PHILOSOPHYThe word “philosophy” is derived from two roots which are “philo” and “Sophia”. Philo means love while Sophia means wisdom. Philosophy therefore means the love of wisdom. In actual practice, philosophy involves the study, pursuit, and search for wisdom. Many great philosophers have called philosophy the art of thinking. Others have defined it solely as the systematic study of human feelings and thoughts. It is noteworthy that many topics that once belonged to philosophy have separated and become independent disciplines. These subjects include physics, psychology and chemistry. However, this did not leave philosophy without content. There are many other things that have always been a part of philosophy since the dawn of time and are still a part of philosophy to this day. These problems are: the possibility of knowledge, the nature of the universe, the standards of justice, the correct use of reason and the qualities of beauty. These questions are based on the fundamental structures of the five branches of philosophy: epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, logic and aesthetics. Western philosophy has three fundamental eras. These are the ancient era, the medieval era and the modern era. The ancient era primarily incorporates the works of Roman and Greek thinkers, some of whom were primarily influenced by developments in Mesopotamia and Egypt. During the ancient period, Greek philosophy was dominant and the most creative. The Romans also made contributions, but they mainly relied on what the Greeks had imagined earlier. The Romans did not add any substantial part that could give them recognition of Greek caliber. Medieval philosophy relied heavily on Christianity. In the middle of the paper there was the transcendence of God and the attribution of free will to human beings and to God. According to Spinoza, these characteristics made the world unintelligible. In a word, it is quite obvious that there are certain similarities between the three philosophical periods. In all three periods, the works of Plato and Aristotle are relevant. These two philosophers are referred to a lot in medieval philosophy when discussing religion. Likewise, many references are made in modern philosophy. In all three philosophies, religion, nature and their relationships occupy an important place. There is a particular desire to connect the two or at least to explain their coexistence. Works CitedCopleston, Frederick C.. A History of Philosophy. Westminster, Maryland: Newman Bookshop, 2001. Print. Jaspers, Karl. Philosophy. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. Print.