Philosophy Exam Terms

Study Notes

Philosophy Exam Terms

Philosophy: The study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.
Cosmology: The study of the universe, its origins, structure, and evolution.
Ontology: The branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of being, existence, and reality.
Wisdom: The ability to make good judgments and decisions based on knowledge and experience.
Morality: Principles or rules about what is right or wrong, good or bad, in human behavior.
Knowledge: Understanding or awareness gained through experience, learning, or reasoning.
Truth: A statement or belief that accurately reflects reality or facts.
Absolute Truth: A truth that is universally true, independent of individual opinions or beliefs.
Relative Truth: A truth that is true depending on perspective, context, or personal experience.
Semantics: The study of meaning in language—how words, phrases, and sentences convey meaning.
Natural Theology: The study of God and divine matters using reason and observation of the natural world, rather than relying on scripture or revelation.
Syllogism: A form of reasoning where a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed propositions (premises).
Categorical Syllogism: A syllogism where the premises and conclusion are categorical statements, typically structured in terms of "all," "no," or "some."
Conditional Syllogism: A syllogism where the premises and conclusion include a conditional (if-then) statement.
Premise: A statement or proposition that provides the foundation for a logical argument.
Antecedent: In a conditional statement, the part that follows "if" (the condition).
Consequent: In a conditional statement, the part that follows "then" (the result of the condition).
Fallacy: A flaw or mistake in reasoning that weakens an argument.
Formal Fallacy: A fallacy that occurs because of a problem with the logical structure of an argument, regardless of the content.
Informal Fallacy: A fallacy that arises from a mistake in reasoning or argumentation not related to formal logic, often due to irrelevant or misleading content.

Fallacies

Ad hominem: Attacks the person, not the argument.
Appeal to ignorance: Argues only they are right, no other evidence.
Appeal to popularity/Bandwagon: “Because x amount of people like it, do it, etc… so should you.”
Misplaced authority: Uses an authority who is not an authority on the matter at hand.
Appeal to emotion: Uses emotions to try and “win” people over. (Generally linked to specific fallacies)
Red herring/Ignoring the question: Uses something else to change the subject, distracts from the original argument.
Strawman: Exaggerates the premise away from the original intended argument, distorts the argument.
Hasty generalization: Makes an assumption about one person or thing based on only one or a very limited number of examples.
Slippery slope: Escalates a situation, too quickly due to a particular chain of events.
Post Hoc/False Cause: Suggests that one thing is connected to another in a sequence of events. Because X occurred that is why Y has occurred.
Double Standard: Rules/standards applied unequally to different parties.
Begging the question/Circular argument: Fails to answer the original question or answers without actually answering (circular).

Syllogism Validity Check

Distribution “Cheat Sheet”: A=All S is P, I=Some S is P, E=No S is P, O=Some S is not P
Validity Check Steps:
1. Determine the type of statement (A, I, E, or O) for each premise and conclusion.
2. Underline distributed terms.
3. Circle the middle term.
4. Rule 1: The middle term must be distributed at least once.
5. Rule 2: If a term is distributed in the conclusion, it must also be distributed in a premise.
6. Rule 3: The syllogism must have only three terms.
7. Rule 4: The syllogism cannot have two negative premises.
8. Rule 5: If a premise is particular (e.g., "some"), the conclusion must also be particular.
9. Rule 6: If a premise is negative, the conclusion must be negative.
10. If all rules are met, the syllogism is valid.

Description

Test your knowledge on essential philosophy terms with this quiz. Explore concepts such as cosmology, ontology, wisdom, and truth, and understand their significance within the study of philosophy. Ideal for students looking to deepen their grasp of philosophical fundamentals.