Truth Flashcards
Analytic Truth
Definitionally true eg a bachelor is an unmarried man, a triangle has 3 sides.
synthetic truth
Those truths which are not analytic, depends on facts eg blackbirds eat worms
A priori truths
Can be known prior to experience, ‘armchair truths’.
A posteriori truths
not a priori, can ONLY be verified through experience.
necessary truths
a truth that is true in all possible worlds.
Possible truths
a truth that is true in some possible worlds.
Contingent truths
A truth that is true in some possible world, but not all.
Fill in the blanks and explain the capitalised word:
‘The distinction between ______ and ______ is a SEMANTIC one.’
Analytic and synthetic.
To do with the meaning of words.
Fill in the blanks and explain the capitalised word:
‘The distinction between ______ and ______ is a EPISTEMOLOGICAL one.’
A Priori and a posteriori.
To do with knowledge.
Fill in the blanks and explain the capitalised word:
‘The distinction between ______ and ______ is a METAPHYSICAL one.’
Contingent and necessary.
to do with reality.
Why is ‘Red is a colour’ considered only a partial definition of Red?
The only way to define a colour is by experiencing it, however the fact that Red is a colour forms a partial definition of the term. This partial definition doesnt distinguish Red from Blue, but does describe an aspect of Red that helps define it.
What is ‘truth by introspection’ and is it a priori or a posteriori?
truth learned by introspection, feelings eg ‘i feel hungry’, ‘i want ice cream’. Some philosophers (eg Kant) call this a posteriori as they view it as ‘self-observation’. Other philosophers just think it is a priori - can be learned from an armchair.
Give an example of an Analytic A Priori truth.
Truth of logic - eg ‘cats are cats’, ‘Bachelors are unmarried’, or similar.
Give an example of a Synthetic a posteriori truth.
Truths that once you have empirical evidence you can verify is true - eg ‘Bachelors are boring’, ‘Kangaroos lick their arms to cool themselves down’, or similar.
Give an example of an analytic a posteriori truth.
TRICK QUESTION - there is no such thing aha ha.
Give an example of a synthetic a priori truth.
debatable whether this is actually a thing - eg ‘every effect has a cause’
What type of truth is: ‘Red is a colour’?
Analytic a priori - fact that red is a colour is part of the meaning of red therefore it is analytic. You do not need further experience to figure out that red is a colour.
What type of truth is ‘if you break a vase it can no longer hold water’?
Synthetic a posteriori - it is not part of the definition of a broken vase that it cannot hold water therefore it is synthetic. Further experience is required.
What type of truth is ‘seas are full of water’?
Debatable - A scenario is conceivable in which a person fully understands both ‘water’ and ‘sea’ but does not come to the conclusion that the liquid the sea is filled with is water.
What type of truth is ‘Clouds are made of water droplets’?
Synthetic a posteriori - you can understand ‘clouds’ and ‘water droplets’ without concluding that clouds are made of water droplets.
Explain Frege’s problem, illustrating it with the same example he used.
the problem arising from when one thing has two names: “Phosophorous is Hesperus”. Both P and H refer to the same planet Venus, but Homer does not know this. he does however know and understand P and know and understand H. Could wrongly lead to the conclusion that the two things are different, or did homer not truely understand P and H.
Deontic
obligation/permission
epistemic
knowledge
alethic
truth
Give a Deontic, epistemic and alethic reading of the word ‘could’.
Deontic - ‘may’ - i am allowed to eat this cake.
Epistemic - ‘might’ - for all i know it is possible for me to eat the cake.
Alethic - ‘able to’ - it is possible in the light of circumstances and facts about me that i can eat the cake (Different from epistemic because there may be factors unknown to me that make it impossible for me to eat the cake).
Under which flavours of modality are the following statements ‘possible’:
- It is possible to fly from London to NYC in less than 8 hours
- It is possible to fly from London to NYC in less than 20 mins
- It is possible to fly from London to NYC in less than 10 millisecs
- Deontically may not be plausible - may not have enough money, not get a flight in time, etc. Epistemically plausible - in an ideal situation it is possible.
Alethically plausible - it is possible under the laws of physics. - Not deontically or epistemically plausible, but alethically still plausible - doesnt break laws of physics.
- No, no, no - not possible under laws of physics.
what is the difference between metaphysical possibility and physical possibility?
Metaphysical possibility- what is absolutely possible, in the broadest sense.
Physical possibility - possible under the laws of physics and nature eg nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.
Give an example of a necessary a priori truth.
always has to be true eg if he has two children then he has children, there are pigs or there are no pigs, or similar
Give an example of a contingent a posteriori.
there are elephants
Give an example of a necessary a posteriori truth.
Hesperus is phosphorus, water is H20, jayZ is Sean Carter.
Give an example of a contingent a priori truth.
i am here now - you didnt have to be here now, you could have been over there, the standard kilo in Paris weighs one kilo.
