Philosophy Lesson 1

Philosophical Reflection

The careful and critical examination of life’s situations, decisions, and experiences to uncover deeper meanings and truths.

Primary Reflection

Analytical and scientific; breaks experiences into parts for study.

Secondary Reflection

Synthetic and philosophical; interprets experiences as a whole to find deeper meaning.

Reality

The state of things as they actually exist, independent of illusion, imagination, or subjective perception.

Truth

The correspondence between beliefs/statements and actual reality.

Dialectics

An act of refutation; the art of argumentation or testing truth claims through dialogue.

Elenchus

A Socratic method of testing or refuting ideas through questioning.

Thesis

The starting point or status quo in dialectical reasoning.

Antithesis

The opposing point of view or mechanism for change in dialectical reasoning.

Synthesis

The resolved idea or progress resulting from the clash of thesis and antithesis.

Realism

The belief that reality exists independently of our perceptions or beliefs.

Anti-Realism

The belief that reality is shaped or created by our minds, language, or cultural frameworks.

Empiricism

The theory that reality is known through sensory experience.

Rationalism

The theory that reason and logic are the primary tools for understanding reality.

Existentialism

A philosophy focusing on individual experience and freedom as the basis of reality.

Structuralism

A philosophy emphasizing systems, language, and power structures that shape what we call 'real.'

Plato’s World of Forms

The belief in an abstract realm of perfect, eternal ideas that constitute true reality.

Aristotle’s Substance and Essence

The belief that reality is based on the physical world and the purpose of things.

Descartes’ Cogito, ergo sum

“I think, therefore I am”; the idea that reality begins with the certainty of one’s own consciousness.

Universal

Pertains to the whole or overarching concepts in philosophy.

Particular

Refers to a part of the whole or specific instances in philosophy.

Heidegger’s Essence of Human Freedom

The inquiry into the whole of existence, beyond individual freedom, to understand the broader context of being.

Industrial Revolution

The rapid transformation from rural agricultural to urban industrial economies in the late 18th century.

Proletariat

The industrial working class during the Industrial Revolution.

Bourgeoisie

The industrial middle class during the Industrial Revolution.

Dialectical Materialism

Karl Marx’s philosophy that explains change, motion, and development through the clash of opposing forces.

Perception and Illusion

The idea that our experience of reality is filtered through senses and may not fully reflect what 'actually exists.'

Objective Reality

Reality that exists independently of perception.

Subjective Truth

Truth influenced by personal perception, knowledge, and interpretation.

Holistic Perspective

Considering the bigger picture and connecting individual experiences to universal themes.

Critical Thinking

Challenging assumptions and encouraging logical reasoning and open-mindedness.

Existential Inquiry

Philosophical questions like 'Who am I?' or 'What is the meaning of life?'

Self-Examination

Introspection to understand one’s thoughts, emotions, and decisions.

Blind Men and the Elephant

A parable warning against absolute truth claims, illustrating limited perceptions of reality.

Philosophical Insight

The understanding that reality is the foundation of what is, while truth is our attempt to describe it accurately.