Chapter 1 Dark Blue Velvet Main Points Introduction These days one hears a lot about alternative facts. Given two conflicting beliefs about facts, how does one tell which is correct? Indeed, what does being correct about facts even amount to? But what are facts in the first place? In this book, a historical overview of the questions of ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology, as well as of other branches of philosophy is provided. This chapter considers what philosophy is, more generally speaking. I. What Is Philosophy? The word philosophy comes from the Greek philo, a word for fondness, and sophia, which denotes ―wisdom.‖ II. Philosophical Questions Here are a few examples of questions philosophy seeks to answer:  Why is there something rather than nothing at all?  Do humans have free will?  What is consciousness? What is the self?  What are the legitimate scope and functions of government?