Exam 2 - Introduction to Philosophy
Semantic
"How Words Get Their Meaning" - the study of meaning in language and communication, including how meaning is conveyed, related to reality, and analyzed.
Metaphysical
"The Ultimate Nature of Reality" - questions the nature of being, the relationship between mind and body, and the existence of God.
Opinion
A belief or judgement that is not based on knowledge or logical reasoning.
Knowledge
A justified, enduring, true belief that corresponds to reality.
Dialectic
A method of argumentation that involves the exchange of opposing ideas and arguments in order to arrive at a deeper understanding or truth about a subject.
Form of the Good
A transcendent, eternal, and unchanging reality that is the ultimate source of knowledge, morality, and value - "The Ultimate Object of Knowledge".
Lower Forms
Less perfect forms of knowledge or existence that are changing, and are subject to decay and destruction.
Images
Mental representations or ideas that are derived from sensory experience - (lower forms).
Sciences
Organized bodies of knowledge that aim to explain or understand various aspects of reality.
Sensory Particulars
Refer to the individual instances or experiences of sensory perception, such as a particular red apple or a particular melody.
Higher Forms
Superior or more perfect forms of knowledge or existence that are unchanging, and exist independent of human perception.
Skepticism
The belief that knowledge is uncertain and absolute certainty is impossible to achieve. It is characterized by a critical attitude toward claims of knowledge and the ability to justify them.
Plato's Argument for the Forms
The idea that the physical world is a mere shadow or imperfect copy of a realm of perfect, eternal, and unchanging Forms. Exist independently of human perception and are apprehended through reason and intellectual inquiry rather than sensory experience. The Forms are the ultimate source of knowledge, truth, and morality, and the physical world is only a reflection of them.
Imagination
The mental faculty that creates mental images or representations of objects or experiences that are not present to the senses.
Relativism
The position that truth, knowledge, and morality are relative to the individual, culture, or historical context in which they arise, rather than being objective and universal. No absolute or fixed standards for evaluating truth or morality, and all claims to knowledge and ethics are ultimately subjective and context-dependent.
Epistemological
The study or theory of knowledge, including questions such as what constitutes knowledge, how knowledge is acquired, and how we can distinguish between true and false beliefs.
