Intro to Philosophy — Exam Two Complete Study Sheet

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key concepts in epistemology, Descartes' skepticism, empiricism, philosophy of mind, and major theories related to knowledge and perception.

Justified True Belief (JTB)

A theory of knowledge which states that for someone to know a proposition P, three conditions must be met: (1) P is true, (2) S believes P, and (3) S is justified in believing P.

Skepticism

The view that there is no reliable method to justify our beliefs adequately, leading to uncertainty about whether our beliefs are justified.

Rationalism

The philosophical view that the mind's reasoning capacity is the best source of justification for knowledge, particularly through a priori knowledge.

Empiricism

The theory that knowledge originates from sensory experience and that all meaningful knowledge is a posteriori, relying on observation and experience.

Cogito Ergo Sum

Latin for 'I think, therefore I am,' coined by Descartes as a fundamental element of his philosophy demonstrating self-awareness and existence.

Naive Realism

The belief that we perceive the world directly as it is, without any distortion or mediation by our senses.

Indirect Realism

The theory that we perceive the world through mental representations (ideas) rather than directly, asserting that the external world exists independently.

Idealism

The philosophical view that reality consists only of minds and their ideas, denying the existence of mind-independent material substances.

Solipsism

The philosophical idea that only one's own mind is sure to exist, questioning the existence of other minds or the external world.

Qualia

The subjective, qualitative aspects of experiences, such as what it feels like to see a color or to feel a sensation.

Intentionality

The property of mental states that they are always about something, such as desires or beliefs that are directed at objects.

Primary Qualities

Qualities that exist in objects themselves, such as shape, size, and motion, independent of any observer.

Secondary Qualities

Qualities that exist as powers to produce sensations in observers, such as color and taste, seen as mind-dependent.

Identity Theory

The notion that mental states are identical to brain states, proposing a direct correlation between physical processes and mental experiences.

Functionalism

The theory that mental states are defined by their functional roles rather than by their physical properties, allowing for multiple realizability.

Method of Doubt

A skeptical approach used by Descartes to question all beliefs until he finds something indubitable that can serve as a foundation for knowledge.

The Variance Argument

The argument that perceptual variance among different observers suggests that perceptions do not accurately represent objective reality.

Indiscernibility of Identicals

A principle stating that if two entities are identical, they share all the same properties; if they differ in any property, they are not identical.