Philosophy Reviewer

(1st Semester, 2014-2015)

Key Ideas, People and Terms

Chapter 1 Philosophy as a field of Study - Creation ( abrupt appearance of life and the world that is
fully functional and fully formed)
Philosophy 2 Greek Words (philea/philla –love & Sophia – - Natural selection (survival of the fittest)
wisdom or knowledge) - Mutations (abnormality in the gene pool)
Philosophy can be considered the parent science. Ontology –study the nature of existence and status of reality,
theory of being
Major Fields/Branch of Philosophy Psychology- study of human behaviour
 Epistemology –origins, nature and limits of human Psyche (soul= emotion, reason and volition)
knowledge Theodicy – deals with the nature and goodness of God
- Episteme (knowledge) Aristotle – logic is an indispensable foundation of all types of
- Logos (study, word or discourse) knowledge.
 Metaphysics- meaning and nature of reality and existence Logic – the most fundamental brank of philosophy
-meta (beyond)
-physikon (nature) Major Types of Logic
 Axiology-study of values and beauty  Deductive/Deduction- from general to specific truths
-Ethics (moral philosophy)  Inductive/Induction- from specific to general truths
-Aesthetics (beauty)
 Logic- study of correct thinking or correct inferences Syllogism deductive tool in processing truth
- Thinking about thinking - 2 premises
- Thoughts ( product of mental processes) - 1 conclusion
Semantics – study of the meaning of words
Philosophers shared a common conviction that thoughtful Greek (semantikos-significant, semainein –to signify
examinations and analysis of views and evidence is important. and sema –sign or mark)
Ethics is the practical science of the morality of human
Important Philosophers conduct
 St. Thomas Aquinas (teacher at the University of Paris) Plato – Ethics is the supreme science
 John Dewey (lecturer at the Columbia University) Ethos Greek word (customs)
 Rene Descartes (mathematician) Aesthetics –Greek ( aisthetikos) deals with beauty
 St. Augustine (Bishop of Hippo) Method –a means or procedure followed in achieving an end.
 George Berkeley (Bishop of Cloyne)
 Baruch Spinoza (lens grinder) Philosophical Methods
 John Locke (medical doctor)  Induction
 John Stuart Mills (magazine writer and law maker)  Deduction
 Karl Marx (social thinkers, communism)  Dialectic – thesis, antithesis and synthesis
 Friedrich Engels (communism)  Analytic – breaking the whole into smaller parts
 Socrates (Athens) The unexamined life is not worth living.  Romantic – feelings and instincts
 Synoptic – comprehensive view

Chapter 2 Philosophical Fields of Study Chapter 3 The Theory of Knowledge

Cosmology -Greek words (Kosmos-universe/world & Theory – is a coherent group of general prepositions used as a
Logos) principles of explanation for a class of phenomena
- Origins and development of the universe
- Evolution (slow and gradual development given a long Theories of Knowledge
time)  Objective – meaning and perception is based on outside
of one’s self

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 Conception/Conceivable – meaning and perception Norm- accepted practices and behaviour of a group
begins in one’s self Value System-system arrange into hierarchy
Axiology-study of values
Theory of Dual Intellects – scientific knowledge and intuitive Aesthetics- deals with art, beauty and appreciation
apprehensions
Classification of Values (Breck & Holmes)
Sources of Knowledge  Biological- survival (food, shelter, etc)
 Custom- group pattern of habitual activity  Economic-exchange of material goods and services
 Tradition- handling down of statements of beliefs,  Affective – emotions, excitement
legends, etc.  Social – social relationships
 Sense perception- faculties of sight, smell, touch,  Intellectual – human mind and knowledge
taste  Moral- goodness and uprightness
 Intuition- direct perception of fact and truth  Religious – experiences with Supreme being
independent from a reasoning process
 Authority – experts and leaders General Characteristic of Values
 Reason- acquiring intellectual knowledge  Values are bipolar
 Values are not homogenous
Sophists – group of wise men from Athens  Values transcend facts

Barriers in Attaining Knowledge Chapter 6 Ethics

 Blind adherence (Authoritarianism) Ethics Grk (Ethos – fundamental character)

 Propaganda –misleading with incorrect information Latin (mos, mores)
deliberate
 Prejudice- unfavourable opinion or feeling Morality – quality of goodness and badness of human acts
 Fallacies –faulty reasoning
Human Acts- act done with free will

Chapter 4 Man: Nature, Development and Destiny Essential Elements of Human Acts
 Knowledge-deliberation
Composition –(make up)  Freedom-not bounded or restricted
Monism – one basic substance  Voluntariness- Latin (voluntas)- one’s initiative
Dualism – matter & soul/spirit
Origin – beginnings Modifiers of Human Acts
Creation-Divine Fiat  Ignorance-lack of knowledge
Evolution- Darwinism  Passion/Concupiscence- strong drive or emotions
 Fear-free from danger
Essence –intrinsic nature  Violence –damaging force
(Intelligence is the basis of man’s virtue)
 Habit – repeat patterns of behaviour
 Rational – intelligence
 Right – what is considered just and appropriate
 Religious – spiritual being
 Reason- thinking wisely
 Biological- natural desires
 Conscience- voice of God
 Behavioral – shaped by the forces around him
 Law – prescribed rule of behaviour
 Sex – pleasure and procreation

Chapter 5 Values
Classification of Ethical Theories
Values – (worth or important)  Platonism- good life is based on good knowledge
Ethics –science of morality  Self-realization – awareness
Value Judgment- appraisal and evaluation of important things
 Utilitarianism- uselfullness
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  Intentionalism – motive
 Pessimism- negative outlook of the world and life  Naturalism ( physical world is the basis of reality)
 Stoicism- free from emotional expression  Existentialism ( awareness of being is the basis of
Epicureanism- highest good is pleasure reality)
 Idealism ( abstract thoughts and cognition define
John Hasper’s Çategory reality)
 Self-interest  Empiricism ( Reality is experienced base)
 Divine command  Pragmatism ( results drives meaning and purpose)
 Common Interest
 Asian Philosophy ( Confucious, Taoism, etc)

Chapter 7 Philosophy and Religion Chapter 8 Political and Social Philosophy

Aristotle wrote Politics ( first systematic treaties on political
Philosophy of Religion – examines the intellectual questions affairs)
that arises in considering religious views and orientations
Plato considered to be the father of political philosophy
Nature of God
 Omnipotent -all powerful State – an ideal identity
 Omniscient -all knowing Government - aggregate of authority
 Omnipresent -transcendent over time and space Sovereignty - supreme power
Nation - a group of people united by different
Ideas on God bonds
Citizen - special legal status through birth or
 Supernatural Creator acquired
 Supreme Being Law - body of rules emanating from government
 Suffering Saviour
 Sacred Father Bases of State Origins
 Sovereign Ruler
 Divine Theory (God appointed people)
God of the Hebrews  Contract Theory (contract or covenant of among
members)
Monotheistic ( one god)  Natural or Instinctive Theory (instinctive tendencies)
Creator – Elohim  Patriarchal or Matriarchal Theory (Family
Redeemer - Jehovah, Yahweh development)
 The Force Theory (self-protection)
God of the Greeks  Evolutionary Theory ( outcome of gradual process)
Polytheistic (titans, gods, goddesses, demigod, etc)
Theogony –book of the goods

Atheism – absence of God

Agnostic- lack of certainty
Pantheism- God is everywhere
Panentheism –God is in the world
Deism- God that walk away

Religion –set of beliefs concerning faith related knowledge

–Latin (religare-to bind together)

Philosophical Disciplines

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