philosophy terms

A Priori

Knowledge or justification independent of experience, like knowing all bachelors are unmarried without meeting each one.

A Posteriori

Knowledge dependent on experience or empirical evidence, such as knowing it's raining by looking outside.

Epistemology

Study of knowledge acquisition, exploring what knowledge is and how we come to know things.

Metaphysics

Philosophy branch dealing with the fundamental nature of reality, mind-matter relationship, and potentiality vs. actuality.

Ethics

Study of right and wrong conduct and morals, addressing questions about morality and ethical behavior.

Aesthetics

Study of beauty, taste, nature of art, and experiences of beauty in art and nature.

Political and Social Philosophy

Examines state, community, society nature, justice, law, rights, and government's role.

Fallacies

Mistakes in reasoning undermining argument logic, including Categorical and Conditional Syllogisms.

Deductive Reasoning

Reasoning from general statement to specific conclusion, guaranteeing truth if premises are true.

Inductive Reasoning

Reasoning from specific observations to broader generalizations likely, but not guaranteed, to be true.

False Analogy

Comparing two things that are not sufficiently alike in relevant respects.

Appeal to Ignorance

Claiming something is true because it has not been proven false, or vice versa.

Part & Whole - Generalization

Assuming that what is true of a part is true for the whole, or vice versa.

Accident

Applying a general rule to a specific case it does not appropriately cover.

False Cause

Presuming that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other.

Double Standard

Applying different sets of principles for similar situations, usually in a way that is favorable to one side.

Misplaced Authority

Assuming that someone's expertise in one area can translate to another area.

Ad Hominem

Attacking the person making an argument rather than the argument itself.

Begging the Question

assuming the point that needs to be proven

Ignoring the Question

Diverting the argument to unrelated issues with a red herring.

Appeal to the People

Using the views of the majority as a persuasive device, often bypassing logic.