Ulrich De Balbian

Philosophizing as Theorizing: Meta-Philosophy Ulrich De Balbian

In my last book Philosophy Questioned I mostly dealt with criticism and negative aspects of the traditional (especially metaphysics, ontology and epistemology) dealings of philosophy. And, that what philosophy should not do or attempt to so. The last chapter ended on a more positive note. It mentioned philosophizing as reflection. Reflection on anything and everything. I reprint that last chapter here as I wish to continue with that theme. Namely, what the nature, the aims, objectives and purposes of that reflection are. I deal with conceptual analysis as the start of theorizing. Then I show how employing concepts commits one to many things, suppositions, -isms... It is followed by 'hypothesizing' or conclusions about assumed sets, models or a system of ideas. That is if one follows through the urge for metaphysical speculation as in traditional Western philosophy.