PHILOSOPHY MID-TERM EXAM REVIEW
KEY TERMS:
Tabula Rasa * “Blank slate” * When we are born, we are blank – there is no preconceived ideas and through our experiences we are imprinted on * LOCKE

Cogito Ergo Sum * “I think, therefore I am” * DESCARTES

Novum Organum * “New Organism” * Bacon hopes that empirical investigation will, similarly, smash the old scientific ideas and lead to greater understanding of the world and heavens. * FRANCIS BACON

A Priori * Before me (before human experience); existing in the mind prior to an independent of experience, as a faculty or character trait; no experience needed

A Posteriori * After me; knowledge required through our experiences and senses; from particular instances to a general principle or law; based upon actual observation or upon experimental data

Purism * Acquisition of knowledge through our senses and experiences

Metacognition * To be aware of our existence * “Life is what you make it”

Humanism * Thinking about the philosophies of this life and the world we live in today

Pedagogy *

Metaphysics * Deals with the first principles of things, including abstract concepts such as being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time, and space * Abstract theory or talk with no basis in reality

Solipsism * The mind creates the world around us * Does the world exist outside of the mind?

SCHOOLS OF EPISTEMOLOGY:
Epistemology
* Acquisition of knowledge

Empiricism * Doctrine that all knowledge is derived from sense experience

Rationalism * All knowledge is expressible in self- evident propositions or their consequences * Acquisition of knowledge through our mind (reasoning/critical thinking)
Mysticism
* God given revelation; given knowledge through some kind of spiritual/supernatural entity
Scepticism
* Belief that absolute knowledge does not exist
Pragmatism
* Belief that watching people and seeing how things turn out (result orientated)
PERSONALITIES (PHILOSOPHERS):

CHARLEMAGNE * Responsible for the renaissance * Renaissance * Began in Italy * “Rebirth of the classical period” * Starting again with the material that was destroyed in the past * Challenge ideas and power; period of questioning * ENGLIGHTENMENT IS A REACTION TO THE RENAISSANCE

FRANCIS BACON * Novum Ogranum (New Organism)

DECARTES * Writing during Renaissance * Rationalist * “I think, therefore I am” = “I doubt, therefore I think” * All ideas begin in the mind * We can be deceived by our senses; our senses can distract our mind * We live in an imperfect world; we are imperfect (God is perfection we are not) * Identity resides in our mind and our body gets us around * “Life is what you make it” * METHOD OF INQUIRY (4 STEP PROCESS TO ARRIVE TO TRUTH) 1. Accept nothing as true which I did not clearly recognize to be so – you have to have first hand knowledge to know