Philosophy

Philosophy Study Guide

1.13 Chapter One Terminology

● Aesthetics: The study of beauty, art, and taste. ● Argument: A form of thinking in which certain statements (reasons) are offered in support of another statement (a conclusion). ● Causal reasoning: A form of inductive argument in which one event is claimed to be the result of the occurrence of another event. ● Conclusion: A statement that explains, asserts, or predicts on the basis of statements (known as reasons or premises) that are offered as evidence for it. ● Deductive argument: An argument form in which one reasons from premises that are known or assumed to be true to a conclusion that follows necessarily from these premises. ● Empirical generalization: A form inductive reasoning in which a general statement is made about an entire group (the target population) based on observing some members of the group (the sample population). ● Epistemology: The study of the construction of knowledge. ● Ethics: The study of moral values and principles. ● Fallacies: Unsound arguments that are often persuasive because they usually appeal to our emotions and prejudices and because they often support conclusions that we want to believe are accurate. ● Inductive argument: A conclusion can be assumed true based off of the strength of its premise which was either known or assumed to be true. The conclusion is supported by the premise by it does not follow from them. ● Invalid argument: An argument in which the reasons do not support the conclusion so that the conclusion does not follow from the reasons offered. ● Logic and critical thinking: The study of correct reasoning, clear understanding, and valid arguments. ● Metaphysics: The study of the ultimate characteristics of reality or existence. ● Political and social philosophy: The study of social values and political forms of government. ● Reasons or premises: Statements used to support, justify, or increase the probability of truthfulness of another statement (known as a conclusion). ● Sound argument: An argument that has both true reasons and a valid structure. ● Syllogism: An argument form that consists of two premises (major and minor) that lead the analyst to a logical conclusion. ● Unsound argument: An argument that has either false reasons or an invalid structure. ● Valid argument: An argument in which the conclusion follows the reasons offered. The reasons offered are used to support the conclusion.

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