Philosophy Flashcards
(199 cards)
1
Q
Who is considered the father of Western philosophy?
A
Socrates (470-399 BCE)
2
Q
What was Socrates’ famous method of inquiry?
A
The Socratic method
3
Q
What does the Socratic method involve?
A
Asking probing questions to stimulate critical thinking
4
Q
What was the main idea of Heraclitus’ philosophy?
A
Change is the fundamental essence of the universe
5
Q
What was Heraclitus’ famous saying about change?
A
No one steps in the same river twice
6
Q
Which philosophical school did Zeno of Citium found?
A
Stoicism
7
Q
What did Stoicism emphasize?
A
Ethics, logic, and the natural world
8
Q
What type of philosophy was Stoicism?
A
A school of Hellenistic philosophy
9
Q
Who said ‘Man is the measure of all things’?
A
Protagoras
10
Q
What is the Latin phrase for ‘Man is the measure of all things’?
A
Homo mensura omnium rerum est
11
Q
What was the central concept in Plato’s philosophy?
A
The Theory of Forms
12
Q
What does Plato’s Theory of Forms posit?
A
Non-material abstract forms represent the most accurate reality
13
Q
Who was Aristotle’s most famous student?
A
Alexander the Great
14
Q
When did Aristotle tutor Alexander the Great?
A
Before Alexander became the king of Macedonia
15
Q
What is one of Eratosthenes’ mathematical achievements?
A
The sieve of Eratosthenes (method for finding prime numbers)
16
Q
What astronomical measurements did Eratosthenes calculate?
A
The Earth’s circumference, The distance from Earth to the Sun and Moon
17
Q
How many stars did Eratosthenes catalogue?
A
675 stars
18
Q
What mathematical instrument did Eratosthenes construct?
A
The mesolabium
19
Q
What is the Latin translation of ‘Know thyself’?
A
Nosce te ipsum
20
Q
Where was ‘Know thyself’ (Nosce te ipsum) inscribed?
A
At the Temple of Apollo at Delphi
21
Q
What was the main focus of Epicurean philosophy?
A
Attaining happiness and tranquility
22
Q
How did Epicureanism suggest achieving happiness?
A
Through simple pleasures and freedom from fear and pain
23
Q
Who founded the Cynic school of philosophy?
A
Antisthenes, a pupil of Socrates
24
Q
Who was the most famous proponent of Cynicism?
A
Diogenes of Sinope
25
What is the Latin translation of 'I know that I know nothing'?
Scio me nihil scire
26
Which philosopher is associated with the saying 'I know that I know nothing'?
Socrates
27
What was the main principle of Stoic philosophy?
Living in accordance with reason and virtue
28
What aspects of life did Stoics emphasize?
Accepting one's fate and maintaining emotional equilibrium
29
Which philosopher is known for his paradoxes about motion?
Zeno of Elea
30
What is Zeno of Elea's most famous paradox?
Achilles and the Tortoise
31
What does the Achilles and the Tortoise paradox illustrate?
The concept of infinity and the theoretical impossibility of completing infinite divisions
32
What is the core concept of the Achilles and Tortoise paradox?
That Achilles can never catch the tortoise if given a head start because he must first reach where the tortoise was
33
What is the Latin translation of 'You cannot step twice into the same river'?
Non bis in idem flumen descendimus
34
Which philosopher said 'You cannot step twice into the same river'?
Heraclitus
35
What was the main focus of Socrates' philosophical inquiries?
Ethics
36
How did Socrates encourage philosophical thinking?
By examining beliefs and values through questioning
37
Who founded the Academy in Athens?
Plato
38
When was the Academy in Athens founded?
Around 387 BCE
39
What is significant about Plato's Academy?
It is often considered the first institution of higher learning in the Western world
40
Who was the most distinguished pupil of Plato?
Aristotle
41
Who was the most distinguished pupil of Socrates?
Plato
42
Who was the most distinguished pupil of Aristotle?
Alexander the Great
43
What is the Latin translation of 'Everything flows'?
Panta rhei
44
Which philosopher is associated with 'Everything flows' (Panta rhei)?
Heraclitus
45
What was the central idea of Democritus' philosophy?
The atomic theory
46
What did Democritus' atomic theory suggest?
All matter is composed of indivisible particles called atoms
47
Which philosopher is known as the 'laughing philosopher'?
Democritus
48
Why was Democritus called the 'laughing philosopher'?
Due to his emphasis on the value of cheerfulness
49
What is the Latin translation of 'Man is by nature a political animal'?
