Philosophy final exam

Materialism

Materialism

The belief that everything in the universe, including human thoughts and emotions, can be explained by the motion and interaction of physical bodies.

Bodies (Hobbes' Definition)

Material entities that interact through mechanical laws, similar to stones colliding.

Hobbes' View on Human Behavior

Human beings are essentially machines driven by self-interest, avoiding pain and seeking pleasure.

Immediate Sense Experience

Direct sensory perception, such as seeing a color or hearing a sound.

Mediate Sense Experience

Involves memory or imagination, such as recalling a past event.

Primary Qualities

Inherent properties of objects, like shape and motion.

Secondary Qualities

The sensations objects produce in us, like color and sound, which exist only in our perception.

Berkeley's Criticism of Matter

Matter is meaningless without perception; only ideas and perceptions exist.

Berkeley's View on Primary and Secondary Qualities

All qualities, whether primary or secondary, are perceived qualities that exist only in the mind.

Determinism (D’Holbach)

The belief that all events, including human actions, are the result of prior causes and governed by physical laws.

Life as a Line (Metaphor)

Describes human life as a predetermined path that cannot be deviated from.

The Will as a Pole (Metaphor)

Compares the will to a pole pulled by ropes representing desires, illustrating that decisions are determined by influences.

Thirst and Poisoned Water (Metaphor)

Illustrates that actions are determined by stronger desires, exemplified by choosing between drinking and avoiding death.

Existentialism (Sartre)

A philosophy that emphasizes individual freedom, choice, and responsibility in creating meaning.

Radical Freedom

The complete freedom individuals have to make choices.

Radical Responsibility

The complete responsibility individuals bear for the consequences of their choices.

Existence Precedes Essence

Humans first exist without predetermined purpose, and define their essence through actions.

We Always Choose the Good

Individuals perceive their choices as the best options when they make decisions.

Existential Anguish

A feeling of profound anxiety arising from the realization of radical freedom.

Forlornness

The sense of abandonment and isolation due to the lack of external moral or divine guides.

Despair

The acknowledgment that we cannot control everything and must act without certainty about outcomes.

Hard Determinists

Those who believe all events, including human actions, are determined and deny the existence of free will.

Soft Determinists (Compatibilists)

People who believe determinism and free will can coexist and hold moral responsibility despite influencing causes.

Free Will Advocates (Libertarians)

Those who argue that humans possess free will not determined by prior causes.

Compatibilists

Those who believe free will and determinism are compatible and individuals can be responsible in a deterministic universe.

Incompatibilists

Those who believe free will and determinism cannot coexist, encompassing hard determinists and libertarians.

Difference in Views on Freedom (Soft Determinists)

Freedom is acting according to one's own desires without external coercion.

Difference in Views on Responsibility (Soft Determinists)

Individuals are morally responsible for their actions since they align with their internal motivations.

Difference in Views on Freedom (Hard Determinists)

Deny the existence of true freedom since all actions are determined.

Difference in Views on Responsibility (Hard Determinists)

Argue that individuals are not morally responsible for predetermined actions.

Difference in Views on Freedom (Free Will Advocates)

Believe in genuine free will and the ability to choose otherwise.

Difference in Views on Responsibility (Free Will Advocates)

Emphasize moral responsibility due to the belief in genuine free will.