The role and purpose of philosophy is to cause a person to wonder, and then for that person to analzye their wonderings and come to some type of conclusion. Philosophy starts with the wondering mind. After wondering, a conclusion is met in one of two ways, and only one of which can be called philosophy. A person might answer a question by using someone elses ideas and opinions, which is not philosophy. That person started the process by wondering, but never fulfilled it because they lacked the analyzation and conclusion based on their own thoughts and ideas. On the other hand philosophy can be accomplished when a person does search through their own thoughts, ideas, ethics, and morals to come to a conclusion. At some point we have all done this, and so could have called ourselves philosophers.

-- Anonymous, January 20, 2000