Philosophic types maintain that there are three branches of inquiry not including your questions regarding your neighbor’s sexual orientation. (And that isn’t your business anyway.)
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metaphysics: What is the nature of reality? (includes ontology & cosmology)
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epistemology: What is the nature of knowledge?
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axiology: What is the nature of values? (includes ethics & aesthetics)
Real world examples:
Graphic Design Movement Style:
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metaphysics: What are the characteristics of this movement? How is this movement associated with other trends? In what ways are divisions between this movement and other styles arbitrary and/or helpful?
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epistemology: Why do we perceive this movement as functioning in a certain way?
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axiology: Why do value or degrade this movement? What is the basis of your opinion?
Design Examples:
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metaphysics:
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ontology: Is the design of [Paula Scher / Nicolas Jenson / Ben Lovejoy / You] implied by the existence of the universe?
- cosmology: Why does the [Kyle Cooper’s typography / any discipline / movement / maker] even exist?
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epistemology: What does “postmodern design” mean?
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axiology:
- ethics: Is it immoral to create designs with degraded typography?
- aesthetics: Why does the work of [Kyle Cooper / Wolfgang Weingart / Whoever] look so ugly? Is it my own cultural bias?
Velveteen Rabbit Examples: (much, much worse)
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metaphysics: What is real? Is decrepitude requisite?
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epistemology: How does one know if they are real?
- axiology: Why to we value becoming real when it implies death?
For bonus points, tie Velveteen Rabbit and Graphic Design philosophies together in your next paper. There, wasn’t that easy?
A typographic, designological, visulicious extravaganza!