is called an Aestheticist
(a.k.a. Estheticist or Philosopher of Beauty or Philosopher of Art)

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Aesthetic
(a.k.a. Esthetic)

What is beauty? What makes something beautiful? Does beauty have rules? Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?

Teleology

Teleology is the branch of philosophy that studies "Finality"
(a.k.a. "End" or "Purpose" or "Goal")

A philosopher specializing in this is called an Teleologist

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Teleological

What does it mean to have a purpose? What is the purpose of life? Does everything have a purpose?

Axiology

Axiology is the branch of philosophy that studies "Value"

A philosopher specializing in this is called an Axiologist

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Axiological

What is value? What makes anything good or bad? What are different ways something can be good/bad?

Some fields of knowledge are considered to have both philosophical and non-philosophical sides to them (though where to draw the line is debatable). The word "Philosophical" can be put in front of them when specifically talking about them as branches of philosophy:

Philosophical
Cosmology

Philosophical Cosmology is the branch of philosophy that studies the "Universe"
(more specifically, "Non-Living Material Things")

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Philosophical Cosmologist

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Cosmological

What is the universe? Where did it come from? What is it made of? Could other universes exist?

Philosophical
Psychology

Philosophical Psychology is the branch of philosophy that studies "The Soul"
(a.k.a. "Living Material Things," though often more specifically, "The Mind")

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Philosophical Psychologist

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Psychological

What is the soul? What is the mind? What does it mean to be alive? What is physical and mental health?

Philosophical
Anthropology
a.k.a. Philosophy of Human Nature

Philosophical Anthropology is the branch of philosophy that studies "Humans"

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Philosophical Anthropologist
(a.k.a. Philosopher of Human Nature)

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Anthropological

What does it mean to be human? How do humans tend to act? What do they all share in common?

Philosophical
Phenomenology

Philosophical Phenomenology is the branch of philosophy that studies "Experience"
(or "How We Consciously Perceive Things")

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Philosophical Phenomenologist

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Phenomenological

What kinds of things are we aware of? What do our senses tell us? Does everything appear the same to everyone?

Philosophical
Logic

Philosophical Logic is the branch of philosophy that studies "Reasoning"
(a.k.a. "Good and Bad Arguments")

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Philosophical Logician

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Logical

What is logic? What makes a good argument? What makes a bad argument? What are the rules of reasoning?

Philosophical
Politics
a.k.a. Political Philosophy

Philosophical Politics is the branch of philosophy that studies "Government"
(a.k.a. "Governance," especially over "The State")

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Political Philosopher

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Political

What is government? What is the best kind of government? What should a government do and not do?

Philosophical
Jurisprudence
a.k.a. Legal Philosophy or Philosophy of Law

Philosophical Jurisprudence is the branch of philosophy that studies "Law"

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Philosophical Jurist
(a.k.a. Legal Philosopher or Philosopher of Law)

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Jurisprudent
(a.k.a. Jurisprudential)

What is a law? What makes a law just? What makes a law unjust? Are there laws besides the ones humans make?

Philosophical
Theology
a.k.a. Natural Theology or Philosophy of God

Philosophical Theology is the branch of philosophy that studies "God"

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Natural Theologian
(a.k.a. Philosophical Theologian or Philosopher of God)

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Theological

What is God? Can we know God exists? What is the relation between God and the universe? What is God able to do?

Philosophy of Nature
a.k.a. Natural Philosophy
or Physical Philosophy or Philosophical Physics

Philosophy of Nature is the branch of philosophy that studies "Nature"
(or "Both Living and Non-Living Material Things")

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Natural Philosopher
(a.k.a. Philosopher of Nature or Physical Philosopher)

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Natural
(a.k.a. Physical)

What is nature? What are the different kinds of things in the physical world? How do they tend to act?

Philosophy of Society
a.k.a. Social Philosophy

Philosophy of Society is the branch of philosophy that studies "Society"
(or "Social Relations")

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Social Philosopher
(a.k.a. Philosopher of Society)

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Social

What is society? How does it function? What helps it? What hurts it? How does people tend to act with others?

Philosophy of History
a.k.a. Historical Philosophy

Philosophy of History is the branch of philosophy that studies "History"
(or "The Past")

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Philosopher of History
(a.k.a. Historical Philosopher)

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Historical

What is history? What counts as history and what does not? What are its patterns? Is it heading toward something?

Philosophy of Education
a.k.a. Educational Philosophy

Philosophy of Education is the branch of philosophy that studies "Education"

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Philosopher of Education
(a.k.a. Educational Philosopher)

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Educational

What is education? What is it supposed to do? Who should be educated? What should they be taught?

Philosophy of Science

Philosophy of Science is the branch of philosophy that studies "Science"

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Philosopher of Science

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Scientific

What is science? What does science include? What does it not include? How useful is the scientific method?

Philosophy of Mathematics

Philosophy of Mathematics is the branch of philosophy that studies "Mathematics"

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Philosopher of Mathematics

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Mathematical

What are numbers? What are lines? Do they exist? How do they relate to each other and the real world?

Philosophy of Language

Philosophy of Language is the branch of philosophy that studies "Language"
(or "The Relationship between Language and Reality")

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Philosopher of Language

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Linguistic

What is language? Where does it come from? How do words correspond to things? How do they have meaning?

Philosophy of Religion

Philosophy of Religion is the branch of philosophy that studies "Religion"
(or "Religious Traditions")

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Philosopher of Religion

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Religious

What is religion? What does it do? What do religions share in common? How do they relate to God?

Metaphilosophy
a.k.a. Philosophy of Philosophy

Metaphilosophy is the branch of philosophy that studies "Philosophy"

A philosopher specializing in this is called a Metaphilosopher
(a.k.a. Philosopher of Philosophy)

Anything philosophical regarding this is called Metaphilosophical

What is philosophy? What is not philosophy? Is philosophy about philosophy really a branch of philosophy?