Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Metaphysics
Metaphysics
45
Philosophy
Undergraduate 2
10/16/2012

Additional Philosophy Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Properties
Definition
An attribute or quality a thing is said to possess;
universal- in more than one thing at a time
immutable/eternal
inherence- in other things; had by other things
no causal power
Term
Accidental Properties
Definition
Properties which a particular thing may or may not possess; not essential to what the thing is
i.e. color, height, weight, etc.
Term
Essential Properties
Definition
properties which a particular thing must possess
i.e. rational, emotional, and willful capacities
Term
Relational Properties
Definition
properties that exist b/t two things; accidental or essential
i.e. bigger than, to the left of, more intelligent than
Term
Substance
Definition
That which has being in itself
particular- only be in one place at one time
substances can change and are not necessarily eternal
fundamental existants-do not inhere in other things
have causal powers
Term
Essence
Definition
The sum of the essential properties of a thing that make it what it is; its "whatness"; not substance which is the "thatness" of a thing
Term
Metaphysical Realism
Definition
the view that natures or essences possess objective reality; they exist in things themselves
Term
Nominalism
Definition
the view that natures or essences are merely names by which we group things together that possess similar features
Term
Conceptualism
Definition
the view that essences or natures exist, but only as ideas in our minds; not objective reality
Term
Monism
Definition
Reality is reducible to one basic substance
Sensible- Thales (Water) and Heraclitus (Fire)
Non-Sensible- Pythagoras (Number) and Parmenides (Being)
Term
Pluralism
Definition
Reality is more than one thing
i.e. Earth, Air, Fire, Water (Empedocles) or atoms (Democritus)
Term
Dualism
Definition
Reality is made up of the material and immaterial; version of pluralism; material is empirically experienced while immaterial is experienced through religion and intellect
Term
Strengths of Dualism
Definition
1) explanatory power- for existence and nature of the universe; consciousness
2) accepted through history
Term
Weaknesses of Dualism
Definition
1) Doubt of Non-Empirical Substances
2) Interaction- how does immaterial interact with material
3) Violates Ockham's Razor
Term
Materialism
Definition
All of reality is reducible to matter; monism; no immaterial substance; all matter is governed by physical laws that can explain everything
Term
Strengths of Materialism
Definition
1) Empirically based
2) Explanatory power- can account for everything in terms of matter and energy
3) Ockham's Razor
Term
Weaknesses of Materialism
Definition
1) Explanatory power- can it really account for all reality?
Term
Mind
Definition
a thinking substance; synonymous to "soul" or "person"; substance with mental properties (ideas); not equal to the brain
Term
Matter
Definition
substance with extension, figure, and motion (independent of will)
Term
Mind/Body Dualism
Definition
Man is made up of 2 distinct substances: immaterial (mind) and material (body)
Term
Interactionism
Definition
The mind and body interact in some way; doesn't solve the Mind/Body Problem, it just restates it
Term
Parallelism
Definition
for every physical state there is a corresponding mental state, but there is no causal relationship between them; problem: how do you account for the relationship
Term
Pre-Established Harmony
Definition
Physical states have been pre-ordained by God to correspond with the appropriate mental state; problem: no free will, God is the author of evil
Term
Occasionalism
Definition
On the occasion of physical stimuli, God creates the appropriate mental state; Problem: God is still in control of the mental state
Term
Epiphenominalism
Definition
the mind is an emergent property of the brain; the brain can cause the mind but not vice versa; mental states are a by-product of physical states; problem: willful actions
Term
Idealism
Definition
only one substance exists: mental; no brain, just the mind; no physical states; all that exists is in the mind and ideas
Term
Esse est Percipi
Definition
To be is to be perceived; everything is dependent upon being perceived for its existence; if something is not perceived, it does not exist
Term
Primary Quality
Definition
a property which exists independently of the perceiver: size, shape, movement (physical properties)
Term
Secondary Quality
Definition
a quality whose existence is dependent upon a perceiver: color, sound, and taste (mental properties)
Term
Solipsism
Definition
the belief that I am the only thing that really exists; everything else is a result of my own mind and therefore dependent on me for their existence
Term
Category Mistake
Definition
employing a concept in a system in which it is inappropriate; i.e. I hear red; some say Berkeley made this mistake in calling the mind a thing
Term
Co-Extensionality
Definition
just because for every mental state there is an existing brain state, doesn't mean that every mental state is IDENTICAL to a brain state; if you have one, you always have the other, but it does not make them identical
Term
Soft Behaviorism
Definition
behavior patterns are all that is observable about a person, but there may be more
Term
Hard Behaviorism
Definition
All there is to being a person is behavior patterns; tendencies to behave certain ways under certain stimuli
Term
Functionalism
Definition
All mental states are reduced to a physical process or system rather than a substance; mental states play roles in a network of neuro-physical relationships consisting of bodily inputs; mind is a description of how the system works, not what it is
Term
Problems with Materialism
Definition
morality is impossible- no choice
reasoning is impossible- if it is determined, why worry about reasoning out materialism (self-defeating)
Term
Indiscernability of the Identicals
Definition
If any two terms are talking about the same thing, then whatever is true about one of the terms is true about the other
Term
Qualia
Definition
properties; subjective conscious experience
Term
Incorrigible
Definition
not able to be corrected or improved
Term
Determinism
Definition
everything that exists and happens is a result of the law of causality
Term
Libertarianism
Definition
Some human actions are free from the nexus of cause and effect; sometimes, humans can determine to do one thing or another; the ability to do otherwise
Term
Compatibilism
Definition
The idea that determinism and human freedom are compatible; human actions are determined, but that doesn't effect freedom or moral responsibility
Term
Agent Causation
Definition
the idea that new agents can begin new strings of causation in the human life
Term
Indeterminism
Definition
human will is somewhat influenced by preexisting law but mostly is a result of free will
Term
3 Problems of the Identity Thesis
Definition
1) Moral Problem- can moral predicates be applied to a physical body?
2) Epistemological Problem- If i believe something to be true but it is actually false, then I am in a false physical state, which is impossible
3) Problem of Co-Extensionality- just because there is a mental state for every physical state does not mean that they are identical
Supporting users have an ad free experience!