Gphil 101
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- Existential
- emphasizes the meaning of life to the individual, meaning of choices
- Analytic
- analyzing terms and concepts, wants clarity
- Traditional
- assumes you can get answers
- Ethical Relativism
- there are no objective judgments, no moral standards
- Rationalistic
- attempts to determine the nature of reality by reasoning
- Naturalistic
- studies nature without offering mythological explanations
- Cosmological
- assumes there is an order to the universe
- Metaphysical
- address the question, what is real or fundamental, not subject to change?
- Monism
- assumes just one underlying principle
- Psyche
- mind or soul
- philosophy
- philo (lover of) sophia (widsom)
- history of philosophy
- examines various views held by philosophers to understand the view and to determine if it is true and well supported. Studied in a critical manner
- logic
- science that studies the methods and principles by which correct reasoning is distinguished from incorrect reasoning
- metaphysics
- studies the nature of being and of different kinds of being. What is real? Ontology: onta( what is real, stable) ology (study of) what is real? materialistic, concepts, laws, intellectual views
- epistemology
- study of knowledge
- ethics
- : study of certain aspects of morality and of the language of morals
- casuistry
- considers how ethical principles ought to be applied to particular situations
- meta ethics
- analyzes ethical terms and concepts and evals normative ethical theories. Definitions of terms evaluates standards
- aesthetics
- considers the value of beauty
- axiology
- concerned with every value. What makes something valuable?
- philosophy of ____
- examines the fundamental assumptions underlying the object of its analysis
- pre socrates
- what is the underlying stuff of the universe? How does change occur? rationalistic explanations of natural events try to give explanations on natural grounds how does change occur? unity and plurality, one and many looking at natural phenomena and use a naturalistic approach Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, pythagorias, parmenides, heraclitus
- ratio
- ability to measure a relationship in a predictable way, typical pattern t express the natural structure or order of what is being measured
- hylozoistic
- assumes all matter is alive
- Pythagoras
- discovered relationships btwen length of string and tone ratio: express the natural order of what is measured unity of the universe is its structural order if you know something you can measure it
- thales
- father of philosophy everything is water underlying unity
- anaximander
- underlying unity of everything is "aperion" "the boundless" infinite, no qualities, no boundaries, no limits, potential, so many qualities you can't count
- anamines
- underlying unity of everything is "pneuma" breath air condensation/rarefaction
- orphic religion
- belief in reincarnation to escape reincarnation to purify your pysche you must study music or geometry (keeps intellect from being scattered)
- normative ethics
- constructs a normative theory by which human actions may be judged. what makes an action morally good or right?? sets a standard
- 3 types of people
- athletes: participate active role spectators: watch and enjoy observe vendors: make $
- Heraclitus
- everything changes EXCEPT the logos created tricky statements to keep stupid people from understanding uses metaphor of fire those that understand the divine logos has a dry soul those that dont have a wet soul dry: can distinguish things from one another in nature
- logos and divine logos
- logos: reasoning capacity and reasons diving logos: fundamental law logos DOES NOT change things change because of the logos
- Parmenides
- the way of truth: reliable way of opinion: can't count on it way of nonbeing: doesn't exist so cant make claims absolute nonbeing
- way of truth
- being is, being cannot not be, being doesnt come into existence, being cannot be destroyed, being is the object of thought, being cannot change, being is one, being is something intelligible NOT physical
- logos and being
- INTELLIGIBLE physical things change
- Sophist
- wise man sophocles thrasymachus hippocrates phidias thucydides and SOCRATES
- Protagoras
- man is the measure of all things
- epistemological relativism
- whatever one says is true IS true no objective standard
- principle of noncontradiction
- contradictory statements cannot both at the same time be true ~(px~p)
- metaphysical nihilism
- objects do no exist or there is a world where only abstract objects exist
- ethical nihilism
- belief that there are no bases for establishing a moral or ethical philosophy
- milesian
- from mitetus, town on the ionian coast, pre socrates, referred to milesians or milesian materialists
- kosmos
- ordered underlying unity of the universe
- argument
- A collection of two or more propositions, all but one of which are the premises supposed to provide inferential (evidence based) support—either deductive or inductive—for the truth of the remaining one, the conclusion. The structure of arguments is the principal subject of logic.
- premise
- A statement whose truth is used to infer that of others
- conclusion
- A proposition whose truth has been inferred on the basis of other propositions assembled with it in a logical argument.
- counter example
- A particular instance that demonstrates the falsity of a general claim
- contradiction
- A logical falsehood. A statement which, by virtue of its form, cannot be used to make a true assertion.
- thrasymachus
- sophist defines justice as "whatever the person in power says it is" position is that of ethical relativism definition of justice would change depending on how was in power
- objective moral concepts
- socrates and plato denied ethical relativism and insisted that there were objective moral concepts such as justice
- pythagoras' ratio
- rato: allows one to claim knowledge not just sense perception
- intelligible
- being and logos are intelligible not physical physical things can change
- a priori
- based on reason alone, independent of sensory expereince apply with strict universality
- analytic a posteriori
- not possible
- analytical a priori
- relations of ideas
- aposteriori
- empirical any knowldege comes after experience objects impress on the mind
- cause and effect
- a causes b a comes before b constant junction, if a, then b a and b must be contigious (touching)
- classical realism
- human mind has the capacity to know and there is a reality that can be directly known
- clear and distinct
- self evidently true cant imagine contrary
- complex sciences
- physics, medicine easier to doubt more complex than simple based on sense perception
- complex sense perceptions
- senses deceive us
- conceptual construct
- concept with no instantiation
- corporeality in general
- extended in space, size, numbers harder to doubt more abstract and general
- descartes tries to refute universal skepticism
- wants to find one statement that cannot ever be doubted, it will show 2 things: something that is absolutely certain and cannot be doubted the mind has the capacity to know
- empiricism
- all our knowledge comes directly or indirectly from our sense perception
- fallacy of existential instantiation
- just ceause we have an idea of something doesn't mean it exists
- foundationalism
- view that a theory of knowledge must be founded on something that is absolutely certain i am, i exist
- hume
- wanted to show that knowledge claims such as those made in rationalistic metaphysics are not legitimate knowledge claims all objects of human understanding fall into 2 groups: ideas of matters relations of ideas
- idea
- that by which we make something else outside of ideas by which we know something else
- instantiation
- point to an existing object
- judgements
- subject and predicate every judgement has a quantity universal, particular, or singular
- kant
- believed metaphysics involved claims about reality and if metaphysics was to be mroe mere opinion the claims must be true
- knowledge
- attributing something to a subject a feature is attached or unattached to the subject
- matter of fact
- contraty to any mater of fact is always possible not contradictory to deny based on sense perception based on cause and effect informative
- metaphysical dualism
- mind and body differ in essence essence of body is extension and the essense of mind is thinking gives rise to the mind body problem
- metaphysical monism
- position that the person is not comprised of 2 distinct essences
- mind body problem
- how does the mind get the body to do anything? assumes that something immaterial (thinking) cannot affect something physical extended in space
- monadology
- everything both physical and mental is comprised of monads intended to resolve the mind body problem, if even phyiscal things are comprised of non phyiscal monads, physical and non physical things do not differ in essence and they can affect eachother
- monads
- windowless invisible centers of intelligence
- nominalism
- general terms dont refer to anything
- ontological proof
- from the conception one had of x to the claim that x actually exists. always commit fallacy of existential instantiation proof for the existence of God
- partial skepticism
- there are some things one cannot know not objectional
- percept
- what we gather and take from an object
- rationalism
- soem of our knowledge about reality does not come directly or indirectly from sense perception descartes and kant
- relations of ideas
- if true, necessarily true cant deny cannot deny w/o contradicting yourself evidence by reason alone principle of noncontradiction not informative
- sense perception forman and material
- formal: a priori: holds true for every sense perception material: what differentiates one sense from another
- simple sciences
- hardest to doubt geometry and arithmetic
- solipcism
- ideas are figments of our imaginations
- simple sense perceptions
- arms, head, legs: physical parts becomes more difficult to doubt
- strict formal rules
- independent of a given experience neccary strict universality
- synthetic
- the predicate is not contained in the subject gives you information this chalk is white
- universal skepticism
- one cannot know anything faulty position cannot be articulated without the assumption that one knows something
- aristotle first causes
- material: basic stuff a thing is made of formal: pattern in which materials are put together efficient: whatever brings the matter and form together final: purpose for which a thing exists
- fallacy of reductionism
- reducing objects of concepts of common sense to how a physists would reduce it Adler: can't reduce a physical thing to physics
- event
- doesn't change made up of things and attributes sequence of happening with a duration
- thing
- only thing that can change exist on their own changed caused by efficient cause
- attributes
- exist in something else don't change
- myth of the cage stages
- stage 1: opinion stage 2: common sense stage 3: understanding stage 4: knowledge
- descriptive premise
- all humans have a need to know
- prescriptive premise
- we ought to desire what is really good for us and nothing else
- apparent good
- differs from person to person
- natural needs
- distinct for all humans knowledge objective?
