Philosophy in relation to other disciplines exploring human nature

This paper explores philosophy in its relation to other disciplines and practices that also seek to understand the distinctive nature of human persons. It begins with a consideration of the nature of philosophy, arguing for a pluralistic conception reflecting different ends, and relating these to art, politics, religion, and science. It illustrates this via connections between the thought and work of Andy Warhol and Arthur Danto, Wagner and Nietzsche, and Roger Scruton and James MacMillan. It then shifts to a fifth methodological conception of philosophy as the discipline of disciplines, specifically in clarifying concepts and presuppositions, and relates this to marking the boundaries of personhood. Finally, it explores a particular example of philosophy in relation to another practice, art, this time giving priority to art itself.