Final definitions and definition information Flashcards
philosophy definition in terms of branches of inquiry
A kind of activity whose subject matter is our beliefs and
presuppositions approached in a critical, comprehensive, and
integrated way
what specifically does philosophy explore
- puzzles and paradoxes
- presuppositions of other studies/disciplines
- scope and method unrestricted (freedom!)
- distinct goals
philosophy definition in etymological terms
to be a lover or pursuer of wisdom
Etymology definition
the study of the origin of words
and the way in which their meaning have
changed throughout history
An absurdity definition
a conclusion that is
highly unlikely when judged against one’s other
knowledge and, hence, viewed as ridculous
deductive definition (can be applied to reasoning and justification)
a form or
structure of reasoning that seeks to demonstrate a
conclusion with certainty
What are the two possibilities in terms of deductive reasoning of justification
- Valid: an argument where if the premises are true then the conclusion has to be true
- Invalid: an arguments where where the conclusion does not have to be true if the premises are true
inductive definition (can be applied reasoning of justification)
a form or structure that
seeks to make a conclusion more probable than not, but does not
provide conclusive support for the conclusion
What are the two possibilities in terms of inductive reasoning or justification
- Strong: an argument where we assume that if the premise are true then it is likely that the the conclusion can be reached
- Weak: an argument where we assume that if the premise are true then it is not likely that the specific conclusion can be reached
Abusive Ad Hominem definition
rather than challenging the reasons and reasoning employed in a
justification, one seeks to undermine it by attacking an attribute of the
person making it
poisoning the well definition
discredit holders of
a particular position of an argument by applying a
negative label or associating adverse information to
those who hold a given position (this fallacy sets a stigma around on viewpoint)
Social contact definition
the partnership between individuals,
businesses, civil society and the state to contribute to a system in which there are
collective benefits
Psychological egoism
all willed human action when
properly understood can be seen as reducible to selfinterested motives
Ethical Egoism
one should do what is in one’s own self-interest
downward causation definition
a causal relationship from
higher levels of a system to lower-level parts of that
system
Upward causation definition
smaller material elements & isolating causal
relationships between these as determining larger
systems
What is a key example of downward causation
Biodiversity of species
and productivity of individual populations
and individuals
Compositional (material cause) explanation
make clear what
something is by stating what it is composed of
and how those parts are structured
Causal explanation (efficient cause)
explains how or why something (the
phenomenon in question) has happened/come to be
- these phenomenons focuses on the general or more specific phenomenon of different things
- This is a cause that moves something and examines its cause and effect (the change is brought on and the specific state of affairs of the change)
Definitions explanation (formal cause)
Defining the meaning of a
word is giving an explanation of how to use that word
- What makes something its self which are its core features and the definition of the object
Teleological Explanations (Final cause)
explains the goal,
purpose, or designed end of something
- this looks at the overall purpose of the object of the situation
- the most meaningful of the different types of causes for reality
