Define Skepticism

Explain what reductive empiricism is and whether Aristotle is a reductive empiricist.

Reductive Empiricism is the belief that all knowledge comes from sensation. Aristotle is a moral realist.

Define Aristotle’s theory of abstraction.

The human mind can separate out from sensation. The essence of something.

Define essentials and accidentals.

Essential- qualities that define the kind or type accidental- qualities that are true of the individual but cannot define the kind.

Describe Aristotle’s theory of the four causes.

When you have scientific knowledge you should be able to answer the four types of causes.

• Material Cause- What we would answer to out of what does the change occur.

• The Formal Cause- What type of thing is there at the end of the change

• Efficient- by whom or by what did the change occur

• Final Reason- or purpose for something happening

Define infinite regress.

Infinite regress is an argument whose premises leads to no final conclusion and goes on into infinity.

Define “Reductio ad absurdum”

You show that someone’s premises leads to an absurd conclusion therefore you reject the argument.

Explain what is meant by saying that virtue is necessary, but not sufficient condition for eudemonia. 

Without virtue you can’t have eudemonia because a virtuous person’spleasure is acting well and feeling well. It’s not sufficient because you need other things such as health.

Explain what Aristotle thinks is the defining characteristic of human nature. Then explain how he thinks that this will mean that doing ethical activity is both “kalon” and “agathon.”

The defining characteristic is rationality. It is kalon (noble) because the practical action is the action that reason tells you what is the right thing to do. ex. Finding a wallet with cash would seem useful but is not ultimately useful because by stealing wallet you are acting against reason making it impossible to reach eudemonia which is the most (agathon) useful thing to everyone.

Define univocal and give an example of its use.

You use the same meaning throughout the article or passage. Ex. different types of cars when you say Toyota or Hyundai you know he’s referring to a car

Define equivocal and give an example of its use. 

Equivocal is when you use a word or term in radically different ways in an argument or in a passage. Ex. could have a different style pen but we use the word pen to describe the both of them.

Define analogical and give an example of its use.

Analogical is when we have a word that is used in a like and unlike way. Ex. Good would be a condition and it would apply differently for different natures.

Explain how the final cause relates to ethics.

Final cause is a reason or purpose for something he’s trying to identify. He’s trying to find the final cause of human nature because the purpose of human is to reach eudemonia. Ethics refers to the moral values, being virtuous and being morally intact.

Fully Define Prudence/Practical Wisdom

Prudence/ Practical Wisdom are the intellectual virtue of applying abstract morality to concrete everyday situations.

Fully define incontinence.

Acting against what you believe is right under the influence of emotions.

Explain what Aristotle means by “theorin” or contemplation.

It is the highest intellectual virtue when we think of the greatest type of realities in the universe. When you think about god it requires a certain amount of energy.

Explain what Thomas Aquinas means by vincible ignorance. Relate this to Aristotle’s view on incontinence. 

Vincible ignorance is ignorance that does not excuse us morally. ex. Not coming to class and finding there is an exam does not excuse them.

Explain what Thomas Aquinas means by invincible ignorance. Relate this to Aristotle’s view on incontinence.

Invincible ignorance is ignorance that does excuse us morally from responsibility. Ex1. bestial person doing something evil due to mental illness. Ex2.someone being in a comma and coming to class finding that there is a test.