- KEY PHILOSOPHICAL TERMS -
TERM
DEFINITION
AESTHETICS
The study of beauty and art
ANARCHISM
The political theory that is sceptical of all moral claims.
Advocates for the absence of hierarchical authority and the rejection of
centralised power
Promoting voluntary cooperation and self-governance
A PRIORI
Knowledge or reasoning that is independent of experience or empirical
evidence
Based on innate understanding or logical deduction
A POSTERIORI
Knowledge or reasoning that is derived from or dependent on experience
or empirical evidence.
.CAUSALITY
The relationship between cause and effect
Suggests every event is the result of a preceding cause or causes
CONSEQUENTIALISM
An ethical theory that evaluates the morality of an action based on its
consequences or outcomes
EGALITARIANISM
Advocates for equality and equal rights for all individuals, regardless of
their socioeconomic status, gender, race, or other characteristics
EMPIRICISM
An epistemological position that emphasises the importance of
experience and sensory perception in acquiring knowledge and
understanding the world.
EPISTEMOLOGY
The branch of philosophy that deals with the study of knowledge
EXISTENTIALISM
The belief we are each responsible for creating purpose or meaning in our
own lives
Focuses on the individual's existence, freedom, and subjective experience
ETHICS
Examines moral principles, values, and behaviors, addressing questions of
right and wrong/ good and bad
DUALISM
Metaphysical theory that emphasises that the mind and the body are two
separate things - Physical/ Non-physical
IDEALISM
Associates reality to ideas in the mind rather than material objects
Suggests that the mind shapes or constructs the external world
