Philosophy
Unit 1 – Introduction to Philosophy
Chapter 1: Introducing Philosophy
Philosophy: thinking about thinking, or the love of wisdom
Autonomy: the ability to freely make rational decisions
Materialism (physicalism): a metaphysical theory, developed by the PreSocratic philosophers, that says that everything, including a person’s thoughts, consciousness, and personality, is composed of matter
Philosophical System Builder: someone who tries to construct a complete system of knowledge
First-Order Language: a specific statement or question about an observation or event
Second-Order Language: a term used to describe language that is used to discuss and clarify first-order language
Socratic Method: a question-and-answer process named after Socrates. It is used to zero in on knowledge by challenging commonly held assumptions.
Thought experiment: a tool used by philosophers to encourage people to re-examine common-sense beliefs; often begins with or includes the question, What if…?
Philosophical Argument: a debate between two or more people who present reasoned ideas for the purpose of discovering the truth
Areas of Philosophy: areas of philosophical inquiry: logic and philosophy of science, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, and social and political philosophy
Chapter 2: Introducing Human Nature
Human nature: characteristics or qualities that make human beings different from anything else
Altruism: unselfishness
Egoism: an ethical theory that says that people should act in their own interest
Li: a Chinese word that refers to ritual principles or people’s obligations based on their social position
Essentialism: a theory that says that the ability to reason is the distinguishing feature of human beings
Tripartite theory of the soul: a theory, developed by Plato, that said that a person’s soul, or personality, psyche, mind, or inner self, is made up of reason, spirit, and a
Essence: the fundamental nature of a thing - what makes the thing what
Chapter 1: Introducing Philosophy
Philosophy: thinking about thinking, or the love of wisdom
Autonomy: the ability to freely make rational decisions
Materialism (physicalism): a metaphysical theory, developed by the PreSocratic philosophers, that says that everything, including a person’s thoughts, consciousness, and personality, is composed of matter
Philosophical System Builder: someone who tries to construct a complete system of knowledge
First-Order Language: a specific statement or question about an observation or event
Second-Order Language: a term used to describe language that is used to discuss and clarify first-order language
Socratic Method: a question-and-answer process named after Socrates. It is used to zero in on knowledge by challenging commonly held assumptions.
Thought experiment: a tool used by philosophers to encourage people to re-examine common-sense beliefs; often begins with or includes the question, What if…?
Philosophical Argument: a debate between two or more people who present reasoned ideas for the purpose of discovering the truth
Areas of Philosophy: areas of philosophical inquiry: logic and philosophy of science, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, and social and political philosophy
Chapter 2: Introducing Human Nature
Human nature: characteristics or qualities that make human beings different from anything else
Altruism: unselfishness
Egoism: an ethical theory that says that people should act in their own interest
Li: a Chinese word that refers to ritual principles or people’s obligations based on their social position
Essentialism: a theory that says that the ability to reason is the distinguishing feature of human beings
Tripartite theory of the soul: a theory, developed by Plato, that said that a person’s soul, or personality, psyche, mind, or inner self, is made up of reason, spirit, and a
Essence: the fundamental nature of a thing - what makes the thing what