Introduction to Philosophy: Exam Review

Vocabulary flashcards generated from introductory philosophy notes covering Chapter 1 (Logic & Philosophy), Chapter 2 (Metaphysics & Religion), Chapter 3 (Ethics), and Chapter 4 (Mind-Body Problem).

Philosophy

Means "love of wisdom" and "search for the meaning of life", or wrestling with the big questions.

Logic

The branch of philosophy that has to do with reasons and arguments, defined as the study of correct reasoning (inductive and deductive).

Metaphysics

The study of ultimate reality, asking questions about the fundamental nature of the universe and the things in it.

Ethics

The study of value, right and wrong, or the study of morality using the methods of philosophy.

Aesthetics

The branch of philosophy concerned with the study of beauty.

Epistemology

The branch of philosophy concerned with the study of knowledge.

Political Philosophy

The branch of philosophy concerned with the study of government.

Socratic Method

A technique consisting of a series of questions and answers (Q&A's) to examine beliefs and seek knowledge.

Statement (or Claim)

An assertion that something is or is not the case and is therefore the kind of utterance that is true or false.

Premise

The statement supporting the conclusion in an argument.

Conclusion

The statement being supported in an argument.

Argument

A chain of statements in which one is meant to be supported by others.

Deductive Argument

An argument intended to give logically conclusive support to its conclusion (moving from general to specific) so that if the premises are true, the conclusion absolutely must be true.

Inductive Argument

An argument supposed to give probable support to its conclusion, moving from specific to general.

Straw Man

An informal fallacy involving misrepresenting a person's views so they can be more easily attacked or dismissed.

Appeal to Person

Rejecting a statement because it comes from a particular person.

Appeal to Popularity

Arguing that a claim must be true not because it is backed by good reasons, but simply because many people agree with it.

Ad Hominem

Attacking the person and not the argument ("mudslinging").

Theism

The belief in the existence of God.

Theist

A person who believes in God.

Atheist

A person who denies God.

Agnostic

A person who neither accepts nor denies God's existence.

Monotheism

Belief in one God.

Polytheism

Belief in multiple gods.

Deism

A belief in one God that created the world but left it unattended to run on its own.

Pantheism

The view that God and the universe are one and the same thing, a divine Whole.

Panentheism

The view that although God and the world are distinct, the world is part of God.

Cosmological Arguments

Arguments that show that from the fact that the universe exists, God exists (associated with Thomas Aquinas).

Ontological Arguments

Arguments that demonstrate God's existence by logical analysis of the concept of God (associated with Anselm).

Arguments from Miracles

The argument that the best explanation of the occurrence of miracles is that there is a God.

Argument from Evil

An argument that tries to show that since there is unnecessary evil, a God must not exist.

Morality

Our beliefs about right and wrong actions and good and bad persons or character.

Moral Theory

An explanation of why an action is right or wrong or why a person's character is good or bad.

Divine Command Theory

The view that God is the creator and definer of morality.

Moral Objectivism

The view that there are moral standards that are true or correct for everyone.

Moral Subjectivism

The view that moral standards do not have independent status but are relative to what the individual or culture believes.

Consequentialist Theories

Theories that insist that the rightness of actions depends solely on their consequences or results.

Subjective Relativism

The view that right actions are those endorsed by the individual.

Cultural Relativism

The view that moral standards are relative to the culture surrounding the individual.

Mind-Body Problem

The issue of what mental phenomena really are and how they relate to the physical world.

Substance Dualism

The doctrine, held by René Descartes, that the mind and body are two separate and different things.

Materialism

The doctrine that every object and event in the world is physical.

Logical Behaviorism

The idea that mental states are dispositions to behave in a certain circumstance.

Identity Theory

The view that mental states are identical to physical brain states.

Functionalism

The view that the mind is defined by the functions that the brain performs.

Property Dualism

The view that mental properties are nonphysical properties arising from, but not reducible to, physical properties.

Mysterianism

The position proposing that the hard problem of consciousness cannot be resolved by humans.

Turing Test

A test in which a machine must perform in such a way that an expert cannot distinguish its performance from a human performance.

Strong AI View

The view that a computer equipped with appropriate programs does not merely simulate a mind, but actually has a mind.

Who said that “an unexamined life is not worth living?”

Socrates

Thomas Aquinas made the argument that

an infinant regress of causes is not possible

William Lane Craig made the argument that

the universe has a cuse that is greather than itself

William Paley made the argument of

becuse the world was so intelligently and complexly make it looks like it was designed by an intelligent designer

Behe argued

that irreducibly, complexely biological systems is a powerful challenge to Darwian evolution

William Rowe argued

There does not exist an omnipotent, omniscient, wholley good being (God)

What percentage of scientist believe in God

51%

Kant’s theory is that

If you can’t universalize it then you shouldn’t do it

Functionalism is against

Chinese brain theory and Searles chinese room

Searle

Computers with strong AI is not possible because a computer cannot think