Term
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Definition
Freedom that at least requires the ability to do otherwise
- Hard determinest idea of freedom. |
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Definition
Freedom only requires doing what we want to do
Compatibalist view of Freedom |
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Term
| Being Free v. Being Random |
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Definition
Random Neuron firings of brains is not determined
Responded to by the idea that randomness is not freedom
Being free does not equate to being spastic |
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Term
| Being Free v. Being Lucky |
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Definition
| If freedom is doing what you want to do then ... A lucky person is "more free" than an unlucky person b/c ... A lucky person does what they want while an unlucky person does not |
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Term
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Definition
Example used when discussing free will
A psycho will fully consciously choose to kill the president A person with a brain lesion has this happen accidentally
Leads to question of responsibility of action |
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Term
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Definition
Criticism of the hard determinist view of freedom.
If there was another "me" on an earth with "freedom" he would still do what he wanted.
Therefore there is no "other" ... so freedom can't be ability to do other |
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Term
| Manipulative Brain Washer |
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Definition
If a brain washer sets mind to do an action the person didn't previously want to do
The person is not doing what they want to do
But the person isn't really "free" ...
Internal v. External Causes |
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Term
| Ordinary Upbringing Rebuttal |
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Definition
Ordinary upbringing is simply an extended "brainwashing"
Still free and doing what you want then
Defense of compatibalism |
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Term
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Definition
If an ND and Michigan fan are locked in a room with a game where ND is killing Michigan and the door gets locked
The ND fan wouldn't choose to leave
The Michigan fan could but can't
So the Michigan fan isn't doing what he wants
Therefore the Michigan fan isn't "free" |
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Term
| Cultural Difference Argument |
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Definition
Different Cultures have different moral codes
Therefore, there are no objective, universal, culturally independent facts or considerations which determine the truth or falsehood of different moral claims |
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Term
| Relativism's Self-Refutation |
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Definition
Denies universal morality.
Cannot have a claim that is a universal claim.
One of its claims is that we cannot judge other cultures.
This in itself is a universal claim invalidating this argument |
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| No Moral Progress Consequence |
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Definition
Can't criticize other cultures
Then we can't criticize things we did wrong in the past
Can't criticize things like Nazi Germany |
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Term
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Definition
Legal is what law dictates
Moral is following some ethical code of what is right and wrong
Some overlap, but not necessarily all legal=moral or all moral=legal |
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Term
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Definition
Example of cultural relativism
Killing infant in harsh winter so family survives
Infanticide wrong in almost all cultures
Perfectly acceptable in Eskimo because otherwise whole family would die
Therefore, no universal moral code |
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Term
Necessary Conditions for Society
Divine Command Theory |
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Definition
An action is morally right if and only if God commands it is right
And morally wrong if and only if God forbids it |
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Term
| God's Goodness Uninteresting |
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Definition
If an action is good because of God's command
Then goodness depends on God's will
Ultimate goodness is simply ultimately doing God's will
Then God is only doing his own will if he is good, therefore it is uninteresting |
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Term
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Definition
Is an act morally right because God commands it or does God command it because it is morally right
If former then God's morality uninteresting
If latter then morality does not depend on God Expected Utility
The amount of happiness and action is expected to create in the world |
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Term
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Definition
The morality of our actions is determined only by the consequences that they create
Morality is independent of intent
Act Utilitarianism is a consequentialist idea |
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Term
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Definition
The theory of morality whereby the morality of action is determined by the amount of happiness it creates in the world
The action that creates the greatest happiness is the morally right option |
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Term
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Definition
Hedons are units of happiness created by an action
Dolars are units of sadness created by an action
Hedons minus Dolars gives the expected utility of the action |
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Term
| Quality Dimension of Pleasure |
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Definition
A response to the "Doctrine of Swine" objection
Mill says that some happiness is of a higher quality than others
Therefore we are not simply pleasure seeking, because the "better" happiness is of higher quality |
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Term
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Definition
An act that has no real moral consequence
Acts such as choosing what cereal to eat in the morning
Utilitarianism says certain trivial acts are required because they increase happiness |
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Term
| "Doctrine of Swine" Objection |
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Definition
The objection to Utilitarianism that states that this reduces humans to pleasure seeking creatures
Utilitarianism results in an "If it feels good, do it" mentality |
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Term
| "Harm to Innocent" Objection |
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Definition
Objection to Utilitarianism
States that some innocent people may be harmed for the greater good if looking for the greatest overall happiness is desired |
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Term
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Definition
Acts that are beyond the call duty of Utilitarianism says that these acts increase happiness
Therefore these acts are morally required which seems contrary to our intuitions |
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Term
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Definition
Example of "Global Village" hypothesis
A little kid is drowning in a shallow pond You see him in your new suit
You choose not to save him because it will ruin your suit and decrease happiness |
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Term
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Definition
Example of "Global Village" theory
You are driving your car and find a person who has been shot You choose not to help because it will cost money and stuff to fix up your car
Against intuition |
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Term
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Definition
The idea that there are horrible atrocities in the world
If we can fix these things without any moral cost to ourselves we are required to do so
So we are required to donate stuff to relief organizations |
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Term
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Definition
The idea that we the Sedan and Pond examples aren't equitable to the "Global Village" because they are close to home
Implies that closeness to a problem implies affects moral obligation |
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Term
| Extreme Socialism Objection |
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Definition
The objection to "Global Village" idea that says that this theory will eventually lead to a redistribution of wealth
Follows a slippery slope to
Extreme Global Socialism Too Demanding Objection
The idea that Utilitarianism is too demanding of a process to be expected of humans |
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Term
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Definition
The philosophy pertaining to the Issues of Knowledge:
What is it?
