philosophy midterm

What is skepticism?

Someone who is skeptical about X believes it is impossible to know if X is true or false

What does Descartes mean by 'Cogito, ergo sum' ('I think, therefore I am')?

Descartes argued that the act of doubting proved his existence as a thinking being.

What is Descartes’ theory of representative perceptions?

An external object is genuine if it satisfies two key requirements: The external object is a mind independent object, the perception depicts the object accurately

What is the difference between objective and subjective truth?

Objective truth is independent of beliefs, while subjective truth is based on personal beliefs

What is the correspondence theory of truth?

a statement is true if it accurately depicts reality

What is the pragmatist theory of truth?

something is true if it is practical or useful to believe that it is true

What is cognitive relativism?

Cognitive relativism is the view that all truth is relative instead of depending on a mind independent reality

What is a conceptual scheme?

A conceptual scheme is the mental framework through which we interpret reality.

What is the coherence theory of truth?

This theory holds that a belief is true if it with a persons conceptual scheme

What is Nietzsche’s theory of perspectivism?

the idea of a mind independent reality is a myth and all truth is based on our own individual perceptions of our surroundings

What is postmodern relativism?

the idea of a mind independent reality is a myth, and there are no objective standards for determing the truth of any belief or for judging the adequacy of any conceptual scheme.

What are the two different senses of 'identity'?

Numerical identity refers to being one and the same thing over time; qualitative identity refers to sharing the same properties.

What is the car identity problem?

The car identity problem questions whether a car remains the same if its parts are gradually replaced.

What is the physical continuity theory

you are the same person you were at birth if your body has existed continuously from then until now.

What is the same-soul theory of personal identity?

what makes me is my soul, which is somehow attached to me during my lifetime but then detaches at death perhaps continuing in a disembodied form

What are the three versions of the psychological continuity theory?

Personality traits, Stream of Consciousness, Memories