Philosopher's stone, an imaginary stone which the alchemists formerly
sought as instrument of converting the baser metals into gold.
{ Phil`o*soph"ic (?), Phil`o*soph"ic*al (?), } a. [L. philosophicus:
cf. F. philosophique.] Of or pertaining to philosophy; versed in, or
imbued with, the principles of philosophy; hence, characterizing a
philosopher; rational; wise; temperate; calm; cool. --
Phil`o*soph"ic*al*ly, adv.
Phi*los"o*phism (?), n. [Cf. F. philosophisme.] Spurious philosophy;
the love or practice of sophistry. Carlyle.
Phi*los"o*phist (?), n. [Cf. F. philosophiste.] A pretender in
philosophy.
{ Phi*los`o*phis"tic (?), Phi*los`o*phis"tic*al (?), } a. Of or
pertaining to the love or practice of sophistry. [R.]
Phi*los"o*phize (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Philosophized (?); p. pr. &
vb. n. Philosophizing (?).] To reason like a philosopher; to search
into the reason and nature of things; to investigate phenomena, and
assign rational causes for their existence.
Man philosophizes as he lives. He may philosophize well or ill, but
philosophize he must.
Sir W. Hamilton.
Phi*los"o*phi`zer (?), n. One who philosophizes.
Phi*los"o*phy (?), n.; pl. Philosophies (#). [OE. philosophie, F.
philosophie, L. philosophia, from Gr. &?;. See Philosopher.] 1.
Literally, the love of, including the search after, wisdom; in actual
usage, the knowledge of phenomena as explained by, and resolved into,
causes and reasons, powers and laws.
When applied to any particular department of knowledge, philosophy
denotes the general laws or principles under which all the subordinate
phenomena or facts relating to that subject are comprehended. Thus
philosophy, when applied to God and the divine government, is called
theology; when applied to material objects, it is called physics; when
it treats of man, it is called anthropology and psychology, with which
are connected logic and ethics; when it treats of the necessary
conceptions and relations by which philosophy is possible, it is called
metaphysics.
"Philosophy has been defined: tionscience of things divine and human,
and the causes in which they are contained; -- the science of effects
by their causes; -- the science of sufficient reasons; -- the science
of things possible, inasmuch as they are possible; -- the science of
things evidently deduced from first principles; -- the science of
truths sensible and abstract; -- the application of reason to its
legitimate objects; -- the science of the relations of all knowledge to
the necessary ends of human reason; -- the science of the original form
of the ego, or mental self; -- the science of science; -- the science
of the absolute; -- the scienceof the absolute indifference of the
ideal and real." Sir W. Hamilton.
2. A particular philosophical system or theory; the hypothesis by which
particular phenomena are explained.
[Books] of Aristotle and his philosophie.
Chaucer.
We shall in vain interpret their words by the notions of our
philosophy and the doctrines in our school.
Locke.
3. Practical wisdom; calmness of temper and judgment; equanimity;
fortitude; stoicism; as, to meet misfortune with philosophy.
Then had he spent all his philosophy.
Chaucer.