This is a harder question to answer than you might expect. Here's
the best I can do by way of a definition:
Thinking hard about (fundamental) stuff.
2 Kinds of Philosophy
1. Presenting a world view - 'Oh, you're a philosopher. Well,
I have a philosophy of my own ... [followed by a 30 minute speech]'
2. Arguing for a particular world view (or part of one)
#2 is our concern here.
Roughly, philosophy can be divided up into four areas.
1. Value Theory (ethics, political philosophy, aesthetics, etc.)
2. Metaphysics/Ontology - what there is
3. Epistemology/Theory of Knowledge - how (and what) do we know
things about what there is?
4. Logic
But it can also be divided up in ways that cut across these three areas
e.g., philosophy of biology
philosophy of mathematics
philosophy of physics
philosophy of education
philosophy of the social sciences
Here I'll be trying to give you a general introduction to all four of the
areas mentioned above. We'll begin with a consideration of (informal)
logic. This will give you some tools for dealing with the material
we'll be covering this term.