Philosophy Unit 3 Review

Pragmatic method

what gets us what we want

Coherence theory

What fits with other beliefs and meanings

Correspondence theory

What corresponds to the real world

Knowledge

Justified true belief

A priori

A proposition that is gathered from reason like math or logic

Empirical

A proposition that is gathered from observation

Basic belief

Does not have to be justified by other beliefs

Nonbasic belief

Inferred from other beliefs

Foundationalism

All beliefs are based on basic beliefs; ex: I think therefore I am

Coherentism

Beliefs rest and other beliefs in an interconnected way; beliefs are true if they fit coherently in a system of beliefs

Correspondence theory

Truth is an agreement or correspondence between a proposition and same fact in the real world

Tarski

Defined truth as a property of sentences; a sentence is true when it states something as it is

Coherence theory

A belief is true is it coheres with other beliefs that we regard is true; similar to that of justification

Brand Blanshard

Said that the only way of getting out truth is seeing if a statement fits with other excepted statements

Pragmatic theory

A belief is true if it is useful to believe

William James

A pragmatist who claimed that ideas are validated if they lead to experiences that are progressive, harmonious, and satisfactory

Rorty

Claimed that truth is whatever has passed societies procedures of justification

Instrumentalist view

Focuses on if a Scientific theory works; based on pragmatic theory of truth

Realist view

Focuses on the fact that science is meant to accurately describe the universe; based on correspondence theory of truth

The conceptual relativist view

Says that truth is determined in the scientific community; based on the coherence theory of truth

Thomas Kuhn

The person in whom the conceptual relativist view is based in; focused on communities of scientists providing conceptual framework that says what is true

Three main ways to interpret text

1) authorial intent
2) meeting of the horizons
3) Eye of the reader

Wittgenstein

Related to ideal clear language; based more in a pragmatic theory; language can have many meanings and the meanings of a text does not depend on the facts it pictures but on the meaning people give it

Gadamer

Said that reading depends on the person reading it and their context; based on coherence theory of truth

Hirsch

Argued that Gadamer has meaning confused with significance; meaning doesn’t change but significance does

Transmission

Relates to how a text was passed on

Literal

The text itself

Allegorical

How to text relates to doctrine

Moral

How to live

Anagogical

Hidden meanings

Ethics

The philosophical study of morality

Virtue ethics

Asks the question “what should I be?”

Ethical absolutism

One and only one correct morality exists

Ethical relativism

There isn’t one universal morality for everyone

Normative ethics

The study of principles that guide actions and judgments

Metaethics

The meaning of moral beliefs

Applied ethics

Applying moral norms to specific issues

Universizeability

The principle that must apply across cases

Impartiality

Treat everyone equally

Moral norms dominate

Morality is above it all

Objectivism

Maria norms are valid for everyone and culture does not matter

Cultural relativism

An action is morally right if one’s culture approves of it

Subjective relativism

An action is morally right if one approves of it; this means the individual holds moral power and decision making

Emotivism

Moral statements are not true or false, they are a representation of the true emotion of the one stating them

Alfred Ayer

Related to emotivism

Cognitivism

One can apply moral concepts to actions and people that can be labeled true or false

Noncognitivism

Moral properties cannot be applied to actions or people

Emotivism

Geared toward changing attitudes and behaviors; moral judgments cannot be true or false because they do not make any claims

Emotivism

In it, there is no good or bad because these properties do not exist

Consequentialist theories

In them, consequences matter; often referred to as teleological

Utilitarianism

Results in the most happiness for everyone

Ethical egoism

The right action is one that is in an individual‘s best interests; not selfishness

Act egoism

To determine right action, you must apply the egoistic principle to individual acts

Rule egoism

The individual falls under a broadened rule that maximizes self interest

Epicurus

Formed Epicureanism

Epicureanism

Do what gives you max pleasure; there is no midstate between pleasure and pain

Psychological egoism

The basis for ethical egoism; motivated by self interest

Ayn Rand

Author of atlas shrugged; said that altruism is bad, if we all look out for ourselves then we will all do well

James Rachels

Summarized Ayn Rand’s arguments as ethics of altruism does not take seriously the value of the human individual; ethical egoism takes the value of the human individual seriously

Utilitarianism

Do what causes the most happiness for everyone

Jeremy Bentham

Related to utilitarianism and the principle of utility

John Mill

Related to utilitarianism and the greatest happiness principle

Happiness

In utilitarianism, this is the only intrinsic good

Hedonism

States that happiness is the ultimate good

Act utilitarianism

In it, actions are judged by their consequences and only the total amount of happiness matters

Rule utilitarianism

States that the rule that causes the most overall happiness is correct

The principle of utility

The right action is the one that directly produces the balance of happiness over unhappiness for all concerned

Hedonic calculus

Bentham’s calculation to find the greatest amount of net happiness

Bentham

Argues that the quantity of pleasure is what matters

Mill

Argues that there is a quantification of pleasures and ranks them

Social contract theory

A consequentialist theory that builds off of belief in a materialist approach to the world; morality arises from a social contract that self interested in rational people abide by in order to secure a degree of peace, prosperity, and safety

Thomas Hobbes

Related to social contract theory and the term leviathan

Leviathan

A governing body that enforces a social contract

Non-consequentialism

The end consequences do not matter; sometimes called deontological ethics; the study of duty

Immanuel Kant

Related to the hypothetical imperative in the categorical imperative

Hypothetical imperative

Tells us what we should do if we have certain desires

Categorical imperative

Tells us that we should do something in all situations regardless of our wants and needs; Act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law

Perfect duties

Duties without exceptions

Imperfect duties

Duties with exceptions

Means-end principal

We must always treat people as ends in themselves, as creatures of great intrinsic worth, don’t use people

Three major moral features of Kant

Universality, impartiality, respect for persons

Natural law theory

Made more popular by Thomas Aquinas; how nature is revealed is how it should be

4 Goods

Human life, family, knowledge, orderly society

Doctrine of double effect

You may commit a good action that has bad effects but you may not commit a bad action that has good effects

Intention

This matters in natural law theory

Divine command theory

Focuses more on God the natural law theory; encompasses the Euthyphro argument

Euthyphro argument

Either God has reasons that support his commands or God lacks reasons for his commands; God is not imperfect; the divine command theory is false

Alastair MacIntyre

Says that we shouldn’t worry about the rules of what to do, but the virtues that make us good

Virtue ethics

Ask the question “what should I be?”

Aristotle‘s theory of virtue

Beings are happy only if they fulfill their basic purpose; since humans alone can reason our purpose is to be happy; after acquiring a virtue one can feel pleasure in virtuous acts

Aristotle

Said that love is central to friendship

Agape

Self sacrificial love

Eros

Sexual love

Philia

Brotherly love

Relationship view

Love is a positive response to something good in a person and thus wishing for and doing what is good for them

Emotion view

Love is an emotion that arises when one sees the beloved as attractive and valuable

Union view

A unifying of two people who identify with each other’s interests and concerns

Creative view

Love creates goodness in another person and brings out potential good

Eudaimonia

Happiness, the goal of humans

Golden mean

A balance between two behavioral extremes; this is what Aristotle thinks is best to live moderately