Philosophy Midterm Flashcards
Sense
“Sense” is something we know to pick out an individual. Predict is also a part of “sense”. The “sense” of the whole sentence is the “thought.”
Tone
Has the same “sense” but it can change the feeling/emotion associated with the sentence. It can be associated with connotation in the English subject. Acts on feeling, mood, and imagination of the hearer.
Force
Force is what we do with language. So sentences can both mean and do something. Assertion”you can do this.”, Question”can you do this?”, Order”go do this!”
Proper Names
Name of an Individual EX. Joe Biden, Betsy the Cow, etc.
Definite Descriptions - EX. Joe Biden "The 46th President of the U.S. Directly Referring - EX. "Joe Biden is a Democrat"
Common Names
Name for a Group of Things/”Stuff” EX. Highland Cows, Tables, Humans, etc.
Definite Descriptions - EX. Highland Cow "The Scottish Breed of Rustic Cattle Which Originated in the Scottish Highlands" Directly Referring - EX. "Highland Cows are found in Scottland"
Definite Descriptions
A specific feature/ quality of a name. Something that could be in place of a name.
Directly Referring
Even without a definite description, you can use names because of a community spreading it. “causal theory” - interactions between the perceiver and the world.
Contingency
for something to be “Contingent”, it has to be true in every possible world.
EX. If Joe Biden is the 46th president of the U.S. It has to be true in every possible world.
The Mind-Body Problem
If names can be short for definite descriptions, then it is contingently true. Meaning it is true in every possible world.
Kripke says this is false because some things could not be contingent in every possible world but still be true.
The relation between physical and mental cant be contingent.
Sorites Argument
Argument form that attempts to prove a vague term. Results in a paradox. Degrees of truth.
EX. One grain of wheat doesn’t make a heap, If one grain doesn’t, then two don’t. If two grains don’t, then three grains won’t, etc.
There is no true answer to solve this.
Vagueness
No cut-off between means. A predicate which doesn’t produce a truth value.
EX. The word “tall” since it isn’t clearly true or false.
Ambiguity
Word with more than one meaning.
EX. “We saw her duck.”
Relativity
To tell whether something is true or not, you need some context.
EX. “Try some of the chicken, it is delicious.” You need context(proof) to prove that statement true.
Russell’s Paradox
The set of “all sets that are not members of itself” can’t be a member of itself, but also can’t not be a member of itself. This is a contradiction.
Responses/Solutions - Russell's "theory of types." A hierarchy of class. EX.Starting from the bottom to the top □ Objects □ Type One sets - Objects □ Type Two sets - Objects and Type One Sets □ Type Three sets - Objects, Type Two Sets, Type One Sets, etc.
The Liar Paradox
“The sentence you are now reading is false.”
Is this sentence true or false?
Response/Solutions - Some have suggested we disallow any self-referential sentences. Some say add a third truth value, which finds other predicates outside of "true/false."
