METHODS OF PHILOSOPHIZING

Truth

A fact that has been verified and lies at the heart of any inquiry.

Knowledge

Clear awareness and understanding of something, a product of questions with clear answers provided by facts.

Propositions

Statements about the world or reality that may or may not carry truth; observed real or truthful propositions are considered facts.

Claims

Statements not immediately known to be true, can be proven by verification and experimentation.

Doubt

Important in philosophy as it drives the desire to discover truth.

Opinions

Statements reflecting beliefs or feelings, not necessarily the truth.

Beliefs

Express convictions not easily explained by facts, influenced by experiences and views.

Explanations

Assume a claim to be true and provide reasons for its truth.

Arguments

Series of statements providing reasons to convince others of a claim's truthfulness.

Biases

Disproportionate favor or prejudice towards an idea or thing, closed-minded or unfair.

Fallacies

Arguments based on faulty reasoning, sometimes intentional to persuade.

Argumentum ad Misericordiam

Appeal to pity to win support by exploiting feelings of pity or guilt.

Argumentum ad Ignorantiam

Appeal to ignorance, assuming what is not proven false must be true.

Equivocation

Logical reasoning using a term with different meanings.

Composition

Fallacy assuming something true of the whole is true of its parts.

Division

Fallacy assuming something true of the parts is true of the whole.

Argumentum ad Hominem

Links the validity of a premise to a characteristic or belief of the person advocating it.

Argumentum ad Baculum

Appeal to force, using coercion or threat to justify a conclusion.

Argumentum ad Populum

Appeal exploiting people's vanities and desire for esteem.

Post Hoc

False cause, assuming causation due to coincidental correlation.

Petitio Principii

Begging the question, assuming the proposition to be proven in the premise.

Bias Characteristics Example

Correspondence Bias, Confirmation Bias, Conflict of Interest, Cultural Bias, Framing, Hindsight.