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Glossary of Philosophical Terms |
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Select Page: A to B -- C to D -- E to H -- I to L -- M to O -- P to Q -- R -- S to Z Select Letter: - S - | - T - | - U - | - V - | - W - | - X - | - Y - | - Z -
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S Sanction. A reward given for the observance of a law and the punishment meted out for the violation of a law. Scholasticism. The system of philosophy, prevalent in the middle ages, which follows the general lines of Aristotle's principles. It advocates a natural dualism of God and creature, mind and matter, thought and thing, as against monism and pantheism; it defends a moderate realism, as against ultra-realism, nominalism and conceptualism; it is spiritualistic and not materialistic, experimental and not aprioristic, objectivistic and not subjectivistic; in sense-perception it is presentational and not agnostic or representational or idealistic; concerning intellectual knowledge it defends a moderate rationalism, as against sensism, positivism, and innatism; it is common-sense knowledge critically examined and philosophically vindicated. Second Intention, Universal of. See Logical universal. Self-Consciousness. Reflex consciousness, by means of which the Ego apprehends itself concretely in its own mental acts and states; self-awareness. Sensation. A conscious experience aroused by the stimulation of an organ of sense. Sensationalism. The doctrine which holds that sensation is the sole origin of knowledge. Sensism. See Sensationalism. Simple Ideas. Ideas whose comprehension consists of one single attribute or element. Simple Term. A term consisting of a single word. Single Categoricals. Propositions consisting of but a single sentence in their construction, namely one subject, one predicate, and the copula. Singular Ideas. Ideas which represent a single object only. Skepticism. The reasoning of one who doubts the possibility of knowledge of reality; the systematic doubt which characterizes a philosophic skeptic. Skepticism, Absolute. The absence of any leaning toward either side of any question, when maintained as a philosophic principle. Skepticism, Pyrrhonic. See Skepticism, Absolute. Society. A permanent union of a number of persons in fellowship and cooperation for a common purpose of benefit to all. Solipsism. The skeptical attitude, in which the thinker is certain only of his own personal internal states of mind. Sophism. The use of deceptive words and ideas with the purpose of misleading and deceiving. Sorites. An abridged polysyllogism consisting of three or more premises in such a way that the predicate of the preceding premise become the subject of the following premise, the final conclusion being composed of the subject of the first premise and the predicate of the last; or, inversely, one in which the subject of the preceding premise becomes the predicate of the following premise, with the conclusion composed of the subject of the last premise and the predicate of the first premise. Species. A predicable or universal idea which expresses the whole essence of a thing. Specificative Proposition. A proposition which contains an expression which duplicates the subject or predicate and implies the time element or condition of this connection. Spinozism. The doctrine of Baruch Spinoza which holds that there exists but a single substance, infinite and uncreated, of which nature (matter) and thought (mind) are the attributes; it is a pantheistic, absolute, metaphysical monism. Statistics. The classification and evaluation of group phenomena by an analysis of data supplied by enumeration and measurement. Subalternation. In logic, the logical opposition existing between a universal and particular affirmative, and between a universal and particular negative. Subcontrariety. In logic, the logical opposition existing between a particular affirmative and a particular negative. Subject. In epistemology, that which possesses knowledge, perception, thought, consciousness; the mind, in so far as it possesses internal states of knowledge; the knower. Subjectivism. The doctrine which holds that we can immediately know only what is present in consciousness. Subsistence. That mode of existence in virtue of which a thing is self-contained and autonomous in its operations. Substance. A being whose nature it is to exist in and for itself and not in another as in a subject. Substance, Complete. A substance whose nature demands no further union with a substantial coprincipal. Substance, Composite. A substance consisting of incomplete substantial parts, entitatively distinct among themselves, in such a manner that their union results in a single, unified nature. Substance, Incomplete. A substance whose nature demands that it be conjoined with some other substantial coprincipal. Substance, Primary. Any individual, concrete substantial being. Substance, Secondary. Any generic or specific substance. Substance, Simple. A substance which does not consist of substantial parts which are entitatively distinct among themselves. Sufficient Reason, Principle of. The principle which states that everything without exception must have an adequate reason or ground for its being and existence, even if no production be involved. Supposition. In logic, the use of a term or word for the thing which it signifies. Suppositum. See Hypostasis. Syllogism. An argumentation in which, from two judgments that contain a common idea and one at least of which is universal, a third judgment, distinct from either of the former, follows with necessity. Synthesis. The scientific method in which the mind proceeds from the simple to the complex, from the general to the special, from the universal to the particular, from the necessary to the contingent, from the "logical whole" to the "logical part," from the principle to the applications of the principle, from the general law to the individual cases, from the cause to effect. Synthetic Proposition. A proposition in which neither the subject nor the predicate is contained in the comprehension of the other. Synonyms: Contingent, accidental, a posteriori.
