Глава LXVII. Шесть определений философии

Philosophy is the knowledge of existence as such, i.e. nature of existence. Philosophy is the knowledge of Divine and human things. Philosophy is the thought of arbitrary and natural death. Philosophy is assimilation to God to the extent possible for a person. We become like God through justice, holiness and goodness. Justice consists in correct distribution, i.e. in not causing offense, not judging anyone, but rewarding everyone according to his deeds. Holiness is higher than justice and coincides with goodness, consisting in enduring injustice, yielding to offenders and even doing good to them. Philosophy is the art of the arts and the science of the sciences. For philosophy is the beginning of all art, since all art was invented by it. Philosophy is the love of wisdom, and true Wisdom is God. Thus, love of God is the true philosophy. Philosophy is divided into theoretical and practical; theoretical philosophy is divided into theology, mathematics and physiology. Mathematics is divided into arithmetic, geometry and astronomy. Practical philosophy is divided into ethics, economics and politics. Theoretical philosophy has as its task to consider the incorporeal, immaterial, i.e. God, Who is first of all and in the proper sense incorporeal and immaterial, then angels, demons and souls. The latter [i.e. angels, demons and souls] in relation to the body are called immaterial, but in relation to the immaterial in the strict sense, i.e. to the Divine, they are material. So, all this constitutes the subject of theology. Theoretical philosophy also has as its task the consideration of the nature of the material, i.e. animals, plants, stones and the like - this constitutes physiology; and equally that. what occupies a middle place between the immaterial and the material, what is sometimes considered in matter, and sometimes independently of matter - this constitutes mathematics. Indeed, number itself is immaterial, but is considered in matter, for example, in bread or in wine, for we say, ten modii of bread, ten mugs of wine. The situation is similar with other types of mathematics. Practical philosophy regulates morals and teaches how one should organize one’s life. Moreover, if it educates just one person, then it is called ethics, if it educates a whole family, then it is called economics, but if it educates a whole city, then it is called politics. You might be interested in: