Metaphysical Concepts Review

A collection of vocabulary flashcards summarizing key metaphysical concepts and philosophers explored in the lecture.

Metaphysical Statement

A statement assessed not just by its content but by the context it exists in, requiring strict and intentional truth.

Restricted Statement

A statement that applies to a specific context, such as a situation or location.

Unrestricted Statement

A statement that applies generally without context-specific restrictions.

Logical Positivism

A philosophical stance arguing that metaphysical statements lack meaning as they cannot be empirically verified.

Universals

Concepts that particulars partake in; logical entities that are eternal and unchanging.

Particulars

Entities in the sense-based world, existing in time and space and subject to change.

Wittgenstein's Picture Theory

The idea that thoughts represent facts and meaning is derived from how these representations correspond to reality.

Empiricism

The belief that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience.

Language Games

A concept by Wittgenstein whereby meaning is determined by the use of language in specific contexts.

Philosophy vs. Religion

Philosophy aims for direct truth, while religion conveys truths allegorically, adapting to the audience's understanding.

Synthetic A Priori

Knowledge that adds to our understanding without relying on experience or logical necessity.

Kant's Critique

An examination of the possibility of metaphysics, asserting it lacks progress and criteria for validation.

Causation

The relationship between cause and effect; questioned by Hume regarding its empirical foundation.

Hume's Relation of Ideas

Analytic knowledge that does not add to our understanding, as its truth is contained in the statement itself.

Phenomena

The world as it is represented to us through our cognitive structures, differing from the noumenal world.

Noumena

Objects as they are in themselves, independent of our experience and perception.

Idealism

The philosophical belief that reality is mentally constructed and knowledge is confined to phenomena.

Family Resemblances

A concept used by Wittgenstein to explain how category meanings intersect without rigid boundaries.

Causal Skepticism

The doubt regarding the rational foundation of causation as proposed by Hume.

Picture as Isolating

Wittgenstein's critique that the Picture Theory restricts understanding by oversimplifying language.

The First Cause Problem

A philosophical dilemma questioning the origin of causes, exemplified by the 'chicken or egg' paradox.