The Eight Branches of
Philosophy
By: Kurt Boling and
Casey Fannell
Instructions
 This presentation is interactive.
 There will be action buttons at the bottom of every
slide that must be pressed to move forward and
backward.
 The Main Menu has buttons that when pressed
lead to one of the 8 branches.
 Certain slides will have a home button that take
you to the main menu. This button looks like a
house.
Main Menu
Eight Branches of Philosophy
Metaphysics
Ethics
Theory of
Knowledge
Logic
Politics
Aesthetics
Science
Religion
Metaphysics
 Metaphysics is the
study of origins.
 Asks why we are here
and what is our
purpose in life.
 Study of time.
Metaphysics Continued
 The Melisians believed
the universe was made
of fire, water, earth,
and air.
 Aristotle created the
“Great Mover and
Shaker” theory of our
origins. (Big Bang)
Epistemology:
The Theory of Knowledge
 This is the branch that
deals with where
knowledge comes
from.
 Asks how do we obtain
knowledge.
Rationalism and Empiricalism
 Rationalism is the idea
that knowledge is
obtained through logic
and reason.
 Empiricism is the idea
that we obtain
knowledge by use of
our senses.
Religion
 This Branch deals with
why people believe in
a higher power and an
afterlife.
 Meaning of life
 Rituals and how
people should act.
Examlples of Religion
 Dualism
 Christianity, Judaism,
Islam
 Monotheism
 Polytheism
 Buddhism
 Hinduism
Ethics
 This branch deals
mainly with morality.
 It helps people
determine what is right
and wrong and how
we can achieve the
“good life”.
The Good Life
 This is where a person
has balance between
happiness and virtue.
Aesthetics
 The Study of what
makes Beauty.
 Art and its significance.
 What shapes the
opinion of beauty.
Beauty
 Beauty is perceived as
being relative to most.
 Some would argue that
there is universality in
beauty and that we all
feel the same emotion
when observing good
art.
Politics
 Study of how people
interact with each
other.
 What is the purpose of
government.
 Why people need
other people.
Political Philosophies
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Conservatism
Liberalism
Marxism
Social Darwinism
Communism
Socialism
Capitalism
Science
 The philosophy of
Science describes the
way in which science
changes the world.
Examples of How Science has
Changed the World
 Evolution has changed
the way in which
people have viewed
origins
 Theory of Relativity
has dramatically
changed physics
 The internet has
changed the way
people exchange
information.
Logic
 The use of reason in
argument.
 Critical thinking and
problem solving.
 How to apply evidence
to an argument.
Example of Logic
 Mathematics:
– 5+X=9
– X=4
 Syllogism:
– Girls have long hair.
– Ariel has long hair
– Ariel is a girl.