LogicHIGHER-ORDER LOGICS
November 15, 2023

HIGHER-ORDER LOGICS

The language sketched above is better referred to as first-order predicate calculus, as the language only quantifies over (first-order) individuals. A stronger language, second-order predicate calculus, can therefore be constructed…
Philosophy BranchesTraditional Branches of PhilosophyMETAPHYSICS
December 12, 2023

METAPHYSICS

Metaphysics is the philosophical investigation of reality, including the nature of the world and the entities it contains. While such an investigation inevitably overlaps with natural philosophy—the sciences, especially physics…
CONTINENTAL PHILOSOPHYHistory Of PhilosophyPHENOMENOLOGY
November 15, 2023

PHENOMENOLOGY

As originally developed by Edmund Husserl (1859–1938), phenomenology seeks to provide a detailed description of the way in which things are presented to us—that is to say, phenomena —in an…
History Of PhilosophyANALYTIC PHILOSOPHYLOGICAL POSITIVISM
November 15, 2023

LOGICAL POSITIVISM

Originally founded by Auguste Comte (1798–1857), Positivism was primarily a view about science. Influenced by Immanuel Kant’s (1724-1804) assertion that knowledge of things-inthemselves was impossible, Comte argued that our scientific…
History Of PhilosophyPYTHAGOREANISM
November 15, 2023

PYTHAGOREANISM

Based on the teachings of Pythagoras (c. 570–495 BC) and the school he established inCroton in southern Italy, we may conclude that, in many ways, Pythagoreanism was more ofa mystery…
FORMS OF PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGWriting PhilosophyTHE ESSAY OF REFUTATION
November 20, 2023

THE ESSAY OF REFUTATION

The essay of refutation takes the position “I disagree.” Its objective is to persuade the reader that the argument of another is false, flawed, unlikely, implausible, or in some other…
Writing PhilosophyWHAT IS GOOD PHILOSOPHICAL WRITING?
November 24, 2023

WHAT IS GOOD PHILOSOPHICAL WRITING?

Writing effectively for a philosophy course does not merely start with the general principles of good writing just outlined, it sets out to show mastery of these principles. It embodies…
Modern Branches of PhilosophyPhilosophy BranchesPHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
November 14, 2023

PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE

Many of the topics within the philosophy of science overlap with topics in metaphysics, epistemology, and the philosophy of language insofar as they apply within our scientific practice. Metaphysical issues,…
THE EARLY MODERN PERIODHistory Of PhilosophyRATIONALISM
November 15, 2023

RATIONALISM

Rationalism designates a variety of philosophical schools maintaining that reason, as opposed to empirical investigation, is the most important method of acquiring knowledge.
PHILOSOPHICAL BOOKS AND TEXTINTRODUCTORY PHILOSOPHY TEXTS
November 27, 2023

INTRODUCTORY PHILOSOPHY TEXTS

There is no substitute for grappling primary sources. Nevertheless, secondary sources—including scholarly research, literary reviews, historical summaries—are valuable tools. They not only show you how you can begin thinking about…
NON-WESTERN PHILOSOPHICAL TRADITIONSHistory Of PhilosophyAFRICAN PHILOSOPHY
November 15, 2023

AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY

The earliest indigenous African philosophy to produce written documents emerged during the seventeenth century, especially in Ethiopia. Zera Yacob (1599–1692), whose Hatata (1667) has been compared to René Descartes’ Discourse…
FORMS OF PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGWriting PhilosophyFORMS OF PHILOSOPHICAL WRITING
November 20, 2023

FORMS OF PHILOSOPHICAL WRITING

The word essay comes from the French infinitive verb essayer, meaning “to try” or “to attempt.” In fact, when the word was first borrowed into the English language, as essay,…
Philosophy BranchesBRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
December 12, 2023

BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy embraces the most ambitious field of inquiry—the universe, including the self and everything both physical and metaphysical. It is impossible to list all the branches of philosophy, which are…
WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?PHILOSOPHICAL FILMS AND TV SHOWS
November 24, 2023

PHILOSOPHICAL FILMS AND TV SHOWS

Note: Some of these titles may be difficult to find, either in DVD format or streaming. Film Animation Animal Farm (1954)Based on George Orwell’s novel of the same name, farm…
PHILOSOPHICAL BOOKS AND TEXTESSENTIAL READING IN THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
November 27, 2023

ESSENTIAL READING IN THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY

A comprehensive list of essential readings in the history of philosophy.

Books

  • On Law, Morality, and Politics (Hackett Classics)

    $7.01
  • The Macarthur Study Bible: New King James, Black, Leather

    $349.99
  • The Vision of the Soul: Truth, Goodness, and Beauty in the Western Tradition

    $27.08
  • La disciplina marcará tu destino / Discipline Is Destiny: The Power of Self-Cont rol (LAS CUATRO VIRTUDES ESTOICAS) (Spanish Edition)

    $21.95
  • In the Unlikeliest of Places: How Nachman Libeskind Survived the Nazis, Gulags, and Soviet Communism (Life Writing, 53)

    $14.68
  • Critique of Pure Reason

    $18.00
  • The Pilgrim’s Progress (Mint Editions (Philosophical and Theological Work))

    $11.99
  • The Original Bhagavad Gita — True to Tradition — With Clear and Concise Commentary

    $35.99
  • Modernity and the Ideals of Arab-Islamic and Western-Scientific Philosophy: The Worldviews of Mario Bunge and Taha Abd al-Rahman

    $129.99
  • The Phenomenon of Life: A Plain Man’s Perspectives

    $9.99
  • Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching: A Book about the Way and the Power of the Way

    $12.69
  • What Is Philosophy?

    $20.49
  • How to Die: An Ancient Guide to the End of Life (Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers)

    $13.59
  • Osho Zen Tarot: The Transcendental Game Of Zen (79-Card Deck and 192-Page Book)

    $23.39
  • 50 Philosophy Classics: Revised Edition (50 Classics)

    $14.99
  • I Am the Word: A Guide to the Consciousness of Man’s Self in a Transitioning Time (Mastery Trilogy/Paul Selig Series)

    $17.00

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Terms & Concepts

E

Eliminative materialism

The theory that the terminology of mental states will be abandoned as more is known about the brain. https://youtube.com/shorts/GuHVnxEtQ6M?feature=share
C

Conditional elimination

In symbolic logic, a valid inference in a system of truth-functional rules. The consequent of a conditional claim is inferred when the antecedent of that claim is affirmed. (See also…
A

Ad hominem argument

Literally, “to the man,” an ad hominem is an attack on the person, rather than a critical engagement with their position. Versions of the ad hominem are 1) ad hominem…
D
Democracy
L
Legitimate
M
Major term
P
Primary qualities
O
Ontology
E
Ethical egoism
E
Exclusive disjunction
F
False dilemma
I
Invalid
View All