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Lyalko S

2. Read and translate the text. Preface

Philosophy is a study that seeks to understand the mysteries of existence and reality. It tries to discover the nature of truth and knowledge and to find what is of basic value and importance in life. It also examines the relationships between humanity and nature and between the individual and society. Philosophy arises out of wonder, curiosity, and the desire to know and understand. Philosophy is thus a form of inquiry--a process of analysis, criticism, interpretation, and speculation.

The term philosophy cannot be defined precisely because the subject is so complex and so controversial. Different philosophers have different views on nature, methods, and range of philosophy. The term philosophy itself comes from the Greek ‘philosophia’, which means love of wisdom. In that sense, wisdom is the active use of intelligence, not something passive that a person simply possesses.

The first known Western philosophers lived in the ancient Greek world during the early 500's B.C. These early philosophers tried to discover the basic make-up of things and the nature of the world and of reality. For answers to questions about such subjects, people had largely relied on magic, superstition, religion, tradition, or authority. But the Greek philosophers considered those sources of knowledge unreliable. Instead, they sought answers by thinking and by studying nature.

Philosophy has also had a long history in some non-Western cultures, especially in China and India. But until about 200 years ago, there was little interchange between those philosophies and Western philosophy, chiefly because of difficulties of travel and communication. As a result, Western philosophy generally developed independently of Eastern philosophy.

3.Interpret the following in English:

a) inquiry b) basic c) controversial d) intelligence e) superstition f) authority g) nature h) chiefly

4. Give Ukrainian equivalents of the following words and word combinations: little interchange; to rely on magic; basic make-up; to arise out of wonder; to define precisely; a form of inquiry; controversial; mysteries of existence; speculation; superstition; independently.

5. Find in the text English equivalents of the following words and phrases .Use them in sentences of your own and situations from the text:

6. Make up a plan of the text in the form of statements (4 points).

7. Answer the following questions:

  1. What does philosophy deal with?

  2. Can the term philosophy be defined precisely ?

  3. What sources of knowledge did the Greek philosophers consider unreliable?

  4. Was there any interchange between Oriental and Western philosophies? Why did it happen ?

  5. Were the first known philosophers Greeks or Romans ?

8. Look through the text and write out the key philosophical terms.

Give their definitions .

9. Retell the text : a) in detail b) in brief .

10. Write an annotation of the text.

11. Write 5 questions covering the basic points of the text .