Philosophy and Critical Thinking Flashcards
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Read the first 7 Philosophy and Critical Thinking flashcards as text
Which fallacy assumes that because something has not been proven false, it must be true?
Answer: Appeal to ignorance
The appeal to ignorance (argumentum ad ignorantiam) incorrectly treats the absence of disproof as proof of truth.
John Stuart Mill's version of utilitarianism differs from Bentham's primarily because Mill:
Answer: Distinguished between higher and lower pleasures based on quality
Mill refined utilitarianism by arguing that intellectual and moral pleasures are qualitatively superior to mere physical pleasures, not just quantitatively greater.
What is the key feature of a 'circular argument' (begging the question)?
Answer: The conclusion is used as a premise to support itself
Circular reasoning (petitio principii) occurs when the conclusion of an argument is used as one of the premises, providing no independent justification.
The philosophical position that reality exists independently of minds perceiving it is called:
Answer: Realism
Realism holds that the external world exists independently of human perception or thought, in contrast to idealism which grounds reality in the mind.
Which of the following best describes the philosophical method of 'thought experiments'?
Answer: Hypothetical scenarios used to explore philosophical questions and test intuitions
Thought experiments are imagined scenarios used to explore the implications of philosophical positions or ethical principles, as in Plato's Ring of Gyges or Trolley Problem.
Social contract theory, associated with Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau, primarily addresses:
Answer: The implicit agreements underlying political authority and individual rights
Social contract theory holds that political authority and individual obligations arise from an actual or hypothetical agreement among individuals to form a governed society.
The principle of 'Occam's Razor' in critical thinking states that:
Answer: Among competing hypotheses, the one with fewest assumptions should be preferred
Occam's Razor (parsimony principle) recommends preferring the simplest sufficient explanation — the one that requires the fewest unnecessary assumptions.