sources of knowledge key terms

analytic

a proposition that is true or false in virtue of the meanings of the words

synthetic

a proposition that is not analytic but true or false depending on how the world is

a priori

knowledge of propositions that do not require sense experience to be known to be true or false

a posteriori

knowledge of propositions that can only be known to be true or false through sense experience

innate

knowledge or ideas in some way built into the structure of the mind rather than gained from sense experience

innatism

some of our concepts are innate in the structure of the mind, not gained from sense experience

this knowledge is a priori, universal, clear and distinct, and there from birth

empiricism

theory that there can be no a priori knowledge of synthetic propositions about the world

Hume’s Fork

we can have knowledge of just two types of claim, relations between ideas, and matters of fact

idea

an object of perception, thought or understanding

locke refers to a complete thought such as a proposition, a sensation, or a concept

complex idea

an idea derived from two or more simple ideas

simple idea

a single, uniform conception, with nothing distinguishable within it

impression

what we are immediately and directly aware of, can either be impressions of sensation (from senses) or impressions of reflection (from our mind like emotions)

matters of fact

states of affairs, how the world is and knows through experience and induction, especially causal inference

reflection

Locke: our experience of the internal operations of our minds gained through introspection and awareness of what the mind is doing

relations of ideas

established by pure thought or reflection and are intuitively and demonstratively certain. the negation of a relation of ideas is a contradiction

cartesian circle

Descartes cannot rely on clear and distinct ideas before proving God exists, but cannot prove this without relying on clear and distinct ideas

clear and distinct ideas

clear is present and accessible to the attentive mind

distinct is clear and also sharply separated from other ideas so that ever part of it is clear

the cogito

‘I think therefore I am’ - Descartes’ proof of existence replying on our ability to doubt

the cogito is a priori intuition, a necessary truth, and known clearly and distinctly

rationalism

theory that there can be a priori knowledge of synthetic propositions about the world gained through rational intuition and reasoning

waves of doubt

arguments supporting Descartes’ scepticism. argument from illusion doubts always believing what our senses tell us. argument from dreaming doubts all sense perception and therefore the nature of reality. evil demon argument doubts all judgement including the existence of God

intuition and deduction thesis

we can have undeniable foundational truths and deduce from these some knowledge a priori