Philosophy: Traditional Branches, Methods, and Reflection (Vocabulary Flashcards)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the notes on traditional branches, methods, and reflection in philosophy.

Metaphysics

Branch of philosophy dealing with fundamental questions of reality; includes cosmology and ontology.

Cosmology

Study of the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe and the natural laws that govern it.

Ontology

Investigation into what kinds of things exist, their relations, and how they are grouped or hierarchically ordered.

Epistemology

Branch of philosophy dealing with knowledge: what knowledge is, how it is acquired, what we can know, and how we know what we know.

Logic

Study of the rules of valid reasoning and argumentation; includes inductive and deductive reasoning.

Inductive Reasoning

Moves from specific premises to general conclusions; requires multiple pieces of evidence.

Deductive Reasoning

Moves from general truths to specific conclusions; draws conclusions from definitions and axioms.

Ethics

Moral philosophy concerned with human values and how individuals should act.

Aesthetics

Study of beauty, art, taste, and the creation and appreciation of beauty; judgments of sentiment and taste.

Political Philosophy

Studies concepts of liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and how governments should be legitimized and operate.

Truth

Fidelity to fact and reality; being in accordance with what is real.

Opinion

A view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

Existentialism

Philosophy emphasizing free individual choice; existence precedes essence and issues like alienation, anxiety, and freedom are central.

Existence Before Essence

Core existentialist idea that individual existence precedes and defines essence or nature.

Reason's Limits in Existentialism

Idea that reason is relatively weak and cannot fully grasp life’s depths; there are non-rational aspects to life.

Alienation

Feeling of separation from God, nature, others, and one’s own true self; a central existential theme.

Fear and Trembling (Anxiety)

Existential anxiety about moral choices and responsibility; includes the idea of moral anguish (e.g., the anguish of Abraham).

The Encounter with Nothingness

Existential idea that, when alienated, what remains may be Nothingness or meaninglessness.

Freedom

A key existentialist theme concerning the expansion and defense of human freedom against threats or determinism.

The Fourfold Alienation

Fourfold separation from God, nature, other people, and one’s own true self.

Analytical Philosophy

Approach stressing clear definitions, analysis of concepts and logical form, and often rejection of grand systems.

Phenomenology

Philosophical method focusing on careful description of phenomena and objects as they appear in conscious experience.

Primary Reflection

In Marcel’s framework: examination of objects by abstraction, focusing on definitions, essences, and technical solutions.

Secondary Reflection

Reconstruction of past events to form the bigger picture and integrate experiences into learning.

Reflection

Self-reflection; a method of inquiry that assesses one’s character, actions, and motives.

Wonder

Curiosity that motivates philosophical questioning (e.g., Why are there things? What is reality?).

Speculate

To form provisional opinions or hypotheses based on questions raised by wonder.

Analyze

To perform a detailed examination of an opinion to understand its components and implications.

Synthesize

To combine analyzed parts into a unified, coherent body of knowledge.

Critique

Critical examination weighing strengths and weaknesses and guiding the development of theories.