Philosophy 100 Exam - Based off Notes

Philosophy 100 - Fall 2023: Exam #1 - November 7, 2023

Plato

wrote a series of dialogue,

Socrates

we don’t learn only recollect, knowledge can be achieved by using our reason to reflect on our thoughts and concepts

Sophist

teachers for hire and would give long speeches on various topics, but for a fee

Socrates on Definitions - What is a definition?

We define words/words that stand for concepts, What you put meaning to it – story, Classification

Socrates on Definitions - What are the first two definitions of excellence (virtue) given? (pg. 162)

men provide for women, women provide for households (narrow, gender roles)

Socrates on Definitions - What examples of definitions does Socrates give? (164-5)

shapes are the limit of a solid, colors is the influence shapes have

Priori knowledge

Knowledge that is justified independent of experience, We can know it through using our reason alone (Plato & Descartes

Posteriori Knowledege

knowledge that comes from experience. it is known through our sense

Empiricism

all ideas are (ultimately) derived from the sense. there is no knowledge that does not originate with the sense. all of our knowledge derives from experience. Hume and Berkley

Epistomology

the study of knowleged

Heliocentric

humans are not at the centre

Skepticism

to question something

Descartes

is skeptic about how the world works (everything you experiences with your senses), thinking thing (i think therefore i am), the soul/mind is most easily known and known apart from the sense, wax example. what am I

Rationalism

not all ideas are derived from the senses. there is knowledge that can be known through reason alone.

Berkley

sensible things: the object of experience, things can be hot and cold at the same time

Idealism

the view that reality is somehow shaped by or composed of our ideas - the world in not mind-independent.

Subjective Idealism / Immaterialism

the objects we perceive are sensory qualities and these are the only things that exist

Hume

divides the mind into “ideas”(less lively - reflect on impressions) and “impressions”(lively), could form an idea of the missing shade of blue

Scientific Realism

our scientific theories describe a mind-independent reality.

Problem with empiricism and scientific realism

we construct theories on the basis of observation, but our theories are about unobservable entities.

Chakravartty on Empiricism

distinguish between observable and detectable, we can be empiricists about the source of our knowledge, rather than the content

Anti-Realism

Ontology

what there is

Semantics

the study of linguistic meaning or the truth of sentences

Ways to claim scientific realism is false

Deny that there is a mind independent reality (idealism).

Deny that we can ever know about theoretical entities (scepticism)

Deny that theories about what’s really there (instrumentalism)

Deny that theoretical claims are literally true (positivism)

Locke

Locke on Identity

physical matter, vegetables and animals, man, persons

Qualitative identity

relevantly similar

Numeric identity

one and the same thing

Materialism

the metaphysical thesis that the universe is ultimately made up of only material substance. There are no such things as, e.g., immaterial souls.

Determinism

The thesis that every event is determined by the laws of nature operating on the states of affairs of the preceding moment

Holbach

The concept of willing, the concept of choice, The concept of absence of constraint, The concept of morality (and education), free will is an illusion,

Schlick

law of nature vs. law of society/country

Compatibilism

Crito

just and unjust laws, if the law is unjust are obligated to follow it

King

letter from Birmingham Jail

King claimed that breaking an unjust law is itself a just act

Non-violent direct action is justifiable.

ones does it openly and is willing to accept the consequences

Rawls

(a) a social contract view of government and (b) a conception of government in which government seeks to protect basic rights. Veil of Ignorance, justice is a matter of fairness in the distribution of basic rights and goods

Civil Disobedience

Mill

• voting (give extra votes to certain people)

  • who should vote

• numeric majorities