What is philosophy? And why do we philosophize? These are meta-philosophical questions that have no easy answer. Many philosophers and scholars differ in their claims. Perhaps, I will try to write a blog about that matter in the future. But, for this now, let us consider a single definition to what philosophy means. Philosophy, for one thing, is what philosophers thought and wrote about. Well known philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, and many others have thought about and answered fundamental questions regarding reality, knowledge, and value - life in general - and wrote them in dialogues, essays, treaties, books, and other literary formats. This whole consideration of a philosopher's work is what we normally call as philosophy. So, for example, we have a philosophy of Plato, philosophy of Aristotle, philosophy of Descartes, and so on.
Now, the question why do philosophers philosophize? At the fundamental level, what drives them - or perhaps also us - to ask and answer philosophical questions? The longstanding answer to that is what now commonly called as "the drive to knowledge". We get this notion as early as the ancient Greek philosophers - specially with Aristotle. In his Metaphysics, Aristotle wrote: "All men by nature desire to know." Clearly, it tells us the reason why we ask and answer philosophical questions - or whatever kind of question for that matter. The simple reason is, that it is our nature, we have that natural tendency by virtue of being rational. This belief laid down by Aristotle about our natural desire to know is never challenged until the time of Nietzsche. It is only Nietzsche, who is brave and confident enough to go against this claim.
For Nietzsche, the father of philosophy - what makes one philosophize - is not "the drive to knowledge" (like in Aristotle or any other). But, the drive to employ knowledge as a tool. One does not just desire to know for the sake of knowing. But, one desires to acquire a certain kind of knowledge that would be employed as a guiding principle in life. That is why, for every philosophy, there always lies behind a certain kind of ethics employed by the philosopher. And this differs from one philosopher to another.
The drive to employ knowledge, further implies, that every philosophy, by any philosopher, is not entirely or absolutely true. Because, the truth of a philosopher's philosophy is, first and foremost, framed upon his own kind of "ethics" or personal interests in a certain course of action. Every philosophy is personal. Each philosopher is secretly implying a personal suggestion on how we should view and live life - his personal "ethics". So, for Nietzsche, one should not consider any philosophy as the absolute truth or the be all and end all. Instead, consider them as subjective and relative. Nietzsche, invites us to always be open for other and more considerations, perspectives, and ideas. That is one main characteristic of Nietzsche's philosophy.
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