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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Philosophy, -i(e, n. Also: phylo-, filo- and -sophye, -é, -ee; -saphé; -sephie; phelosophie, -ye. [ME. and e.m.E. philosofie (1297), philosophie, filosofie, -zofe (14th c.), OF. filosofie (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), philosophie, L. philosophia, Gk. φίλοσοφία.] Philosophy, in various usual senses and applications.

1. The love, study or pursuit of wisdom, or of knowledge of things and their causes. a1400 Leg. S. l. 224.
Me think thu wald with venemyt slycht Tak ws in gyrne dissatfully Thru samplis of philosophy c1420 Wynt. iv. 182.
Arystotyll … wndyr Plato the wytty Studyid and herd phylosophy [W. studyit in to philosophy] Ib. v. 4498. a1500 Henr. Fab. 46 (Ch.).
That brutall beistis … In [Makc. A] philosophie [Makc. sylogysme] propone and eik conclude c1520-c1535 Nisbet II. 130.
Sum war peruertit of eloquence of philosophie full of wordis 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 1035.
Phylosophie a1568 Weddirburne Bann. MS. 240 b/97.
And Aspacia scho was rycht curius In to philosaphe in Athanes 1549 Compl. 21/8.
Philosophee 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2642.
Arestotill quhilk was the A per sie Of naturall wit and greit philosophie a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 403 (L).
Phelosophie

2. In the Universities, a general name for the more advanced courses of study which followed upon the preparatory study of the liberal arts; the branches of knowledge studied in such courses, collectively.Also attrib.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxiv. 112.
Thai set hyme ayrly to the schule Artis liberalis for-thy That he suld cone & philosophy c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 280.
Mony … socht war … Him to instruct in science and lair Sum of gramer sum of philosophie Sum in logik 1531 Bell. Boece II. 138.
Thair [the school of Paris] is al maner of philosophy with eloquence at fouth 1549 Compl. 10/3.
Sen Gode hes nocht dotit me vitht speculatione of liberal sciens nor philosophe … ther for I vil [etc.] 1560 Bk. Disc. in Knox II. 214.
Wha … shall be fund sufficientlie instructit in thir aforesaid sciences shall be laureat and graduat in philosophie 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 14.
Regentis in philosophe or humanite Ib. 13. 1579 Acts III. 180/1.
At the quhilk day the examinatioun of the scollaris of humanitie and philosophie salbegyne 1587 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 499. 1596 Dalr. I. 37/9.
In thair philosophie and vthiris humane studies c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. fol. 48.
Mr. William Struthers minister and constant moderator of the presbytery … had used some disgraceful termes to philosophie calling it the dishclout to divinitie 1647 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 479.
That all students of philosophie at their entry and at their lawreation be holden to subscribe [etc.](2) 1574 Reg. Privy S. VI. 456.
[James Rig] of convenient aige to entir in the classe of philosophie 1577 Ib. VII. 155. c1590 Fowler II. 29/30.
For … thou … hes bene in the scholes of philosophie befoir my natiuitie 1600-1610 Melvill 25.
Whase ingyne and judgment past me als far in the wholl course of philosophie as the aigle the howlet 1610 Acts Sederunt i. 67. 1642 Statutes Visitation 8 Aug. (St. Andrews) (OED.).
The whole magistrandes and doctaloures in the two colledges of philosophy … sall [etc.]attrib. ? 1593 Marischal Coll. Rec. 87.
Upon conditione that he would erect a philosophie colledge ther c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. fol. 15.
Thereafter he was regent of an philosophie classe in the same

b. Variously subdivided, according to the interest or intention of the writer, into divine (heavenlie) and humane philosophy, naturall and morall philosophy.For further instances see Humane a. 2 b, Natural(l a. 3 and Moral(l a. 2 a (2).By some authors (see (2) below) naturall philosophy seems to be equated with humane or morall philosophy.(1) c1420 Wynt. viii. 410.
Mayster off art and in morale phylosophi and naturale He wes grwndyt 1456 Hay I. 75/26.
And the caus is for be all clerkis of naturale philosophy that it is impossible that the hevin be still bot moving Ib. II. 107/34.
In naturale philosophy and astronomy 1490 Irland Mir. in Innes Rev. VI. 92.
Thire are pepil of euill mynd and spekis … aganis moral philosophy 1531 Bell. Boece Proh. (M) II. 406.
With all thi sentence hie Groundit … In naturall and morall philosophe 1549 Compl. 13/10. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 962.
Arestotyll thow did precell In to phylosophie naturell 1562-3 Winȝet II. 48/8.
That thai [? erron. for thar] war litle of diuine philosophie and almaist … nane of humane philosophie quhilk he had nocht throwchlie knawin Ib. 59/29.
It is lesum that the auld doctrine of the heuinlie philosophie … be labourit trimmit and polisit(2) 1492 Myll Spect. 272/16.
He had occupijt him self in the study of naturall philosophy to the end that he suld eschew vice Ib. 278/27.
Arrestotill quhilk had knawlege in naturall phelosophye abone all vtheris c1552 Lynd. Mon. 567.

c. The philosophie, the class of philosophy. — 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 12.
Na man salbe admittit … to the philosophie that has nocht passit be the first or second classe of humanite

3. a. = Natural(l Philosophie, see 2 b. The study of natural phenomena; science. = Phisik n. 1.The quot. from Lynd. Sat. may perh. belong to 2 above. 1456 Hay I. 8/30.
For efter the rycht understanding of philosophy the frost cummys of the erde and is liftyt abune the aire and [etc.] a1500 Seven S. 620.
Philosophy 1540 Lynd. Sat. 883.
Bot fosterit with philosephie A strange man in astronomy c1552 Lynd. Mon. 675.
Lat doctoris wrytt … Thare medecyne and thare philosophye

b. Occult science; magic. — a1540 Freiris Berw. 385 (B).
He … all this purviance Hes brocht ws heir throw his grit subteltie And throw his knawlege in filosophie