- idealism
- only ideas are real
- materialism
- only physical things are real
- naturalism
- admits reality of things other than matter but everything depends on matter
- ethical absolutism
- there are objective moral standards
- cultural relativism
- cultures differ on moral standards
- normative ethical theory
- offers a standard for judgment
- teleological
- moral goodness depends on consequence of action
- deontological
- moral goodness depends on something else
- Mill's position on pleasure
- some pleasures are ranked some are better than others better pleasure: ask someone who has experienced both and choose the one they choose as the better pleasure
- hedonistic error
- pleasure is the sole good we seek good = pleasure what about friends? wealth? knowledge?
- subjective
- different no absolute truth
- relative
- varies at time to time every moral problem has its unique features
- objective
- stays the same, truth
- coherence theory
- true if it says how things really are
- speculative reasoning
- discover truth arete...virtue intellectual virtue
- practical reasoning
- what should i do? how should i feel? moral virtue
- intelligible object
- detect/apprehend but cannot perceive through sense perception souls, angels, God, liberty, justice
- real good
- things all of us by nature need, may consioucsly or unconsciously desire, the need exists whether we know it or not
- Adler's 1st principle of moral philosophy
- we ought to desire whatever is really good for us and nothing else
- lower v. higher goods
- lower: limited goods, sensual pleasure and wealth, things that are good in moderation higher: unlimited, knowledge, cannot have too much
- natural v. acquired desire
- natural: inherent in our nature and are the same for all humans acquired: differ from invididual to individual, difference in temeperament according to different circumstances and affect their development
- needs v. wants
- needs: they are whate are really good for us, no wrong needs, right desires wants: may be what we want but are actually bad, may be wrong desires
- empiricism philosopher
- HUME knowledge comes directly or indirectly from sense perceptions
- rationalism philosophers
- KANT and DESCARTES some of our knowledge about reality does not come directly or indirectly from sense perception
- classical realism philosopher
- ADLER human mind has the capacity to know and that there is a reality that can be directly known
- potentiality
- common nature, defined differently be different subgroups of humans different languages
- determinate characteristics
- behavioral, anatomical, physiological limited, definable animals
- determinable
- sociobiological and are genetically determined can only determine human potentialities not their behavioral development potentiality humans are defined by it
- intension
- set of defining characteristics water= stable, liquid
- extension
- objects to which the term is correctly applied glass of water, water in the pond, rainwater
- ontological argument
- an argument that assumes merely because a term can be defined theat there exists objects to which the term can be applied just b/c it has an intension it also has an extension
- speculative
- use of the intellect to attain truth about that which it contemplates desire to know
- practical
- use of the intellect to guide one's activity in 2 areas: feeling action tries to find good answers to the questsion what should i do? how should i feel? act in accoradnace with the best reasoned courses ethics and politics
- productive
- concerning with making produce something how well the intellect has reasonsed is determined by the quality of the resulting product
- principle of subjectivity
- what man chooses for himself he chooses for all of mankind
- anguish
- man's understanding that what he chooses for himself he chooses for all of mankind. the views he has effect the views of others
- forlorness
- refers to having to face the consequences of god not existing. having no excsues or justification and having no values to base our conduct are consequences of god not existing
- despair
- we only consider what depends on our will. nothign can dapt possibilities to one's will. only rely on what you can control with your own actions