Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Philosophy and ethics

Key Figures in Rationalist Philosophy

1. Who are the Three Great Rationalists?

1. Descartes, Plato, and Spinoza
2. Descartes, Leibniz, and Spinoza
3. Descartes, Leibniz, and Locke

Answer: B. Descartes, Leibniz, and Spinoza. Their philosophy emphasizes the importance of innate reasoning abilities in acquiring knowledge.

2. What is Saint Augustine's "Confessions" About?

1. Life
2. Religion
3. Nature of Time

Answer: C. Nature of time. He famously stated: "If no one asks me what time is, I know; if they ask and I try to explain, I do not know."

3. From Which Community was Spinoza Expelled?

1. Christian community
2. Jewish community
3. Muslim community

Answer: B. Jewish community. He was expelled due to his philosophical views, which were considered heretical.

4. How did St. Augustine Fuse

U11: Count on

to be confident that you can depend on someone. Fall out: to argue with someone and stop being friendly with them. Finish with: to end a romantic relationship with someone. go off: to stop linking or being interested in someone or something. Hit it off: people hit it off, they like each other and become friendly immediately. let down: to disappoint someone by failing to do what you agreed to do or were expected to do. look down on: to think that you are better than someone. look up to: to admire and respect someone. stick together: people stick together, they support and help each other. take after: to be similar to an older member of you family in appearance or character. Compound adjectives: Badly behaved: behaving in a way that... Continue reading "English Phrasal Verbs and Compound Adjectives" »

What is an Insurance Policy

It's a contract of agreement between the insurer and the policy holder. It contains the terms and conditions.

The insurer agrees to cover the losses, if they occur, in return for premium payments.

Principles

• Principle of Insurable Interest: You can't insure anything that is not in your name. You can only insure something that, if something bad happens to it, you incur losses.
• Principle of Indemnity: The insurer will only return you the current value of the loss, they will pay you the current value of the object right before the incident, not the original price.
• Principle of Subrogation: Your insurance company pays the money and then they ask for the money from the company that has to pay.
• Principle of Contribution: When

1. common law: interpretation throught past decisions of higher courts wich interpert the same statues, applies customary law principles to similar facts, not all inclusive, ownership is by use
2. codelaw: legal system is commercial, civil and criminal, ownership by registration
3. islamic law: the interpretation of koran, complete sytem for propert rights, economics decision, type of economic freedom, prohibition for payment of interest,emphasis on ethical, moral,social
4. conciliation: formal or informal, private adn confidential, statements may not be disclosed, signature is recorded
5. arbitration: disinterested parties as referees, formally conducted, enfoceable under the law
6. litigation: fear o creating a poor image, unfair treatment in a freign court, difficulty

1. Brotherhood Identity Alteration

   The Brotherhood alters its members' identities by surgically changing their appearances beyond recognition.

2. Brotherhood's Resilience Explained

   O'Brien states the Brotherhood can never be wiped out because its individual members possess very little knowledge of its overall workings, size, or activities.

3. Winston's Toast with O'Brien and Julia

   Winston suggests he, Julia, and O’Brien drink the last of the wine to toast the past.

4. O'Brien's Promised Delivery to Winston

   O’Brien tells Winston he will arrange for a man with a briefcase to deliver a copy of the book written by Goldstein, which explains the Brotherhood’s principles.

5. Winston's Question About the Rhyme

   Before leaving, Winston asks O’Brien if he knows the rhyme

How to Write a Thesis Statement

Features of the Analytical Genre

1. Never use personal pronouns (I, me, my, we, us, our, you, etc.).
2. No rhetorical questions.
3. Do not use figurative language yourself.
4. No contractions (don't = do not).
5. Events in the novel are written in present tense ("Falk goes to Gretchen's").

Structure of an Analytical Essay

Purpose of an Analytical Essay

1. The entire purpose of an analytical essay is to respond (answer) to an essay-question analyzing evidence to support/justify your response.
2. In order to respond (answer) the essay question, you must create your thesis statement.
3. Your thesis statement is your response to the question. It is the purpose of your essay. It will dictate what you write in your body paragraphs.

Thesis Statements

1. A

Essential Vocabulary for Everyday English Communication

Money and Shopping

• Bargains: Something cheap.
• Browsing: Looking around in a shop, comparing prices.
• Can't afford: Can't pay for it.
• Clubbed together: Saving money with someone.
• Designer label: Exclusive named brand.
• Economical with the truth: Not the whole truth.
• Fork out: Spend a lot of money on something.
• Help themselves: To take as much as they wanted.
• Overdrawn: With no money.
• Redundancies: Firing employees.
• Splash out: Spend an extravagant sum of money.
• Stingy: Unwilling to give or spend; not generous.
• Tax havens: Not paying taxes.

Media and Communication

• Billboard: A big publicity advertisement.
• Biased: Favorable to some ideas.
• Broadcast: Emit on mass media.
• Censorship: Not being able to express yourself.

1. Saussure's Langue and Barthes's Myth

Langue

Saussure's concept of langue refers to the underlying system of rules and conventions that govern a language. It's the internal structure, understood by a social group, that allows for communication. While rarely consciously considered in daily life, langue provides the framework for linguistic expression.

Myth

Barthes's concept of myth builds upon Saussure's work. He argues that signs don't inherently possess meaning; meaning is arbitrary and culturally constructed. Myths are created through connotations attached to objects, making these associations feel natural. Advertisements often leverage myths to enhance product appeal.

Example of Myth in Advertising

A recent car commercial depicts a rugged,... Continue reading "Semiotics, Masculinity, and Verisimilitude in Media" »

3. What is this allegory about? What characters intervene in it? What happens to the prisoner from the beginning to the end? Could it be based on some historical character? Who?

Plato believed that we exist in a physical world, akin to a cave, where we perceive only shadows and appearances. This allegory symbolizes the state of uneducated individuals and serves as the foundation of human existence. Beyond the cave lies the realm of ideas.

The central figure in this allegory is the prisoner, who undergoes a transformative journey from darkness to enlightenment.

Initially, we find ourselves chained, fixated on a wall, perceiving mere shadows. However, through education, we can break free and venture into the outside world. Yet, upon returning to... Continue reading "The Allegory of the Cave: Exploring Plato's Metaphorical Journey" »