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College Vocabulary

Terms

undefined, object
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Theory that the self can know nothing but its own modifications and that the self is the only existent thing.
Solipsism
Tends toward tradition and slow change
Conservatism
Tends to distrust tradition and lean toward change.
Liberalism
Political philosophy distrusting authority and structure in society
Anarchism
A classification
Genre
Exaggeration
Hyperbole
Undue dwelling on one's own self
Narcissism
Artistic school of thought using fantastic or incongruous imagery
Surrealism
Political philosophy that exalts nation and race over the individual
Fascism
A marxist is one who is on the...
Left
A fascist is one who is on the...
Right
Tending towards extremism
Radical
A division into two esp. mutually exclusive or contradictory groups or entities
Dichotomy
Discussion and reasoning by dialogue as a method of intellectual investigation
Dialectic
The study of beauty
Aesthetics
Appears contradictory at first glance
Paradox
Cloudy, unclear
Nebulous
Something that doesn't seem to fit its immediate context
Incongruity
A sudden realization, a divine visitation
Epiphany
Having two or more meanings
Ambiguity
In Latin "Seize the Day"
Carpe Diem
A common or prescribed way of doing things
Convention
Non-dictionary or non-literal meaning of a word
Connotation
View that traditional beliefs and values are unfounded and that existence is useless and meaningless
Nihilism
Belief that being precedes essence
Existentialism
The view that the ends justify the means in politics
Machiavellianism
Belief in one god
Monotheism
Movement embracing rationalism
Enlightenment
Period of vigorous artistic and intellectual activity
Renaissance
Belief that all values and ideas have equal merit
Relativism
A political philosophy that the government should have minimal control over individuals
Libertarianism
A branch of philosophy concerned with how we acquire knowledge and with the nature of knowing
Epistemology
A branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and problem of existence
Ontology
A philosophical stance of doubt, a doctrine that certainty of knowledge cannot be attained
Skepticism
A smug attitude towards the arts, a disregarding of the importance of the arts and humanities. A rejection of the intellectual
Philistinism
An ideal pattern or model of something, usually of a way of thinking or of doing
Paradigm
From rhetoric, an attack on the person not his argument
Ad hominem
A devotee, a studied or serious fan of something
Aficionado
A belief that god is unknown and probably unknowable
Agnosticism
Expression, through symbolism in a narrative, of truths or generalizations about human experience
Allegory
An extended comparison or metaphor
Analogy
A definite belief there is no god
Atheism
A reference, usually indirect, to a well-known person place or thing in history, literature or mythology
Allusion
A writing prophesying a cataclysm in which evil forces are destroyed
Apocalypse
Practice of self-denial, especially for spiritual reasons
Asceticism
A vagabond or wanderer, one who lives an unconventional life, often an artist
Bohemian
Middle class of society dominated by middle class values, often suggests the crass, shallow, anti-intellectual and the comfortable
Bourgeoisie
An unwieldly and burdensome administrative system
Bureaucracy
deterioration, decline especially socially
Decadence
A seeking of pleasure above all else in life
Hedonism
System of thought advocationg natural religion based on human morality and reason, not divine revelation, a belief god can be known not through revelation, but through nature
Deism
One who appeals to the emotions and prejudices of people especially in order to gain power
Demagogue
A tenet or code of tenets, a doctrine or body of doctrines proclaimed by a church
Dogma
Crual, severe
Draconian

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