Metaphysical Concepts and Philosophical Theories

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts in metaphysical philosophy and the critiques of traditional metaphysics, as discussed in lecture notes.

Metaphysics

A branch of philosophy that explores the fundamental nature of reality, including concepts such as being, existence, and the universe.

Wittgenstein's Picture Theory

A theory suggesting that language represents the world by forming 'pictures' of facts, where sentences have meaning only when they accurately reflect a state of affairs.

Universals

Abstract concepts or properties that particulars partake in, such as ‘redness’ or ‘justice’, proposed by philosophers like Russell and Plato.

Logical Positivism

A philosophical stance that asserts that only statements verifiable through empirical observation are meaningful, rejecting metaphysical statements as nonsensical.

Language Games

Wittgenstein’s concept that meaning is derived from the use of language in various forms or contexts, not from a fixed essence.

Synthetic A Priori Knowledge

Knowledge that is gained independently of experience yet adds to our understanding and cannot be known through logical necessity alone.

Idealism

The philosophical view that reality is mentally constructed or immaterial, emphasizing the role of ideas over the existence of material objects.

Empiricism

The theory that all knowledge is based on experience derived from the senses, critiqued by Kant for being insufficient for understanding causation.

Causation

The relationship between cause and effect, which was heavily scrutinized by philosophers like Hume and Kant regarding our understanding of knowledge.

Family Resemblances

A concept by Wittgenstein that suggests that categories do not have a single essence but rather share overlapping qualities among members.