Introduction to Doing Philosophy, Determining Truth, and the Human Person

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering foundational concepts in philosophy, including the nature of reality and certainty, theories of truth, fallacies and biases, and philosophical perspectives on the human person.

Concrete Reality

Refers to things that physically exist, such as a basket of apples, a pile of books, and a cup of tea.

Abstract Reality

Refers to things that do not physically exist, such as pure mathematics and the concept of beauty.

Ontology

A branch of metaphysics that focuses on the classification of existing things, including concepts such as time, space, and the nature of the universe.

Rationalism

A theory of knowledge holding that knowledge is a priori, or based on pure reasoning independent of experience.

Empiricism

A theory of knowledge that considers knowledge to be a posteriori, or gained from experience.

Skepticism

A philosophical perspective that questions the certainty of established doctrines or truths and asserts that the mind has limits in perceiving reality, making all knowledge uncertain.

Agency

The capacity of man to govern or control his actions.

Determinism

The view that each event is determined or influenced by a specific set of events.

Etiology

The branch of philosophy that studies causality and the causes of events and phenomena.

Teleology

The branch of philosophy that deals with the question of purpose and views purpose as the ultimate cause.

Dialectic

A method in which varied and differing ideas and perspectives are analyzed to formulate new ideas and views.

Occam's razor

A principle stating that among possible explanations for a phenomenon, the simplest one with the fewest unnecessary assumptions is the most acceptable.

Correspondence Theory

A theory stating that something is true if it corresponds to reality or the actual state of affairs.

Coherence Theory

A theory stating that something is true if it makes sense when placed within a certain situation or context.

Constructivist Theory

A theory holding that knowledge is shaped by social forces and influenced by culture and history.

Consensus Theory

A view that knowledge is based on agreement, asserting that something is true if almost everyone agrees to it.

Pragmatic Theory

A theory holding that something is true if it can be put into practice or if it is useful in real life.

Ad hominem

A fallacy that involves attacking the person personally in an argument outside of the main focus.

Appeal to force

A fallacy that involves using violence or threats to win an argument or assert a claim.

Appeal to emotion

A fallacy that relies on manipulating emotions such as pity or sympathy to argue a point.

Appeal to the popular

A fallacy in which an idea is presented as acceptable simply because a large number of people accept it.

Fallacy of composition

An error in reasoning that assumes what is true for an individual part is necessarily true for the whole.

Fallacy of division

An error in reasoning that assumes what is true for the whole must also be true for its parts.

Confirmation bias

The tendency to accept and focus on information primarily because it fits one's own preexisting beliefs.

Holistic Perspective

A way of thinking that views things in their entirety as a whole, rather than solely by their individual parts.

Partial Perspective

A way of thinking that views and evaluates things based only on the specific parts of a whole.

Psyche

The human mind, conceptualized as being divided into the conscious mind, which governs awareness, and the unconscious mind.

Rationality

The state of being reasonable, characterized by the ability to understand experiences in order to solve problems, perform tasks, and make judgments.

Sentience

The ability to feel and experience, perceive one's surroundings, and react to stimuli such as pain.

Personhood

The recognition of a human being as a distinct entity endowed with rights, protections, and responsibilities.