Term
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Definition
| The branch of philosophy that asks the question, what is knowledge? |
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Skepticism
(Epistemology branch) |
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Definition
| The belief that we may have no true knowledge concerning the world. |
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Empiricism
(Epistemology Branch) |
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Definition
| The belief that we may have knowledge concerning the world, but only by means of sensory observation alone. |
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Rationalism
(Epistemology Branch) |
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Definition
| The belief that we may have knowledge concering the world, and sensory observation is not the only way to obtain such knowledge. |
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Term
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Definition
| The branch of philosophy that asks the question, what is real? |
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Mind-body dualism
(Metaphysics Branch) |
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Definition
| The belief that both physical and mental objects exists. |
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Idealism
(Metaphysics Branch) |
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Definition
| The belief that only mental objects exist, and physical objects do not. |
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Materialism
(Metaphysics Branch) |
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Definition
| The belief that only the physical objects exist, and mental objects do not. |
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Term
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Definition
Ideas that we are (supposedly) born with.
Example of philosophers who adhere to this theory:
Plato, Descartes, Socrates, and Leibniz |
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Term
Locke's three arguments against innate ideas
#1 |
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Definition
| 1. I can explain how it is possible to come by all of our ideas without making reference to innate ideas; therefore innate ideas do not exist. |
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Term
Locke's three arguments against innate ideas
#2 |
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Definition
| 2. Even if there were universal consent concerning certain beliefs, this would not necessarily mean such beliefs must be innate; therefore innate ideas do not exist. |
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Term
Locke's three arguments against innate ideas
#3 |
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Definition
| 3. There is no universal consent concerning innate ideas: children and idiots do not seem to have them; therefore, innate ideas do not exist. |
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Term
| Locke's Epistemological System |
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Definition
| Locke believed all our ideas, and hence all of our knowledge, derive from experience. There are 2 kinds of experience: Sensation and Reflection. These produce simple ideas. |
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Term
| Locke's Metaphysical Position |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Independent of an observer, our ideas of primary qualities resemble the qualities in the object.
Example: shape, size, and motion. |
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Term
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Definition
Dependent of an observer; our ideas of secondary qualities do not resemble the qualities in the object.
Example: heat, pain, smell, sound, and color. |
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Term
Berkeley's extended argument for idealism
1-3 |
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Definition
1. Secondary qualities are no more than ideas (bucket of water argument)
2. Primary qualities are no more than ideas
(the mite's foot argument)
3. We cannot observe material substance, only attributes. Therefore, we should not believe in the existence of matter. |
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Term
| Berkeley's specific argument for idealism |
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Definition
| We may perceive nothing other than our perceptions. Our perceptions are only ideas. Therefore, we only have evidence for, and should believe only in the existence of ideas. |
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Term
| Berkely's argument for the existence of God |
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Definition
| Things are no more than ideas or perceptions, and yet continue to exist even when not perceived by us. Therefore there must be a universal observer. |
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Term
| Berkely's Metaphysical position |
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Definition
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Term
| Berkeley's Epistemological position |
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Definition
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Term
| Hume's Epistemological system |
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Definition
| There are 2 kinds of perceptions of the mind; impressions(vivid and lively, immediate data of experience), and ideas (pale copies of impressions). |
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Term
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Definition
| A word is meaningless unless its reference is traced back to impressions. |
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Term
| Hume's Differentiation between matters of fact and relations of ideas |
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Definition
Relations of ideas- Truths of logic and math; certain but uninformative about the world. Truth dependent on logical relations.
Example: all bachelors are unmarried
Matters of fact- Truth of science; uncertain but informative about the world. Truth dependent of induction from experience.
Example: all bachelors smell bad. |
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Term
| Hume's Criticism of substance |
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Definition
| We never perceive substance underlying our perceptions; therefore we have no reason to believe in the existence of substance. Therefore we should not believe in the existence of mind or matter. |
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Term
| Hume's criticism of causality |
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Definition
| Our idea of causality derives from experience and is therefore a matter of fact, not a relation of ideas. Hence, causality is a science hypothesis, not a metaphysical truth; it is not certain. Therefore, we should not say, "For every event there MUST be a cause, but should say, for every event, ther is PROBABLY a cause." If Hume is right, then many of the traditional arguments in philosophy no longer follow with necessity and fail. |
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