PhilosophyVocab 3

category error

assigning qualities or actions that can properly be assigned only to things of another category.

common sense

an appeal to popular opinion or practice; argumentum ad populum

contingent truth

a truth that could be false under different circumstances

absolute truth

a truth that could not be false under any circumstances

deductive reasoning

reasoning in which a conclusion is reached by stating a general principle and then applying that principle to a specific case (The sun rises every morning; therefore, the sun will rise on Tuesday morning.)

fallacy

a mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument

narcissism

self-centeredness arising from failure to distinguish the self from external objects

inductive reasoning

reasoning from specific cases to general principles (Every dog I meet is friendly, so dogs must generally be friendly)

empathy

the ability to understand and share the feelings of another

faith

belief based on conviction rather than on scientific evidence

intersectionality

Overlapping of social categories such as race, class, gender as they apply to a given individual or group. Creates interdependent systems of discrimination/disadvantage

necessary reason

a cause that must be present for an effect to occur

Other

that which is conceptualized as external to the Self and thus helps define the Self

Principle of Non-Contradiction

a thing cannot BOTH be AND not be, at the same time and in the same way

Principle of Excluded Middle

a thing either is or is not; everything must be either be or not be; between being and not being, there is no middle ground possible.

pluralism

A theory of government that holds that open, multiple, and competing groups can check the asserted power by any one group.

pragmatism

A philosophy which focuses only on the outcomes and effects of processes and situations.

sufficient reason

a cause that alone is enough to produce a particular effect

syllogism

a logical structure that uses the major premise and minor premise to reach a necessary conclusion

tautology

a proposition that is true under all circumstances