Philosophy Skills Test Flashcards
Develop skills for philosophical reasoning.
Argument vs. Assertation
Argument: Claim and reasoning for truth of claim
Assertion: Claim without reasoning
Premises vs. Conclusion
Premises: statements which support the conclusion in an argument
Conclusion: often final statement that receives support in an argument
Descriptive vs. Normative
Descriptive: proposes a case without giving opinion
i.e. John eats meat.
Normative: proposes a case that should or shouldn’t be
i.e. John shouldn’t eat meat.
Metaphysical Claim vs. Epistemic Claim
Metaphysical Claim: claim about existence
Epistemic Claim: claim that is about or relates to knowledge or reasoning
Deductive Validity vs. Soundness
D.V. : says that a conclusion MUST be true IF the premises are true
Soundness: when an argument is deductively valid and the premises are true.
Example vs. Counterexample
Example: Helps to illustrate claims
Counterexample: help to dispute generalizations
Empirical Claim vs. Philosophical Claim
Empirical: observation is sufficient to know or justify
Philosophical: cannot be justified by only observations
Logical Form
combination of logical relations between claims in an argument (logical form determines validity)
Deduction
Inference from one or multiple claims to a conclusion
everything conclusion says was contained in previous claims
Circularity
Must already believe conclusion to accept a premises
Induction
- non-deductive inference
- characteristics of an object in a sample
- makes inference about objects not in that sample
Abduction
- non-deductive inference
- from one explanation being the best explanation
- therefore that explanation becomes true
Observation
direct testimony of ANY sense
Humility Principle
the idea that you must resist believing something just because you want it to be true
Charity Principle
- presume that one has good reasons for a view
- only judge otherwise after examining strongest reason which supports the view
