final exam

Question 1

deductive reasoning

Answer 1

something is deductively valid if its conclusion follows logically from its premises

syllogism, valid, invalid

Question 2

inductive reasoning

Answer 2

tries to draw a general conclusion from specific observations

falls short of absolute proof but can be convincing due to probabilities

every elephant I’ve ever seen has been gray, so all elephants must be gray.

Question 3

abductive reasoning

Answer 3

infers which of several explanations for particular observed facts is the most compelling

either he isn’t texting me back because his phone died or he got kidnapped, his phone probably died

Question 4

argument by analogy

Answer 4

similar situations are used as a basis to guess what may happen

I had a bad time at the last party, I’ll probably have a bad time at this one too

Question 5

reductio ad absurdum

Answer 5

a method of proving a falsity of a premise by showing that its logical consequence is absurd or contradictory

can often lead to a logical fallacy

if a store offered unlimited free samples of a product, then no one would ever buy the product

Question 6

slippery slope

Answer 6

if A happens, then eventually B and C will happen, XYZ will happen too, Z= usually bad

lowering the voting age will lead to babies voting

Question 7

post hoc ergo propter hoc

Answer 7

if A occurred after B, then B must have caused A

I drank water, now I’m sick, it had to have been the water that made me sick

Question 8

hasty generalisation

Answer 8

you reach a conclusion before you have near enough evidence to make a conclusion

I’ve met 3 redheads and they were all mean, so all redheads are mean

Question 9

genetic fallacy

Answer 9

the idea is bad because of where it came from

VWs are bad because they were made by Nazis

Question 10

false dichotomy

Answer 10

(either/or)

oversimplifying the argument by reducing it to two sides

either you support this new law, or you’re a criminal

Question 11

ad hominem

Answer 11

the attack of the character of a person rather than their arguments or opinions

you wouldn’t know which sport is best, you’re too lazy

Question 12

red herring

Answer 12

diversionary tactic that avoids a key issue, avoids opposing arguments rather than addressing them

a politician is confronted with corruption and says “look how corrupt Russia is!”

Question 13

mind body problem

Answer 13

am i entirely a part of the physical world, or is there a part of me that is separate from that?

what is the separate me and how do we know?

Question 14

dualism

Answer 14

(Cartesian dualism/mind-body dualism)

you have a physical body, includes brain

you have a non-physical mind which interacts with your physical body

Question 15

idealism

Answer 15

reality is totally mental or spiritual in nature

physical world is not fundamentally real

things become real as your mind processes them

Question 15

physicalism/materialism

Answer 15

there is only a physical reality

functions on electricity/chemistry

mind is just brain reacting to the physical world around it

Question 16

determinism

Answer 16

everything (w/o exception) is causally determined by prior events

human thoughts, choices, and actions are events

therefore, human thoughts, choices, and actions are without exception causally determined by prior events

Question 17

libertarianism

Answer 17

introspection, deliberation, moral responsibility

Question 18

introspection

Answer 18

the fact that the process of choosing the option you don’t desire takes time and effort, showing that it is a choice, not determined

Question 19

deliberation

Answer 19

since we deliberate and choose the best of two options, we experience the fact that the decision is not already latent in the causes acting on us

Question 20

moral responsibility

Answer 20

if nobody is morally responsible for anything, then everyone is morally equal, even if it is a really good person or a murderer.

Question 21

libertarian agency theory

Answer 21

not all human actions are free and undetermined, but some are

our decisions may be influenced by a number of factors, they are not causally determined by prior factors (psychological states or external factors)

Question 21

compatibilism/soft determinism

Answer 21

everything is determined, you’re responsible anyway

circumstantial freedom is enough for moral responsibility

acts freely done are those whose immediate causes are psychological states in the agent

Question 22

circumstantial freedom

Answer 22

the ability and opportunity to perform whatever action we choose

(ignores external forces, obstacles, natural limitations)

ought implies can

Question 23

metaphysical freedom

Answer 23

the power of the self to choose between genuine alternatives free will

Question 24

rationalism

Answer 24

distrust all senses before abandoning beliefs reason has veto power over sense experience fundamental truths are A priori, either innate or self evident in our minds

Question 25

empiricism

Answer 25

the only genuine source of knowledge is sense experience reason is unreliable unless grounded in sense experience there are no innate ideas within the mind that are apart from experience

Question 26

big ideas of Kantian absolutism

Answer 26

the only thing that has absolute, unqualified moral value is good will categorical imperatives: conformity to a universalized law treat each person as an end unto themselves (never use someone as a mere means to your own ends) you don't do what everyone else does, you do what you think is right (trolley problem: don't pull the lever because killing 1 person intentionally is wrong)

Question 26

categorical imperative

Answer 26

universal moral law that should hold true for everyone, always

Question 27

strengths of Kantian absolutism

Answer 27

derived from pure reason analyzes any possible consequences and decides what the best thing to do is (universalizability) it is not fair to make exceptions for yourself, you are equal to others

Question 28

weaknesses of Kantian absolutism

Answer 28

inflexible, not circumstantial, people rarely act purely out of duty,

Question 29

big ideas of utilitarianism

Answer 29

an action is morally right if it produces at least as much good (value, utility) as any other course of action act vs rule utilitarianism (trolley problem, pull the lever to save the 5)

Question 30

act utilitarianism

Answer 30

looks at the consequence of each individual act and calculates utility each time the act is performed

Question 31

rule utilitarianism

Answer 31

looks at the consequences of having everyone follow a particular rule and calculates the overall utility of accepting or rejecting the rule