PHIL 102 QUIZ 1 Flashcards
define dogmatism.
In philosophy, dogmatism and skepticism represent two contrasting attitudes toward pursuing knowledge.
Definition: Dogmatism is the belief that certain truths or principles can be known with certainty.
Characteristics:
- Philosophers with a dogmatic attitude aim to build systematic bodies of knowledge.
- They assume that objective truth exists and can be attained through reason, logic, or observation.
- Philosophers like Descartes and Aristotle leaned towards this approach
Describe the difference between subjective and objective reality.
Subjective reality is based on personal perspectives, feelings, and opinions, while objective reality exists independently of individual thoughts and is based on observable phenomena.
Explain the concept of metaphysics.
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that studies the fundamental nature of reality, including concepts such as being, existence, and the universe.
How does realism differ from anti-realism in philosophy?
Realism and anti-realism are two different views about what is real:
Realism: There’s a world out there that exists independently, even if no one is thinking about it. For example, a tree exists whether or not anyone sees it.
Anti-realism: Things only exist or have meaning because we interact with them. For example, the idea of a tree only matters if someone sees or thinks about it.
Define empiricism in the context of epistemology.
Empiricism is the theory that knowledge is primarily derived from sensory experience and evidence.
Differentiate between rationalism and empiricism.
Empiricism is a philosophical approach emphasizing that all knowledge comes from sensory experience. It contrasts with rationalism, which claims that knowledge can be derived from innate ideas or reason alone.
What is the biggest challenge of empiricists?
One difficulty is the “veil of perception”—the idea that we can never directly experience the world but only our perceptions.
This raises skepticism about whether we can ever be sure that our perceptions accurately reflect reality.
What is ontology in philosophy?
Ontology is the study of being and existence, focusing on the nature and categories of being.
How did Descartes contribute to the discussion of realism?
Descartes is known for his Cartesian dualism, which includes ideas about direct realism (the belief that we perceive the world directly) and indirect realism (the belief that we perceive the world through representations in our mind).
- Arguing that the mind (a thinking substance) and the body (an extended substance) are fundamentally different yet interact with each other.
Define Kant’s concept of transcendental idealism.
Transcendental Idealism: Kant argued that the mind shapes the way we experience the world. We don’t access the world “as it is” (noumenal world), but only as it appears to us (phenomenal world).
Time and space, according to Kant, are not features of the external world but mental frameworks that structure our experience.
What are synthetic a priori judgments according to Kant?
Synthetic a priori judgments are truths you know without needing experience, but they also tell you something new about the world. This idea aimed to bridge the gap between rationalism and empiricism.
synethetic= new
a priori= before experience or without experience
Describe the role of intuition in Kant’s philosophy.
In Kant’s philosophy, intuition refers to the immediate way in which we perceive objects, which is essential for forming knowledge.
Explain the significance of epistemology in philosophy.
Epistemology is the study of knowledge, its nature, sources, limitations, and validity.
What is foundationalism in epistemology?
Foundationalism is the theory that certain basic beliefs provide the foundation for all other beliefs, which are justified based on these foundational beliefs.
Describe Berkeley’s contribution to epistemology.
Berkeley is known for his idealist philosophy, asserting that objects only exist as perceptions in the mind, famously stating ‘to be is to be perceived’.
