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1.Introduction.

2.Fundamental gerontological considerations on aging.

2.0.Definition of senescence.

2.1.On the process of senescence.

2.3.The forms of the pressure of time.

2.4. Explanatory-theoretic aspects of senescence.

3. Philosophical thoughts on the explanation of aging.

4. Towards eradication of aging: a philosophical strategy.

1.Introduction: An atempt to mediate a deeper compatibility between Philosophy and Gerontology

What is philosophy in general, or what is the specific of philosophy? For Aristotel, philosophy is the knowledge of the first principles and causes - those supreme principles which explain the whole existence(Coltescu, 2002 p.160 ). For Kant, philosophy is knowledge by concepts; or the search of the limits of our cognitive capacities. For Hegel, philosophy is the rational knowledge of absolute. For Wittgenstein, philosophy is the activity of eludation of thoughts. For analitical philosophers, philosophy is the analysis of scientific language or of common language. For Heidegger, philosophy is the existential analytics , that is investigating of those modes of being that are proper to human existent(Dasein);

For Frankfurt school representatives (Marcuse), philosophy is the critical theory of modern society and of forms of reification and human alienation in the background of this society. Coltescu considered that "In its esence, philosophy is this reflection, this meditation by which we want to understand, to distinguish the sense of world and of our proper existence---and by understanding, to liberate us, to conquer our spiritual autonomy"(Coltescu 2002, p.21). Most philosophers had considered that philosophy is a knowledge, differences appear either concerning its object( first principles, the absolute, the universal etc.) or its method (by concepts to Kant) or its faculty(reason, senses etc). But, is philosophy limited just to a form of contemplative knowledge disinterested from a practical or applicative point of view? Tudosescu considers that"...only in limits in which it conditionate value reedifications at the level of other forms of social conscience and, respective, modifications in the structure of the tables of cultural values, so that these to stimulate changes whith deep character in the structure and dynamics of civilizations, we can say that philosophy have an applicative character"(Tudosescu 1997, p.169). Someones had emphasized the propensity towards universality, the tendency to cover the whole reality: philosophy is a general conception about the world; it tries to discern the most general determinations of reality, that is of nature, society and thinking. But, neither thought is an universal characteristic of univers nor society. The most general determinations of world concern either the fundamental-necessary level of reality, substance, microphysics level, or some characteristics of the univers as a whole, like evolution or cosmic becoming. Others considered that, philosophy studies existence in its totality . But Beaufret have written about Wollf:"Wollf is proposing for himself therefore to make the census of essentialias, that is of all that it can be said about being as being. This science is, by consequence, the science of being as posibility....One can talk about being without to say a word about its existence. The last is just a "complementum posibilitatis", a complement of posibility."(Beaufret 1998, p.11). On the other hand, there are special philosophies, as ethics or ethical philosophy, which are quasi-disinterested about some ontic or ontological aspects of reality. There is some autonomy between some philosophical disciplines, such as there is a certain freedom in human life. An alternative characterization of philosophy concerns its aims. Thus, for Rescher the characteristic aims of philosophy are: (i) Provide answers to those domain definitive questions, that is, propound and comunicate information that conveys these answers . ( We want answers.) (ii) Seek for cogency, that is, fit those answers out with a rationale that attains cogency and conviction by way of evidentiation, substantiation, and demonstration. (We want not just answers but answers worthy of acceptance.) (iii) Strive for rational economy, pursuing the tasks at issue in points (i) and (ii) in a way that is rationally satisfacatory, that is, in an efficient, effective, economical ...

The general characterization problem of philosophy relative to its particular domains or of its specific relative to other cultural forms---art, religion, science---is a metaphilosophical one. But, how it can be justified this diversity of opinions about the esence of philosophy? Coltescu had considered that: "The two levels of philosophy, [first-order philosophy and metaphilosophy] are in interaction, are situated in a circularity raport, the thinkers options in the plane of proper philosophy having effects on their metaphilosophical conceptions and, converse, their metaphilosophical conceptions influence their investigations in the plane of proper philosohy."(Coltescu, 2002, p.18-19).