shortened 408 exam

Theory of Forms

Plato's concept that there are two realms: the ideal realm of perfect forms and the material realm of imperfect representations.

Dualism

The philosophical perspective that distinguishes between the soul and the body, as proposed by Plato.

Allegory of the Cave

A metaphor used by Plato to illustrate the difference between the world of appearances and the world of reality, emphasizing the importance of knowledge.

Reminiscence Theory of Knowledge

Plato's idea that knowledge is innate and can be recovered through introspection and reason.

Tripartite Division of the Soul

Plato's classification of the soul into three parts: logos (reason), thymos (emotion), and eros (desire).

Teleology

Aristotle's concept of understanding the purpose or end for which something exists.

Unmoved Mover

Aristotle's idea of a primary cause that is pure actuality and moves everything in nature toward perfection.

Scala Naturae (Ladder of Life)

Aristotle's hierarchical classification of life forms, with humans closest to the unmoved mover.

Sensory Information

Information obtained through the senses, which Aristotle believed needed to be processed by reason to lead to truth.

Golden Mean

Aristotle's ethical principle advocating moderation in all things.

Epicurus's Philosophy

A philosophy emphasizing the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain, valuing friendship over sexual relations.

Hobbesian Philosophy

Thomas Hobbes's view that all ideas originate from experience and that human behavior is driven by physical influences, denying free will.

Associationism

David Hume's theory that all complex ideas are derived from simple impressions and that knowledge comes from experience.

French Positivism

Auguste Comte's belief in obtaining knowledge solely through observable phenomena and scientific methods.

Law of 3 Stages

Comte's theory that societies evolve through three stages: theological, metaphysical, and scientific.

Causality

The principle of cause and effect, which Hume argued is based on habits formed from observing regular sequences of events.

Mind-Body Dualism

The separation of mind and body, notably discussed by Descartes, who viewed them as having different characteristics and following different laws.

Empiricism

The philosophical view that knowledge arises from sensory experience, as emphasized by Hobbes and Hume.

Inductive Reasoning

A method of reasoning that moves from specific observations to general conclusions, associated with Francis Bacon.

Rene Descartes' Principle

The notion that one should accept only those things that can be known for certain, encapsulated in the phrase 'I think, therefore I am.'