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philosophizing

philosophizing

2 8.3
Talking or thinking about big ideas in a general, not formal way
  • noun
  • /fɪˈlɑːsəˌfaɪzɪŋ/
  • US
translation icon : filosofía
  • "Know thyself!" seminal for philosophizing -- particularly for the moral development of the truth-seeker.
  • such philosophizing

So for the people who just like the activity of philosophizing, boom, who cares?

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Examples

  • Many students enjoy philosophizing about the meaning of life during their late-night discussions.

  • His lecture concerned itself with the starting point of philosophizing.

    Academic text (2000)
  • "Am I getting double time for this?" was her answer to my philosophizing.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • So for the people who just like the activity of philosophizing, boom, who cares?

  • To begin with, genuine philosophizing cannot be rushed.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Why then should it not be the right thing for the physicist to let the philosopher do the philosophizing?

    Academic text (2005)
  • For Scalia, the language of "aspirations" is the language of "philosophizing," an activity in which judges should not engage.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Anne wanted to focus on the details of the specific case, not on some semantic philosophizing that might or might not underpin the case.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • And this means that philosophizing should be understood as "individual creative activity" (UNESCO 1953: 21).

    Academic text (2017)
  • But this manner of philosophizing is very convenient for those with only mediocre minds, for the obscurity of the distinctions and principles.

    Academic text (2017)

Synonyms

thinking
vsphilosophizing
872 1.8

Careful use of your mind to consider something

can be more casual or superficial instead of careful consideration
reasoning
vsphilosophizing
221 3.9

A way of thinking in a clear, logical order to form a conclusion

is often speculative or superficial instead of strictly logical
speculation
vsphilosophizing
10 6.2

A long careful thought about ideas with no clear answer

is more often light or casual discussion rather than deep contemplation

How Philosophical

philosophizing
  • US
2 8.3
theorization
1 7.9
to speculate
254 4.8
thinking
872 1.8

Surface Forms

Morphology

philosophizing = philosophize (transparent) = philosophy + ize + ing

Adding '-ing' to the verb 'philosophize' to form a gerund/present participle is a regular and transparent process for learners.

Etymology

Philosophizing comes from the Greek parts philo- 'love' and sophia 'wisdom', the same roots you see in philosophy and philosopher. So to philosophize is to 'love wisdom' — to talk or think about big life ideas, sometimes in a deep way and sometimes in a way that bores others.