Glossary

Argumentation

Argument: a set of premises (statements taken to be true) that are supposed to support a conclusion. (Source: Lecture)

Inductive: a type of argument in which a general conclusion applicable to the future is supported by the evidence of specific instances. (Source: Lecture)

Strength: the certainty of the conclusion of an inductive argument. (Source: Lecture)

Deductive: a type of argument which stipulates general conditions and then comes to a specific conclusion. (Source: Lecture)

Validity: a binary quality of a deductive argument describing whether the conclusion must be true if the premises are true. (Source: Lecture)

Soundness: a binary quality of a deductive argument describing whether it is valid and has only true premises. (Source: Lecture)

Fallacies of Relevance: errors in an argument that arise when the premises are unrelated to the truth of the conclusion. (Source: Lecture)

Fallacies of Presumption: errors in an argument that arise when a necessary part of the argument is assumed to be true without sufficient evidence. (Source: Lecture)

Art and Reality

Epistemology: the philosophical study of the nature of knowledge and truth. (Source: Lecture)

Mind, Body, Identity

Cartesian Dualism: the idea that the mind is an immaterial substance separate from the material body. (Source: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dualism/)

Rationalism: the epistemological position that knowledge is derived from rational thought. (Source: Lecture)

Empiricism: the epistemological position that knowledge is derived from empirical observation. (Source: Lecture)

Axiom: a rule or principle generally accepted to be true, often used as a basis to argue for more controversial propositions. (Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/axiom)

Telos: the inherent purpose of a person or object. (Source: https://philosophyterms.com/telos/)

Teleology: explanation of something based on its telos. (Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/teleology)

Leibniz’s Law: the principle that no two separate things can be exactly alike in every respect while remaining separate. (Source: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/identity-indiscernible/)

Freedom and the Meaning of Life

Determinism: the philosophical position that human behavior (and all other events) is always caused by outside factors. Often considered to mean that humans do not have free will. (Source: Lecture)

Metaphysics: a broad category of philosophy, originally dealing with the fundamental nature of reality and original causes of things but since expanded to include other topics. (Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/metaphysics)

Ontology: a branch of metaphysics focused on the nature of being. (Source: https://philosophyterms.com/ontology/)

Fatalism: the position that all events and decisions are predetermined by fate. (Source: Lecture)

Compatibilism: the position that determinism and human free will are compatible rather than mutually exclusive. Often relies on redefining free will. (Source: Lecture)

Agent: a being with the ability to act. (Source: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/agency/)

First-Order Desire: a desire to perform a particular action. (Source: Lecture)

Second-Order Desire: a desire to have a first-order desire. Wanting to want to do something. (Source: Lecture)

Second-Order Volition: a second-order desire which is accompanied by a first-order desire to do the thing that the second-order desire is for a desire to do. (Source: Lecture)

Will: the first-order desire or desires which are motivating a being’s actions at a particular time. (Source: Lecture)

Wanton: a being which does not have second-order desires and thus does not care which of its first-order desires becomes its will. (Source: Lecture)

Existentialism: a broad school of philosophy characterized by the position that the existence of an object or person precedes and is more fundamental than its essence or meaning (Source: Lecture)

Anguish: the feeling that one is fundamentally responsible for both themself and all other humans. (Source: https://philosophynow.org/issues/15/A_students_guide_to_Jean-Paul_Sartres_Existentialism_and_Humanism)

Despair: the recognition that many aspects of the world are entirely beyond one’s control. (Source: https://philosophynow.org/issues/15/A_students_guide_to_Jean-Paul_Sartres_Existentialism_and_Humanism)