Module 1

Question 1

philosophy

Answer 1

the pursuit of wisdom

Question 2

wisdom

Answer 2

a potential quality of human understanding, wisdom is an awareness of the limiations of human understanding

Question 3

Proposition

Answer 3

a declarative sentence, which is either true or false

Question 4

subject

Answer 4

a conscious individual

Question 5

subjective

Answer 5

dependent upon the mind of an individual subject

Question 6

belief

Answer 6

any proposition that forms a part of the understanding of an individual subject

Question 7

understanding

Answer 7

the total set of beliefs of an individual subject

Question 8

object

Answer 8

anything that exists independently from the minds of subjects

Question 9

vulgar

Answer 9

in philosophy, the understanding of a subject prior to philosophical reflection.

Question 10

naïve

Answer 10

In philosophy, the understanding of a subject prior to philosophical reflection; Synonymous with “vulgar” in philosophy.

Question 11

contrary

Answer 11

a relationship between two propositions such that they cannot both be true, but they can both be false

Question 12

contradictory

Answer 12

a relationship between two propositions such that they cannot both be true, nor can they both be false (i.e., one must be true, while the other must be false.)

Question 13

qualities of propositions

Answer 13

correspondence, isolation, coherence, incoherence, efficacy, inefficacy, sufficiency, insufficiency, simplicity, complexity, aporia,

Question 14

correspondence

Answer 14

One of our potential qualities of propositions, correspondence is a potential relationship between a proposition (or a belief) and objective reality such that the proposition correctly represents objective reality. A proposition that lacks correspondence is said to be isolated.

Question 15

coherence

Answer 15

One of our potential qualities of propositions, coherence is a relationship between two propositions (or beliefs) such that it is theoretically possible for them to both be true at the same time. (In other words, they are neither contrary nor contradictory.) A pair of propositions that lack coherence are said to be incoherent.

Question 16

efficacy

Answer 16

A.K.A. “fruitfulness”, efficacy refers to the degree to which a proposition has any practical application (i.e., usefulness when put into practice). A proposition that lacks efficacy is said to be inefficacious.

Question 17

sufficiency

Answer 17

One of our potential qualities of propositions, sufficiency is sometimes A.K.A. either scope or explanatory power. Sufficiency concerns the degree to which the given proposition (or belief) explains the body of evidence with which we are concerned. A proposition that lacks sufficiency is said to be insufficient.

Question 18

simplicity

Answer 18

One of our potential qualities of propositions, simplicity concerns the number of assumptions entailed by a given proposition (or belief). Simplicity is a relative term, so there are degrees of simplicity, with propositions requiring relatively few assumptions being relatively simpler. A proposition that lacks simplicity is said to be complex.

Question 19

aporia

Answer 19

(from the Greek) 1) an objective quality of an overall set of propositions such that when taken together, those propositions cannot all be embraced or espoused intelligibly at the same time; 2) a psychological state of subjective bewilderment arising from recognizing aporia (in the former sense) in one’s own understanding.