Philosophy and its Methods Key Terms

?
  • Created by: Toby J
  • Created on: 11-09-23 12:56
Philosophy
The study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline.
1 of 15
Logic
Branch of philosophy concerned with the structure of ideas and arguments.
2 of 15
Epistemology
Also known as theory of knowledge. This asks about what we can claim to know. What we truly know is not always the same as what we believe.
3 of 15
Metaphysics
Branch of philosophy which asks what it is for something to be, to exist.
4 of 15
Ethics
Branch of philosophy concerned with moral questions, not simply what we should do but also such things as the meaning and justification of goodness.
5 of 15
Validity
This refers to an argument which is soundly constructed, so that if the premises were true, the conclusion would also be true. An argument might be valid but not true.
6 of 15
Syllogism
Basic structure of an argument as set out by Aristotle, containing at least one major premise and one minor premise.
7 of 15
Major premise
In a syllogism, a sentence which is all or nothing, with no exceptions.
8 of 15
Minor premise
In a syllogism, a sentence containing an individual piece of information.
9 of 15
A priori
Knowledge which is not dependent on sense experience, such as 'a circle is round' which is true by definition.
10 of 15
A posteriori
Any knowledge which is dependent on sense experience.
11 of 15
Sense experience
Anything learned through one or more of our five senses. I learn there is an odour through smelling it. Sense experience can be indirect. I know about Julius Caesar from the secondary experience of books, films and hearing about him/
12 of 15
Predicate
A grammatical term which refers to the description of a concept. In the sentence: 'Her dress is red', 'is red' is the predicate, adding to the idea of the dress.
13 of 15
Tautology (also called analytic sentence)
A formula that is always true on any interpretation of its terms. 'A square has four sides' is a tautology because four-sidedness is essential to the idea of a square. To have four sides (the predicate) can only mean that what the sentence is about (the s
14 of 15
Empirical knowledge
Alternative description of a posteriori knowledge.
15 of 15

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Branch of philosophy concerned with the structure of ideas and arguments.

Back

Logic

Card 3

Front

Also known as theory of knowledge. This asks about what we can claim to know. What we truly know is not always the same as what we believe.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Branch of philosophy which asks what it is for something to be, to exist.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Branch of philosophy concerned with moral questions, not simply what we should do but also such things as the meaning and justification of goodness.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
View more cards

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Religious Studies resources:

See all Religious Studies resources »See all Philosophy resources »