Lecture Notes: Philosophy Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering fallacies, theories of truth, causality, major philosophers, and key concepts from the notes.

ad hominem

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

appeal to force

Using threat or force to persuade rather than reason.

appeal to emotion

Appealing to feelings such as pity or fear to win agreement.

appeal to the popular

Claiming something is true because many people believe or accept it.

appeal to tradition

Accepting something as true because it has long been held or practiced.

begging the question

Assuming the conclusion is true; a circular argument.

causal fallacy

Assuming a false cause-and-effect relationship between unrelated events.

correspondence theory

Truth is what corresponds to reality or facts.

coherence theory

Truth is what coheres with a system of beliefs; multiple truths can exist.

relativism

There are no absolute truths; truth is relative to context or culture.

constructivist theory

Knowledge is shaped by social forces, culture, and history.

consensus theory

Truth is based on general agreement; consensus can be influenced by groups or institutions.

pragmatic theory

Truth is what works in practice or is useful in real life.

causality

The relationship between cause and effect; analysis of why things happen.

agency

The capacity of individuals to act and make choices.

free will

The ability to choose among possible actions.

determinism

Every event is determined by prior causes; no true randomness.

destiny

A predetermined course of events guiding the future.

ethics

The branch of philosophy dealing with right and wrong and moral guidelines.

reality

The state of existence independent of consciousness; includes concrete and abstract aspects.

objective reality

Reality believed to exist independently of individual perception.

metaphysics

Branch of philosophy addressing questions about reality, being, time, space.

ontology

Subfield of metaphysics focusing on the nature and classification of being.

concrete reality

Physical, observable existence.

abstract reality

Non-physical, conceptual existence.

certainty

The state of being absolutely sure; though perfect certainty is often unattainable.

truth (epistemology)

The quality of being accurate or in accordance with fact.

knowledge

Information justified as true through evidence and reasoning.

Socratic Method

A method of questioning to examine beliefs and knowledge.

Socrates

Ancient Greek philosopher known for ethics and the Socratic Method.

Plato

Student of Socrates; Theory of Forms; Academy; dialectic.

Theory of Forms

Idea that everything existing is based on eternal nonphysical templates.

Academy

Plato’s school; first institution of higher learning in the West.

dialectic

A method of inquiry with opposing ideas to arrive at new knowledge.

Aristotle

Greek philosopher emphasizing empirical observation, deduction, and logic.

perception-based reality

Reality understood through sensory experience.

deductive reasoning

Reasoning from general principles to specific conclusions.

logic

Study of correct reasoning and valid arguments.

Archimedes

Ancient mathematician and scientist; known for Archimedes’ screw and early calculus concepts.

Archimedes’ screw

A device for lifting water by a helical screw mechanism.

displacement

Volume measurement by the amount of fluid displaced.

Pythagoras

Ancient mathematician who formulated the Pythagorean theorem and founded a learning community.

Pythagorean theorem

In a right triangle, a^2 + b^2 = c^2.

Heraclitus

Philosopher who emphasized constant change and the idea of logos.

logos

Reason or principle; the order underlying change in Heraclitus’ thought.

Democritus

Proponent of atomism; matter is composed of atoms.

atom

The basic indivisible unit of matter in atomic theory.

Diogenes of Sinope

Cynic philosopher who urged virtue through simple living and criticized other philosophers.

Cynicism

Philosophy valuing virtue and self-control, often rejecting conventional society.

Stoicism

Philosophy emphasizing virtue, self-control, and acceptance of fate.

Epicurus

Founder of Epicureanism; happiness through simple living and lack of fear and pain.

Epicureanism

Philosophical school advocating that pleasure, defined as the absence of pain, is the good life.

Eastern Philosophy

Philosophies from Asia emphasizing harmony, ethics, and community; often theistic or nontheistic.

theistic philosophies

Philosophies that include belief in deities.

nontheistic philosophies

Philosophies that do not involve belief in a deity.

indigenous philosophies

Belief systems of indigenous communities, often tied to community and environment.

internal questions

Questions about correctness and values within one's own framework.

external questions

Questions that challenge or critique the frameworks themselves.

philosophy of the human person

Study of the nature and essence of human beings.

aesthetics

Branch of philosophy dealing with beauty and taste.

beauty

Quality that makes things aesthetically pleasing.

Sophists

Ancient Greek teachers of rhetoric who trained people to win arguments.

Western Philosophy

Philosophy that emerged in ancient Greece, emphasizing reason, systematic argument, and individualism.