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

Essential Vocabulary List

• Sublime: Such excellence or beauty as to inspire great admiration.
• Potentate: A person who possesses great power as a ruler.
• Requisition: An authoritative or formal demand.
• Adjuration: An oath or promise.
• Cessation: A temporary or complete stopping.
• Supplicatory: Asking humbly and earnestly.
• Implacable: Relentless; unstoppable.
• Admonitory: Cautioning of something; warning.
• Obstinacy: Stubbornness.
• Aphorism: A pithy observation that contains a general truth.
• Cadence: A modulation or inflection in the voice.
• Compunction: A feeling of guilt or moral scruple that follows the doing of something bad.
• Abject: Extremely bad, unpleasant, or degrading.
• Dejected: To make sad or dispirited.
• Propitiate: To win or regain the favor of a god or

Developing the Argument

• Let us begin by saying that…
• First of all, … must be emphasized…
• We are assuming that…
• First, let us concentrate on the problem of…
• First, we need to consider whether…
• We have taken as a starting point…
• If we start from the principle of…, we shall be able to see how…
• The first… that we shall examine is…

Connecting Elements

• However, we should now focus our attention on…
• Let us move on to another aspect of…
• Let us turn our attention to the second point that…
• Next, we shall look at another closely related issue…
• Next, we shall consider…
• Let us now move on to…
• But, to return to the issue…
• Let us look in greater detail at…

The Other Side of the Argument

• Now let us move on to the second argument, according

Essential Vocabulary List: D-Words

• Derelict: Neglectful; delinquent.
• Desist: To stop doing something.
• Devout: Deeply religious.
• Diatribe: A bitter, abusive denunciation.
• Dichotomy: Division into two parts, especially contradictory ones.
• Diffuse: To cause to spread out.
• Dilapidated: Broken-down.
• Dilate: To make larger.
• Dilemma: A situation in which one must choose between two equally unattractive choices.
• Diminution: The act or process of diminishing.
• Dire: Disastrous.
• Dirge: A funeral song.
• Disaffect: To cause to lose affection.
• Disarray: Disorder.
• Disclaim: To deny any claim to.
• Discomfit: To frustrate.
• Disconcert: To upset.
• Discourse: Spoken or written expression in words.
• Discrepancy: Difference.
• Discursive: Rambling from one topic to another, usually aimlessly.

Meaning of Insurance

Insurance is a form of contract under which one party (the Insurer or Insurance Company) agrees, in return for a consideration (the Insurance Premium), to pay an agreed sum of money to another party (the Insured) to compensate for a loss, damage, or injury to something of value in which the insured has a financial interest as a result of some uncertain event.

Core Principles of Insurance

Insurance contracts are governed by several fundamental principles:

1. Utmost Good Faith (Uberrimae Fidei)

   Insurance contracts are based upon mutual trust and confidence between the insurer and the insured. It is a condition of every insurance contract that both parties (the insurer and the insured) must disclose every material fact and information

Essential English Vocabulary List

• Confine: "To limit an activity." Example: "Please confine your use of the phone to business calls."
• Fail: "To not succeed in what you are trying to achieve." Example: "He failed in his attempt to break the record."
• Engage: "To employ someone." Example: "I have engaged a secretary to deal with all my paperwork."
• Deal: "An agreement, especially in business." Example: "She got a good deal on her new house."
• Catch: "To take hold of something." Example: "He caught hold of my arm."
• Remove: "To take something away." Example: "This detergent will remove even old stains."
• Partner: "A person or organization you are closely involved with in some way." Example: "He gave up his job as a police officer after his partner was killed.

The Concept of Jihad and Its Relation to Terrorism

“The concept of Jihad is the basis of terrorism.” (You may agree or disagree with the statement on the basis of facts you may provide.)

While Islam in general is misunderstood in the Western world, perhaps no other Islamic term evokes such strong reactions as the word Jihad. I strongly disagree with the assertion that Jihad is the basis of terrorism. In this essay, I will argue why terrorism cannot be compared to Jihad and state the fundamental differences between both terms.

The Misconception of Holy War

The word Jihad is often mistranslated as “Holy War.” The Arabic equivalent of “Holy War” is harb-u-muqadasah. This term is not found in any verse of the Qur’an. There is nothing... Continue reading "Distinguishing Jihad from Terrorism: A Conceptual Analysis" »

The Philosophical Problem of Truth

Truth Concerning Reality: Appearance vs. Essence

The term “truth” can be identified here with true reality as opposed to mere appearance. The distinction between reality and appearance has been the subject of a long debate throughout the history of philosophy. This debate has often been dominated by the conception that appearances are concealments of reality.

Things are often not as they appear. For example, objects do not become smaller when they move away, and a stick does not bend when it is immersed in water. Appearances are deceptive and hide the true reality, since we cannot always see how things are in reality.

Truth Concerning Knowledge

The concept of truth can also be applied to propositions and knowledge... Continue reading "Defining Truth: Correspondence, Coherence, and Scientific Methods" »

Core Vocabulary: Social Action and Fundraising Terms

Activism and Protest Terminology

Activist:

Activista

Appeal:

Apelación

Attend a rally:

Asistir a un mitin

Banner:

Bandera

Campaign:

Campaña

Demonstrator:

Manifestante

Go on a march:

Ir en marcha

Petition:

Petición

Protest:

Protesta

Protester:

Manifestante

Rally:

Reunión / Mitin

Sign a petition:

Firmar una petición

Slogan:

Eslogan

Take part:

Tomar parte / Participar

Take part in a sit-in:

Participar en una sentada

Charity and Fundraising Vocabulary

Animal charity:

Caridad animal

Charity (Adjective):

Caritativo

Donation:

Donación

Donor:

Donante

Fundraising activity:

Actividad para recaudar dinero

Raise awareness of:

Crear conciencia de

Raise funds:

Recaudar fondos

Sponsor:

Patrocinador

Sponsorship:

Patrocinio

Sponsored walk:

Marcha benéfica

Volunteer:

The Rise of Advanced Robotic Arms

This article discusses robotic arms developed by companies such as Amazon and FedEx, capable of picking and sorting objects with human-like dexterity.

For years, engineers have strived to replicate the human capacity to grip and manipulate objects using robots. However, recent advancements in artificial intelligence, camera technology, and engineering now enable robots to "see" and dynamically adjust their grip on objects of varying sizes and shapes.

Critics express concern that this technology will lead to significant job losses. Others, however, raise different concerns, including the potential for higher worker injury rates or the need for stricter human surveillance to ensure production targets are met.

According... Continue reading "Robotic Arms and AI: Shaping the Future of Work" »

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