PHI 201 Final Exam

What is Kierkegaard known as the founder of?

Existentialism.

What does Kierkegaard mean by the "leap of faith"?

Choosing belief despite uncertainty; committing to meaning through subjective choice.

What does Kierkegaard say about subjective truth?

Truth is found through lived, personal experience—not abstract reasoning.

What is the "aesthetic," "ethical," and "religious" stage?

Stages of life that represent pleasure, duty, and faith.

What does "God is dead" mean in Nietzsche's philosophy?

Traditional moral values have collapsed; humans must make meaning themselves.

What is the Übermensch (Overman)?

The ideal self-creating individual who rises above herd morality.

What is "will to power"?

The fundamental drive to grow, create, and assert one's values.

What does Nietzsche mean by "slave morality"?

A morality of the weak that values obedience and humility.

What is historical materialism?

The idea that material/economic conditions drive history.

What is alienation in Marx's theory?

Workers become separated from their labor, products, and human potential.

What determines social structure, according to Marx?

The mode of production (economic system).

What is the "invisible hand"?

The idea that individual self-interest unintentionally benefits society.

What does Smith argue about labor?

Division of labor increases productivity.

What are the three parts of the psyche according to Freud?

Id, ego, superego.

What is the unconscious?

The mind's hidden desires, fears, and memories shaping behavior.

What does Durkheim define society as?

A reality larger than the individual, shaping morality and behavior.

What is "collective conscience"?

Shared beliefs and values that unify society.

What is anomie?

Normlessness—breakdown of social rules during rapid change.

What is the core idea of pragmatism?

Truth is what works in practice; ideas gain meaning through real-world effects.

Who are the major pragmatists?

Charles Peirce, William James, John Dewey.

What did William James believe about truth?

Truth is what proves itself useful to individuals and society.

What did Dewey believe education should focus on?

Learning through experience and problem-solving.

What does early Wittgenstein say about language?

Language mirrors reality; limits of language = limits of the world.

What does later Wittgenstein argue?

Meaning comes from how words are used (language games).

What is Quine known for challenging?

The analytic/synthetic distinction (the idea some truths are purely logical).

What is Quine's "web of belief"?

Knowledge is interconnected and revised as a whole.

What does Heidegger mean by "Being-in-the-world"?

Humans exist through involvement in the world; we are not detached observer

What is "authenticity" for Heidegger?

Facing one's existence honestly instead of following "the They" (the crowd).

What is Sartre's famous idea "existence precedes essence"?

Humans exist first and create their own purpose.

What is "bad faith"?

Lying to oneself to avoid responsibility for freedom.

What is the "culture industry"?

Mass-produced entertainment that shapes passive, conformist consumers.

Which thinkers developed this idea?

Adorno and Horkheimer.

What does "I am I and my circumstance" mean?

Individuals are shaped by themselves and the world around them.

What does Ortega mean by "life as shipwreck"?

Life throws us into situations beyond our control; we must navigate them.

What is the "spectacle"?

A society where images replace real life and social interaction.

What does Debord believe about modern life?

People become spectators instead of active participants.

What is hyperreality?

When simulations or images become more real than reality.

What is a simulacrum?

A copy with no original—fake realities treated as truth.

What major theme appears in the interviews?

Cultural differences in how women experience gender norms and expectations.

What changes by culture?

Views of work, family roles, independence, and equality.

Why does Cornel West say race matters?

Race shapes lived experience, access to opportunity, and philosophical understanding of justice.

What does West emphasize for society?

Empathy, truth-telling, and confronting systems of inequality.

What is intersectionality?

The idea that different identities (race, gender, class, etc.) overlap to create unique experiences of discrimination or privilege.

Who developed intersectionality?

Kimberlé Crenshaw.