What is Philosophy?

Understanding the questions behind everything else

Philosophy studies the most basic questions we can ask. Instead of focusing on one part of life, it asks what sits underneath all of them. What counts as knowledge? What makes something real? What makes an action right or wrong? What gives a life meaning? If you have ever asked not just what is happening, but whether it is justified, whether it is true, or whether it is fair, you are already thinking philosophically.

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Philosophy helps you slow down and examine the foundations of your beliefs.

What kinds of questions does philosophy ask?

Philosophy deals with questions that do not disappear when technology changes or headlines shift. For example:

What is truth, and how do we recognize it?
What makes an action morally right or wrong?
What is justice?
What does it mean to know something?
What exists, and how are things related?
What makes a person the same over time?

These questions shape debates in science, politics, medicine, law and everyday life.

Philosophy does not hand you final answers. It teaches you how to ask incisive questions and evaluate answers.

How philosophy works

Philosophy is active and analytical. It trains you to:

Build clear and logical arguments
Spot hidden assumptions
Distinguish strong reasons from weak ones
Consider objections fairly
Communicate complex ideas precisely

You learn to disagree carefully, listen charitably and defend your views with reasons rather than volume.

These habits strengthen how you think in any field.

Major areas within philosophy

Philosophy includes several interconnected areas of study:

Ethics asks what we ought to do and how we should live.
Political philosophy examines justice, rights and the structure of society.
Epistemology studies knowledge and belief.
Metaphysics investigates reality and what exists.
Logic analyzes valid reasoning.
Philosophy of science explores how scientific explanation works.

Philosophy also engages with contemporary issues such as artificial intelligence, health care, environmental responsibility and public policy. It evolves as the world changes.

Check out our research areas

What is ontology?

Ontology is a branch of philosophy that studies what exists and how things are organized.

It asks questions like:

What kinds of things are there?
How are objects, events and processes related?
How should we classify the world?

Today, ontological thinking also supports work in data science, medicine and artificial intelligence. Clear definitions and shared categories help people and computer systems organize information and make better decisions.

Learn about our research in Applied Ontology

Global leaders in applied ontology

UB is internationally recognized as a center for research in applied ontology. Faculty collaborate with ontologists and research teams around the world on large-scale standards and knowledge systems that shape how information is used across industries.