Unit 8 Flashcards
asylum
n. place of refuge or shelter
The stoic, accused of seeking asylum in the consolations of philosophy, rebutted this charge, saying that Stoicism is simply the most prudent and realistic philosophy to follow.
atavism
n. in biology, the reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; individual or part that exhibits atavism; return of a trait after a period of absence
Some modern political theorists reject nationalism as a tribal atavism.
attenuate
v. to weaken
Modern digital radio equipment allows even signals that have been greatly attenuated to be transmitted by one station and received by another station.
audacious
adj. bold; daring
The German army commander Erwin Rommel was known as the “Desert Fox” as a result of his audacious surprise attacks on Allied forces in World Ward II.
austere
adj. stern; unadorned
Deism is an austere belief that reflects the predominant philosophy of the Age of Enlightenment: a universe symmetrical and governed by rationality
autonomous
adj. self-governing; independent
Some biologists have theorized that our belief in our ability to act as autonomous agents is in conformity with the theory of evolution because it gives us a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives that helps us to survive.
avarice
n. greed
Successful investment bankers are sometimes accused of avarice; their defenders, however, say that they are simply very good at what they do and should be rewarded accordingly.
aver
v. to affirm; declare to be true
Yogis aver that everyone has a guru, whether it be a person, God, or the experiences of the world, that helps him or her practice the yoga that is in accordance with his or her nature, and assists on the path toward enlightenment.
avocation
n. secondary occupation
Dan became to proficient at his avocation-computer programming-that he is thinking of giving up his job as a teacher to do it full time.
avuncular
adj. like an uncle, benevolent and tolerant
Walter Cronkite, who was the anchorman of CBS News during much of the 1970s and 1980s, had an avuncular manner that made him one of America’s most trusted personalities.