Homo est naturaliter politicum animal
50
Which philosopher said 'Man is by nature a political animal'?
Aristotle
51
Who was known as the 'philosopher in a barrel'?
Diogenes of Sinope
52
What philosophical school was Diogenes of Sinope associated with?
The Cynic school of philosophy
53
What concept did Diogenes of Sinope introduce?
Cosmopolitanism
54
How did Diogenes of Sinope describe himself?
A 'citizen of the world'
55
What school did Aristotle found?
The Peripatetic school of philosophy
56
Why was Aristotle's school called 'Peripatetic'?
Known for walking around during lectures
57
Who was Augustine of Hippo?
One of the greatest Church Fathers (354-430 CE)
58
How was Augustine of Hippo described in relation to Plato?
The 'Christianized Plato'
59
What were Augustine's main philosophical interests?
Truth, God, the human soul, nature of sin, and salvation
60
How long did Augustine's writings influence philosophy and theology?
Over a thousand years
61
What was Augustine's approach to faith and reason?
Faith precedes understanding (fides quaerens intellectum)
62
What does 'fides quaerens intellectum' mean?
Faith seeking understanding
63
What was Augustine's principle regarding philosophical investigations?
Never to go beyond the authority of God
64
What is the concept of 'divine illumination' associated with Augustine?
That human understanding is only possible through divine intervention
65
How did Augustine explain divine illumination?
God illuminates the mind to perceive intelligible truths
66
Who was Thomas Aquinas?
A Dominican friar (1225-1274) who synthesized Greek rationalism and Christian doctrine
67
What was Thomas Aquinas known for creating?
An influential synthesis of Greek rationalism and Christian doctrine
68
How is Thomas Aquinas described in relation to Aristotle?
He 'Christianized Aristotle'
69
What was Thomas Aquinas's view on the relationship between philosophy and theology?
Philosophy is the handmaiden of theology (philosophia ancilla theologiae)
70
What does 'philosophia ancilla theologiae' mean?
Philosophy is the handmaiden of theology
71
Who was Boethius?
A Roman Christian philosopher (480-524 CE)
72
Why was the early medieval period sometimes called the 'Boethian period'?
Due to Boethius's significant influence
73
What was Boethius's contribution to preserving Greek philosophy?
He translated many of Aristotle's logical works into Latin
74
What philosophical problem did Boethius introduce to the medieval world?
The problem of universals
75
What were the primary characteristics of medieval philosophy?
The use of logic (ratio), respect for ancient philosophers (auctoritas), coordination with theology (concordia), and emphasis on theological questions
76
What was Scholasticism?
The dominant method of teaching and learning in medieval universities from about the 12th to the 16th century
77
What did Scholasticism emphasize?
Dialectical reasoning and the reconciliation of authorities
78
What was the medieval debate concerning faith and reason?
Whether and how much philosophical reasoning should be used in understanding theological truths
79
What was Augustine's view on faith and understanding?
One must 'believe in order to understand'
80
What was the problem of universals in medieval philosophy?
Whether general categories exist in reality or are merely concepts in the mind
81
What position in the problem of universals states that universals exist independently of minds?
Realism
82
What position in the problem of universals states that universals are just names for collections of particulars?
Nominalism
83
What position in the problem of universals states that universals exist as concepts in the mind?
Conceptualism
84
How was the medieval cosmos viewed?
As a hierarchical, well-ordered system designed by God
85
What did medieval thinkers believe about perfect and imperfect things?
Perfect things preceded imperfect things
86
What was Neoplatonism in medieval philosophy?
A philosophical tradition viewing God as the ultimate reality
87
How did Neoplatonism view the universe?
As a hierarchical structure emanating from a transcendent One
88
What was Epicureanism's core teaching?
Pleasure (or the absence of pain) is the highest good
89
What happens to the soul according to Epicureanism?
At death our soul atoms disperse
90
How was Epicureanism often misunderstood in medieval times?
As hedonistic
91
What was Mysticism in medieval philosophy?
Religious movements involving direct experience or merger with God
92
What subjects made up the medieval Trivium?
Grammar, logic, and rhetoric
93
What was the purpose of the Trivium?
To teach students how to properly express, analyze, and persuade through language
94
What subjects made up the medieval Quadrivium?
Arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy
95
What did the Quadrivium represent?
The harmony of the universe through number and proportion
96
What did the seven liberal arts (Trivium and Quadrivium) prepare students for?
The study of philosophy and theology
97
What is the meaning of the Latin maxim 'Acta non verba'?
Deeds, not words
98
What is the meaning of 'Amor vincit omnia'?
