Philosophical Argumentation

  1. Argument: A set of reasons given in support of a claim. (Argumentation Lecture)
  2. Conclusion: The claim intended to be supported by the argument. (Argumentation Lecture)
  3. Premises: The claims given as reasons for thinking the conclusion of the argument is true. (Argumentation Lecture)
  4. Deductive Validity: An argument is valid if the conclusion necessarily follows from the premises. If the premises are true, then the conclusion must also be true. (Argumentation Lecture)
  5. Soundness: An argument is sound if it is valid and all of its premises are true. (Argumentation Lecture)
  6. Credulous: Having or showing too great a readiness to believe things. (Clifford, Google Dictionary)
  7. In foro conscientiae: Before the tribunal of conscience; conscientiously. (Clifford, US Legal dictionary)
  8. Scintillate: To be lively, or to perform brilliantly. (Clifford, Merriam-Webster)
  9. Veracity: Habitual observance of truth in speech or statement; truthfulness. (Clifford, Dictionary.com)
  10. Pure Volitional Freedom: the ability to create simply by willing. (Determinism Lecture Notes)
  11. Ontological Freedom: the availability of known alternatives. (Determinism Lecture Notes)
  12. Enabling Freedom: freedom provided through education, road/postal systems. (Determinism Lecture Notes)
  13. Purification: purifying something means getting rid of the worse or baser parts of it. (Aristotle, Poetics)
  14. Type-token distinction: the contrast between a category and a member of that category. (Plato Notes)
  15. Foundationalism: establishing a base of certainty that can support an entire system of knowledge. (Meditations)
  16. Despair: The complete loss or absence of hope. (Sartre, Google Dictionary)
  17. Humanism: an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. (Sartre, Google Dictionary)
  18. Existentialism: a philosophical theory or approach which emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will. (Sartre, Google Dictionary)
  19. Determinism: the doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will. (Determinism Lecture Notes)
  20. Wanton: without regard for what is right. (Deep Self Notes)
  21. Person-hood: “the type of entity for whom freedom of the will may be a problem.”(330) (Deep Self Notes)
  22. Freedom of action: being able to act on one’s 1st-order desires. (Deep Self Notes)
  23. Freedom of will: being able to have the will one wants to have. (Deep Self Notes)
  24. Metaphysician: an expert in or student of the branch of philosophy that deals with the first principles of things, including abstract concepts such as being and knowing. (Tolstoy, Google Dictionary)
  25. Diversion: an activity that diverts the mind from tedious or serious concerns. (Tolstoy, Google Dictionary)
  26. Lamentation: the passionate expression of grief or sorrow; weeping. (The Republic, Google Dictionary)
  27. Exhortation: an address or communication emphatically urging someone to do something. (William James, Google Dictionary)
  28. Skepticism: the theory that certain knowledge is impossible. (William James, Google Dictionary)
  29. Prophetic: accurately describing or predicting what will happen in the future. (William James, Google Dictionary)
  30. Empiricist: a person who supports the theory that all knowledge is based on experience derived from the senses. (William James, Google Dictionary)

Word Count: 512