Root words of Philosophy
Phila- Love of
Sophia- Knowledge
Philosophy
A mode of reflection for understanding life's most important truths
Philosophical Method
use of critical reasoning to try to find answers to fundamental questions about reality, morality, and knowledge.
Epistemology
The study of Knowledge
Axiology
The study of value including both aesthetic and moral value
Logic
The study of correct reasoning/thinking
Metaphysics
the study of the nature of reality
The four main divisions of philosophy
Epistemology, Axiology, Logic, Metaphysics
For Socrates, the soul is harmed by what?
The lack of knowledge
Socrates is known for saying
The unexamined life is not worth living
Argument
A group of statements in which one of them is meant to be supported by the other
Deductive Argument
An argument that reasons from known premises to an inevitable conclusion. They are both logically and realistically true
Inductive Argument
An argument intended to give probable support for its conclusion. Logically true but not always realistically true.
Strawman
Misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attack
Appeal to the person
The fallacy of arguing that a claim should be rejected solely because of the characteristics of the person who makes it
Begging the question
When somebody assumes a conclusion without providing any support for it.
Slippery Slope
When someone argues an idea or course of action which will lead to something unacceptable, wrong, or disastrous.
Equivocation
Assigning two different meanings to the same significant word in an argument
Example:
Taxes are a headache
Tylenol takes away headaches
Tylenol takes away taxes
Confirmation Bias
A tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence
Motivated Reasoning
Reasoning for the purpose of supporting a predetermined conclusion, not to uncover the truth
Availability Error
Relying on evidence not because it is true but because it is memorable or striking/Going with the first thing that comes to mind
Dunning-Kruger Effect
The phenomenon of being ignorant of how ignorant we are (More in-depth version: when a person's lack of knowledge and skills in a certain area cause them to overestimate their own competence.
Principle or Law of Non-Contraindication
Something cannot be and not be at the same time.Nothing cannot be true or untrue at the same time
Example: A single husband
Logical Impossibility
Something is logically impossible if and only if it violates a law of logic Example: A round square
Casual Impossibility
Something is casually impossible if and only if it violates a law of nature
Example: He hit a baseball into outer space (naturally impossible)
Atomism
Everything is composed of atoms. The physical universe and the atoms of which it was composed of have always existed and will never pass out of existence.
Arche
Beginning. The first principle from which other principles are derived from.
First Philosopher & his theory
Thales (625-547 BCE)
His greatest contribution was his method. He set out to look for the most natural, not mythic, explanations for natural phenomena. He wanted accounts be as simple as possible. He set up a method which is now a preferred approach in modern science.