In the academic field the acronyms PhD are used as an abbreviation to refer to the individual who has graduated in a discipline . Literally a doctor of philosophy, which comes from the equivalent Latin expression , doctor philosophiae.
It is a name specific to Anglo-Saxon universities and has been used since the 19th century. It is equivalent to a doctorate and is more than a degree, as it means that the student has undergone a doctoral thesis.
The historical origin of the acronyms is part of the Middle Ages
Obtaining a PhD in medicine, biology, theology, or law does not mean that the holder of that academic degree has philosophical knowledge. This abbreviation is used because since the Middle Ages the body of knowledge was grouped under the name of philosophy, as it was understood that this discipline represented the various scientific areas. PhD
For centuries the educational curriculum was divided into two large blocks that included the arts and scientific disciplines: Trivium and Quadrivium. The first comprised the following subjects: grammar, dialectics and rhetoric. The Quadrivium included four others: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music.
As a complement to the Quadrivium, subjects such as Natural History or Medicine were studied
After overcoming these two levels, it was understood that the student was already able to go deeper into strictly philosophical knowledge. All this knowledge was taught in monastic schools and later in the first European universities. PhD
Over time, each area of knowledge became independent from its original trunk. Thus, Pedagogy , Psychology and Sociology appeared in the 19th century and acquired an independent status in the university field in the 20th century. Currently, the areas of knowledge have a specialized and specific category, such as Astrophysics, Biotechnology, Educational Sciences and different specialties of Medicine.
In summary, the use of the acronyms PhD in the 21st century is a recognition of the role of philosophy in the whole of knowledge.
What is meant by Philosophy
The first Western philosophers, especially the pre-Socratic ones, did not think of themselves as sages (sophos), but rather as seekers of wisdom.
If we pay attention to the strict meaning of the word, philosophy means love of wisdom, since it is made up of philos, which means love and sophia, which means wisdom. Thus, more than an area of knowledge, it should be understood as an attitude in the search for the truth.
