Philosophy has been at the core of Western intellectual life for at least 2,500 years. It is central to our understanding of the world and of our place in and interaction with it.

Philosophy provides the tools by which the presuppositions of all areas of intellectual and practical activity may be systematically and critically examined. While there are different approaches that philosophers have taken, characteristic of philosophy is the emphasis on the use of:

argument
critical enquiry
rigour in reasoning
clarity of expression, including the making of pertinent distinctions
Linguistics examines how language works. It describes how sounds, words, sentences and conversations combine to express and create meaning.

It studies:

the uses of language in everyday life
the ways in which language varies across society and evolves over time
how language is mastered by children