How do we get it?
What supports these ideas? |
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Term
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Definition
The idea that we cannot trust our senses at any given time because at that time we may be dreaming
Objection to the idea that we can trust knowledge obtained by our senses as true |
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Definition
The objection to the idea that we can trust our knowledge of mathematical formulas and such
Says that we can be deceived by a demon and mistakenly believe that these things are true |
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Term
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Definition
Literally "I think therefore I am"
The one foundational belief to Descartes
Descartes believes that in order to even doubt this idea you must think, therefore discounting that doubt |
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Term
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Definition
The belief that all thought can be reverted to some foundational, undoubtable set of thought(s)
Descartes inverted pyramid idea of thoughts |
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Term
Screen of Perception
Cartesian Circle |
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Definition
The reliance on ancient principles to prove that these intuitions are true We must rely on the very principles to prove that the principles are true ...
Hence a circle |
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Term
Screen of Perception
Cartesian Circle |
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Definition
The reliance on ancient principles to prove that these intuitions are true We must rely on the very principles to prove that the principles are true ...
Hence a circle |
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Term
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Definition
A need for an idea to be completely and without doubt true
If it is not always true without exception than it must be rejected
Objective Reality |
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Term
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Definition
Euclid's mathematics (geometry) relies on a science of certain mathematical laws ... like Descartes' Epistemology
Newton's mathematics (calculus) relies on a science of probability of correctness ... like Locke's Epistemology |
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Term
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Definition
| The problem of not being able to view reality outside your own perceptions |
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Term
| Naive Representationalism |
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Definition
| The idea that all of our views of the world fully represent the real objects in the world |
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Term
| Sophisticated Representationalism |
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Definition
| The realization that not all of the images we have of objects are not true or whole representations of the real world objects |
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Term
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Definition
| The assumption that because we see something, the picture in our mind resembles the real object |
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Term
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Definition
The idea, put forth by Philosophers like Locke, that all knowledge we have comes from our sensory perception
No innate knowledge
Born tabula blanca |
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Term
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Definition
The belief, held by philosophers like Descartes, that we are born with some innate knowledge
Allows for knowledge to be gained through observation, but says we also have innate knowledge |
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Term
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Definition
Knowledge that we are born with as humans
Knowledge that we simply inherently have and never have to learn |
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Term
Inner Ideas
Primary Qualities |
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Definition
Qualities of object as presented by Locke that truly belong to the objects as we see them
The qualities that provide an accurate representation of themselves in our mind |
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Term
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Definition
Qualities that do not really belong to the properties we see them on
Really depend on the primary qualities of the particles of the objects
The image these objects create in our mind are not accurate representations of the object |
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Term
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Definition
Argument for the idea that secondary qualities are not true properties of the object
Shows that because the qualities may vary without the objection changing, the properties must not belong to the objects |
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Term
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Definition
The belief that objects do not really exist
Only me and my thoughts exist |
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Definition
| The only thing that exists are minds and their ideas |
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Term
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Definition
The quality-less "material" of the real world that must exist if (as Berkeley shows) all properties are really non-existent
Impossible to imagine this colorless, shapeless, uncountable object
Therefore it must not exist, so the material world does not exist |
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Term
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Definition
Literally "To be is to be perceived"
Berkeley's idea that things only exist as they are perceived by observers
Uses this to propose that God exists as he is omnipotent and omnipresent |
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