Human Nature Vocab Quiz Flashcards
Psychological Egoism
The theory that human beings are designed/constructed to act in a way that is always in a self interested nature
Hobbes
Material desire
Effective Altruism
The practice of prioritizing our efforts when doing good in order to help others as much as we can
Peter Singer
The Forms
Abstract, perfect, unchanging concepts or ideals of things that go past time and space, existing in the Realm of Forms (created by Plato)
The Vedas and Upanishads
Originating in ancient India, the Vedas are poetic hymns that state that the Atman inside you and everything is only one. The Upanishads were later added to the Vedas, referring to ultimate reality as Brahman.
Atman
The deepest self-when you die this core part of yourself will take on another identity or another life. Sometimes this is called transmigration
Rationalism
The stance that reason on its own has the capacity to reveal the knowledge of some undeniable truths-knowledge learnt from logic and reason (A prior)
Empiricism
The stance that experience is the source of knowledges sources-logic from experience and experiment
-a posteriori
-inductive logic
Deductive Logic
The process of reasoning to logically certain conclusions-pairs with rationalism
Inductive Logic
The process of reasoning to probable explanations or judgments-specific to general
Tabula Rasa
The mind is like a blank slate, therefore everything is taught
John Locke (Empiricist)
Nature
The way we think and behave as a result of our nature, or how we just are-we’re born that way, its in your nature.
Nurture
The way we think and behave as a result of what we’re taught and what we learn.
Existentialism
Human nature does not exist because the way each individual is depends on who they are as a person
-radical freedom
-bad faith
-existential angst
-serious world
-second sex
Existential Angst
Fear from radical freedom-too much responsibility and human freedom
Bad Faith (or Nausea)
Opposing authenticity, bad faith is when one pretends things are not their fault but rather because of some external accountable means.
Sartre
Authenticity
The extent to which ones actions and behavior are due to themselves, regardless of external effects.
Crisis of Adolescence
A confrontation of the serious world where a young person has to face values and authorities which previously existed-sort of like a loss of innocence
Serious World
The true nature of the world which we are concealed from as children; specifically discussed through the lens of women confronting the inequality they must live with.
Existential Crisis
When one must face the responsibility of the freedom they hold.
Immanence
A historical domain of women, a closed off realm/space where women are inferior, passive or static.
Transcendence
A historical domain of men, open realm/space where men are superioir
The Mind Body Problem
An issue regarding to what extent the body and the mind are 2 separate entities
Dualism
The concept that reality is composed of two distinct substances which cannot be reduced into one another. Most commonly these two substances are the mind and the body.
Materialism
The stance that reality is composed primarily of physical, material things.
Hobbes
Mind/Brain Identity Theory
The minds state is the same as the brains state, meaning peoples mind and brains exist in the same behaviours
Behaviourism
Explaining peoples mental activity by their concrete, physical behaviour. For example, pain shows by eyes tearing up.
Functionalism
Our mental states are the functions they serve in connecting perceptual input to behavioural output
Functional Kind
Groups of entities united by a common function, such as their activities and casual roles
Multiply Realizable
A single mental state or property can be realized by many distinct physical such as being hit and thinking of pain
Eliminative Materialism
The theory that we as people do not have mental states of being, and therefore they do not exist. This stance specifically objects to folk psychology
The Problem of Personal Identity
The issue of whether or not an individual can identify oneself over a given time-am I who am now or am I who I was 5 years ago?
Bundle Theory
All we know is a collection of sense perceptions without deeper unity or cohesions. (David Hume)
The Atomistic Self
This states that the self should be self-sufficient, self-reliant and just like an atom. Basically it is isolated from its surroundings-Descartes and Kant believed this
The Relational Self
The self is defined by its relationship with others.
Hegel
Ubuntu
“I am because we are”-the idea that there’s a universal bond throughout all of humanity
Determinism (‘Hard Determinism’)
The view that peoples actions are triggered by previous causes, and therefore, always have a previous event to explain it.
Libertarianism
The view that we are free to choose how to act/to act other than how they already do.
Compatibilism (‘Soft Determinism’)
The idea that some things have causes, but not necessarily all, arguing the
Personhood
The status of being a person (having things like rights, dignity)
Cognitive Criterion for Personhood
There’s 5: Consciousness, reasoning, self-motivated activity, capacity to communicate, and self-awareness
Mary Ann Warren
Sentience
The capacity to experience feelings and sensations
Double Consciousness
The duality of self views a person who has been a part of an oppressed community experiences; themselves, and how they were perceived. Example; internalized homophobia.
