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

Vocabulary Builder: Essential Words and Definitions

Cosy: Warm and comfortable.

Endangered: Said about species of animals in danger of extinction.

Fierce: Violent and savage.

Hectic: Extremely active.

Illogical: Something with a lack of logic.

Impossible: Something that cannot be done or achieved.

Inconvenient: Something that causes problems or difficulties.

International: Involving many nationalities.

Irrelevant: Something not important in a particular case.

Lifelong: Said about something that lasts or is supposed to remain forever.

Overpopulated: That has more people than permitted or advisable.

Tame: Change from wild to domesticate made by humans.

Unfair: Something that is not honest or fair.

Wild: Said of an animal living in its natural environment.

Phrases

The Nature of Knowledge: Senses and Reason

Reason and the senses are two primary "instruments" we use to experience reality. Thanks to our senses, we are aware of what is going on around us, which helps us to survive.

Sensitive knowledge is the result of processing all this information in our minds.

Sensitive Knowledge: Perception & Sensation

The information that reaches our senses is made up of sensations and perception. Sensations are psycho-physical phenomena. They occur when our sensory organs are stimulated. Perception is the interpretation of sensations captured by our senses. Both sensations and perception are selective.

The Role of Reason in Human Cognition

Reason, as a cognitive faculty, is exclusive to human beings. Only human beings... Continue reading "Human Understanding: Senses, Reason, and Knowledge Theories" »

   1.Argument: a set Of propositions consisting of premises and a conclusion.Deduction: Arguments where the conclusion follows necessarily from the premises.Induction: Arguments where the conclusion follows from the premises with some degree of Probability. Validity: when It is impossible for a deductive argument to have all true premises and a false Conclusion. Soundness: when a Deductive argument is valid and all the premises are actually true.Strength: when The conclusion is probable/likely relative to the premises in an inductive Argument. Reliability: when An inductive argument is strong and all the premises are actually true.It is important because is like the basis of Everything. It brings some structure of were to start the argument,

Machiavelli, Natural Law, and Virtù

Niccolò Machiavelli introduces a realism closer to Aristotle than to Plato, but he is also developing and applying the Stoic and Christian idea of natural law.

In Machiavelli’s hands, natural law becomes elevated above divine law and connected to the notion of good ruling or ability, known as virtù.

Defining the State

What is the State?

According to Velasquez: “The state is the highest authority in a society, with a legal power to define the public interest and enforce its definition” (520).

Contract Theory and Political Legitimacy

Contract Theory is one of the most influential theories in modern political philosophy. It posits that a healthy government and state derive their legitimacy from an agreement... Continue reading "Key Concepts in Modern Political Philosophy and Theory" »

Respect: An Essential Value for Humanity

Good evening, everyone.

I am pleased to be here with you today to talk about a topic that I believe is essential to humanity: **respect**.

Respect is the ability to recognize and value others, as well as their rights and opinions. It is a fundamental value that should be present in all human relationships, from the most intimate to the most formal.

Why Respect Is Important

Respect is important for several reasons:

• Positive Relationships: It allows people to relate to each other in a positive and constructive way. When we respect each other, we are more able to listen, understand, and come to agreements.
• Tolerance and Understanding: Respect promotes tolerance and understanding. When we respect others, even when

Forms of Economic Morality in Society

This treatise explores three distinct forms of economic morality inherent in every society. These are:

• Communism
• Exchange
• Hierarchy

It's crucial to understand that these are not political regimes; rather, they are fundamental principles that coexist and combine within any given society.

The Principle of Communism in Society

It is vital not to confuse this concept of communism with the political ideology associated with the USSR; these are distinct terms. The economic morality of communism, as discussed here, defines any human relationship operating under the principles of "each according to his possibilities; each according to his needs."

This principle forms the very basis of human sociability, making society... Continue reading "Understanding Economic Morality: Social Systems and Human Interaction" »

Philosophical Perspectives on Existence and Morality

Thomas Aquinas: Arguments for God's Existence

In his cosmological arguments, Thomas Aquinas presents his explanations for God's existence. His first argument, the Argument from Contingency, posits that everything in our world is dependent on something else for its existence. Therefore, there must be an independent Prime Mover—a first cause—that initiated everything into motion at the beginning of the universe.

Aquinas's fourth argument, the Argument from Gradations of Perfection, suggests that if individuals can judge some things as more perfect than others, then an ultimate source of perfection must exist.

His fifth argument, the Argument from Design, explains that the universe exhibits... Continue reading "Philosophical Debates: Existence, Morality, and Human Nature" »

BEAUTY AND AESTHETICS

What is beauty?: The human capacity to feel something or have sensations. In philosophy, AESTHETICS refers to a particular type of sensations: those related to beauty and ugliness

Philosophers and Beauty

The Greek philosophers believed that beauty is real by itself

Realists think that beauty is part of something else

Modernists believe that beauty is something we create

AESTHETICS-The study of beauty or the philosophy of art

THE AESTHETIC EXPERIENCE-When an encounter with beauty occurs, whether it is the product of nature or art

1. Feeling that time has stopped
2. Lightness in the perception of reality.
3. Forgetting self
4. Symbolic.
5. Ephemeral.
6. Pleasurable

The definition of beauty (according to aesthetics)

1. PERFECTION OF FORM
2. NEATNESS
3. AN ATTRACTIVE

Authority Before the 1500s

Before the 1500s, the final authority on most knowledge was derived from Greek and Roman thinkers and the Bible.

Origins of the Scientific Revolution

In the mid-1500s, attitudes shifted as people began basing their thinking on careful observation and a willingness to question traditional beliefs. Furthermore, European voyages of discovery revealed plants and animals previously unknown to ancient writers.

The Heliocentric Theory

Nicolaus Copernicus developed the heliocentric theory, which posits that the sun is the center of the solar system. This differed from the Church-supported geocentric theory, which claimed the Earth was the center of the universe. Copernicus delayed publishing his work due to fear of religious persecution.... Continue reading "The Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment: Key Concepts" »

The Importance of Ethical Values in Society

Values constitute the ethical foundations on which society is built and guide individual and collective actions towards common well-being. These principles, rooted in culture, religion, and philosophy, shape our decisions and interpersonal relationships, as well as our institutions and political systems.

Key examples of fundamental values include:

• Ethics
• Justice
• Solidarity
• Honesty
• Responsibility

These values promote mutual respect, equity, and harmonious coexistence in the community. Additionally, values serve as a moral compass, guiding our choices and actions toward human progress and the pursuit of a more just and sustainable world. In this sense, promoting and defending values becomes a vital task to... Continue reading "Social Foundations: Values, Sports, and Recreation" »