T Teleological Ethics. A species of axiological ethics which makes the determination of the rightness of an action wholly dependent on an estimate of its actual or probable conduciveness to some end or of its actual or probable productiveness, directly or indirectly, of the maximum good. E.g., utilitarianism. Teleology. The tendency of efficient causes to realize definite results through their action. Term. A sensible conventional sign, expressive of an idea. Term, Analogous. A term applied to unlike things, partly for the same and partly for a different reason. Term, Equivocal. A term which is used of totally diverse things, so that it has entirely different meanings. Term, Univocal. A term which designates a number of things in an identical sense. Terminus A Quo. The starting-point from which something proceeds. Terminus Ad Quem. The goal or ending-point toward which something proceeds. Testimony. The information or evidence obtained from competent and reliable witnesses. Thomism. One of the schools of scholastic philosophy. Traditionalism. The doctrine which holds that God gave a primitive revelation to mankind which is handed down as a tradition from generation to generation, and this tradition is the ultimate foundation of knowledge and criterion of truth. Transcendence. In epistemology, the characteristic of human knowledge enabling the mind to pass beyond the limits of its own internal state and to know extra-mental reality. Transcendental. In metaphysics, something which goes beyond all ordinary classifications and categories of being. Transcendental Ideas. Supreme and fundamental ideas which admit of no strict definition because of their extreme simplicity. Truth. The conformity (agreement) between intellect and thing. Truth, Logical. The agreement of the intellect with the thing. Truth, Mental. See Truth, Logical. Truth, Metaphysical. See Truth, Ontological. Truth, Moral. The agreement of speech with thought. Truth, Objective. See Truth, Ontological. Truth, Ontological (Metaphysical, Objective). The agreement of a being with the intellect. Truths, Primary. The First Fact: my own existence - "I exist." The First Principle: the Principle of Contradiction - "It is impossible for a thing to be and not to be at the same time." The First Condition: the essential trustworthiness of reason - "Reason is capable of knowing truth."
U Ultra-Mechanism. The doctrine which excludes the human body as an essential participant in the vital functions of man, so that the body is considered to be actuated solely by mechanical forces. Ultra-Realism. The doctrine which holds that we have not only universal ideas in the mind, but that there exist extra-mental universal realities corresponding to them. Ultra-Spiritualism. The doctrine which postulates an excessive dualism between mind (soul) and body in the human Ego, destroying the conception of man as an organism, so that a cognitional communication between them is impossible. Understanding. The power of the mind which perceives the truth and validity of ideas and principles on the basis of direct and immediate evidence. Uniformity of Nature, Principle of. The principle which states that "Nature is uniform in its causality"; or, "the same non-free causes, under the same conditions, will always produce the same results." Unity. That mode or attribute of a being in virtue of which a being is undivided in itself (and divided from every other being). Unity, Logical. The indivision of a universal idea (class) considered as a whole of which the inferiors are parts. Unity, Mathematical. See Unity, Predicamental. Unity, Numerical. See Unity, Predicamental. Unity of Composition. The unity of a being in such a manner that it is a whole not actually divided into the real parts of which it consists. Unity of Simplicity. The unity of a thing in such a manner that it does not consist of any parts into which it could be divided. Unity, Predicamental (Mathematical, Numerical). A unit considered as a standard for measuring mathematical or numerical quantity. Unity, Real. The indivision of a thing in its entity. Universal. In epistemology, an idea, the content of which is predicable of a class as a class and of each individual member of a class. Universal Ideas. Ideas which represent some common nature or attribute which can be applied to a class as a whole and to each individual of that class. Universal Propositions. Propositions in which the subject is a universal term used distributively to each and all of the class. Universal Term. A term which expresses a universal idea and can be applied to each individual of a class and to the class itself. Univocal Term. A term used constantly in an identical sense.
V Vague Terms. Terms which are subject to shades and degrees of meaning, according to the viewpoint and use of the individual persons. Value. That which is perfect or perfective. Volition. Rational appetition. Volition, Deliberate. Volition which results in consequence of a deliberation over the respective merits of particular values. Volition, Natural. Volition which must follow the apprehension of a perfect good.
W When. Situation in time; as a category, a universal idea which expresses duration of motion. Where. Position in space; as a category, a universal idea which signifies position in space. Will. The rational appetency or the power to strive for an intellectually perceived good and to shun an intellectually perceived evil.
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Z Zoroastrianism. An oriental theory, originating with Zoroaster (or Zarathustra) which maintains that the forces of good and evil are waging a constant battle for supremacy. Ahura-mazda (Ormuzd) is the supreme Principle of Good, and Anra-mainyu (Ahriman) is the supreme Principle of Evil. |
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