Love conquers all
99
What is the origin of 'Amor vincit omnia'?
Virgil's Eclogues
100
What is the meaning of 'Audere est facere'?
To dare is to do
101
What is the meaning of 'Verba volant
scripta manent'?
102
What is the meaning of 'Calamus gladio fortior'?
The pen is mightier than the sword
103
What is Augustine's statement that predates Descartes' 'cogito ergo sum'?
Si fallor, sum (If I err, I exist)
104
Who was Arthur Schopenhauer?
A German 19th century philosopher (1788-1860) known for his pessimistic worldview
105
What was Schopenhauer's major work?
The World as Will and Representation
106
What was Schopenhauer's daily routine?
Up at seven, bath, coffee, write till midday, flute practice, lunch, read till four, daily walk, library, concert or theatre, then early to bed
107
How long did Schopenhauer follow his strict daily routine?
For 27 years
108
What Eastern philosophy influenced Schopenhauer?
Buddhism
109
How is Schopenhauer's work described in relation to Buddhism?
A Western interpretation of Buddhist enlightened pessimism
110
What is Schopenhauer's concept of 'Will-to-Life'?
A constant force that makes humans focus on sex and reproduction
111
How does the 'Will-to-Life' operate according to Schopenhauer?
Independently of our intellect, making us focus on reproducing even against our rational interests
112
What was Schopenhauer's view on love?
A trick of nature designed to ensure reproduction of the species
113
What did Schopenhauer believe about happiness?
Humans do not exist to be happy
114
How did Schopenhauer view life?
As a history of suffering
115
What was Schopenhauer's first solution to the problems of existence?
Become a sage: overcome desires, live alone, never marry, quell appetite for fame and status
116
What was Schopenhauer's second solution to the problems of existence?
Spend time with art and philosophy (aesthetic contemplation) to escape the cycle of striving
117
Who was Friedrich Nietzsche?
A German philosopher (1844-1900) known for concepts like 'Übermensch' and 'will to power'
118
What famous declaration is associated with Nietzsche?
God is dead
119
What is Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of 'Übermensch'?
The ideal of a superior human who creates their own values based on the affirmation of life
120
What does 'Übermensch' mean?
Superman or Overman
121
What has the 'Übermensch' overcome according to Nietzsche?
Conventional Christian morality
122
Who was Søren Kierkegaard?
A Danish philosopher (1813-1855) considered the father of existentialism
123
What philosophical movement is Kierkegaard associated with?
Existentialism
124
What did Kierkegaard emphasize?
Individual existence, freedom, and choice
125
What is the first stage of life according to Kierkegaard?
The aesthetic stage (pursuit of pleasure)
126
What is the second stage of life according to Kierkegaard?
The ethical stage (commitment to duty and social norms)
127
What is the third stage of life according to Kierkegaard?
The religious stage (personal relationship with God)
128
Who was Karl Marx?
A German philosopher, economist, and political theorist (1818-1883)
129
What theory did Karl Marx develop?
Historical materialism and critique of capitalism
130
What are Karl Marx's most influential works?
The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital
131
What is 'dialectical materialism'?
A philosophy that applies Hegelian dialectics to the material world
132
What do Marx and Engels argue drives historical development in dialectical materialism?
Economic conditions and class struggles
133
Who was John Stuart Mill?
An English philosopher and political economist (1806-1873)
134
What ethical theory is John Stuart Mill associated with?
Utilitarianism
135
What did Mill argue about actions?
Actions are right insofar as they promote happiness and wrong as they produce unhappiness
136
What did Mill focus on in his version of utilitarianism?
The quality of pleasures, not just quantity
137
Who was Jean-Paul Sartre?
A French philosopher, playwright, and novelist (1905-1980)
138
What philosophical movement is Sartre associated with?
Existentialism
139
What is Sartre's famous existentialist belief?
Existence precedes essence
140
What does 'existence precedes essence' mean?
Humans first exist and then define themselves through their choices and actions
141
Who was Simone de Beauvoir?
A French existentialist philosopher and feminist theorist (1908-1986)
142
What is Simone de Beauvoir best known for?
The Second Sex (1949), a foundational work of modern feminism
143
What is de Beauvoir's famous quote about womanhood?
One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman
144
What does de Beauvoir's quote about womanhood emphasize?
That female identity is socially constructed
145
Who was Ludwig Wittgenstein?
An Austrian-British philosopher (1889-1951) who worked in logic, philosophy of mind, and language
146
What was Wittgenstein's early major work?
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
147
What did Wittgenstein's early work focus on?
The logical structure of language and the world
148
What was Wittgenstein's later major work?
Philosophical Investigations
149
How did Wittgenstein's later work differ from his early work?
It rejected his earlier views and focused on how language functions in social contexts
150
What is Michel Foucault's concept of 'power-knowledge'?
The idea that power and knowledge are interconnected
151
According to Foucault
how are power and knowledge related?
152
What does Foucault's power-knowledge relationship shape?
Social institutions and practices
153
What is Jacques Derrida's concept of 'deconstruction'?
A method of critical analysis that challenges binary oppositions in texts
154
What does deconstruction reveal?
Hidden assumptions and contradictions
155
What does deconstruction question?
The idea that language can directly represent reality
156
Who is Jürgen Habermas?
A German philosopher and sociologist (born 1929) associated with the Frankfurt School
157
What is Habermas's theory of communicative action?
A theory arguing that the primary purpose of communication is to reach mutual understanding
158
What does ideal communication require according to Habermas?
Certain conditions of freedom and equality
159
Who is Martha Nussbaum?
An American philosopher (born 1947) who developed the capabilities approach
160
What is the capabilities approach?
An approach to welfare economics focusing on the freedom individuals have to achieve the kinds of lives they value
161
What does the capabilities approach focus on instead of just economic metrics?
The freedom individuals have to achieve the kinds of lives they value
162
Who is Peter Singer?
An Australian moral philosopher (born 1946) known for his advocacy of utilitarianism and effective altruism
163
What ethical position is Peter Singer known for?
Utilitarianism and effective altruism
164
What does Singer argue we should do?
Act to maximize overall happiness and reduce suffering
165
What does Singer include in his ethical considerations?
The interests of non-human animals
166
Who was Hannah Arendt?
A German-American political theorist (1906-1975)
167
What concept did Hannah Arendt develop after observing Eichmann's trial?
The banality of evil
168
What did Hannah Arendt explore in her work?
Freedom, authority, and the nature of political action
169
Who is Slavoj Žižek?
A Slovenian philosopher (born 1949)
170
What philosophical traditions influence Žižek's work?
Hegelian idealism, Marxism, and Lacanian psychoanalysis
171
What does Žižek's work critique?
Capitalism, ideology, and analysis of popular culture
172
What is Phenomenology?
The philosophical study of the structures of experience and consciousness
173
Who founded Phenomenology?
Edmund Husserl in the early 20th century
174
What does Phenomenology focus on?
The study of phenomena as they appear in our experience
175
Who further developed the phenomenological approach?
Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Jean-Paul Sartre
176
What is Pragmatism?
A philosophical tradition that began in the United States around 1870
177
What does Pragmatism hold about the meaning and truth of ideas?
They should be evaluated by their practical consequences
178
Who are key figures in Pragmatism?
Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, and John Dewey
179
What is Analytic Philosophy?
A style of philosophy that emerged in the early 20th century
180
What does Analytic Philosophy focus on?
Clarity, precision, and linguistic analysis
181
What does Analytic Philosophy emphasize?
Logical analysis and language as central to philosophical method
182
Who are key figures in Analytic Philosophy?
Bertrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and G.E. Moore
183
What is Positivism?
A philosophical system recognizing only observable phenomena and empirical facts as valid knowledge
184
Who developed Positivism?
Auguste Comte in the early 19th century
185
What does Positivism hold about different stages of thought?
Metaphysical and theological stages are less developed than the scientific or 'positive' stage
186
What is Post-structuralism?
A philosophical movement that developed in the late 20th century as a response to structuralism
187
What does Post-structuralism challenge?
The idea that systems have definable underlying structures
188
What does Post-structuralism question?
Binary oppositions that structure thought
189
Who are key figures in Post-structuralism?
Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, and Gilles Deleuze
190
What is Critical Theory?
A philosophical approach that seeks to critique and change society, not just understand it
191
Where did Critical Theory originate?
With the Frankfurt School in the 1930s
192
What does Critical Theory combine?
Marxist ideas with other disciplines like psychoanalysis
193
Who are key figures in Critical Theory?
Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, and later Jürgen Habermas
194
What is the meaning of "Man is condemned to be free"?
L'homme est condamné à être libre
195
Who said "Man is condemned to be free"?
Jean-Paul Sartre
196
What is the German phrase for "God is dead"?
Gott ist tot
197
Who said "God is dead"?
Friedrich Nietzsche
198
What is the meaning of "Festina lente"?
Make haste slowly
199
What type of phrase is "Festina lente"?
A Latin oxymoron adopted as a Polish proverb
