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Introduction to Philosophy - Coggle Diagram
Introduction to Philosophy
Types of Statements
Conjunctive = 'and' statements
In logic: A&B
For example: my house is on fire and I've lost all my possesions
Both clauses of the statement have to be true for the whole statement to be true.
Disjunction = 'or' statements
One clause of the statement has to be true for the whole statement to be true
In logic: AvB
For example: my house is on fire or I've lost all my possesions
Negation = 'not the case' statements
In logic ~A
The clause must be false for the statement to be true
For example: It is not the case that my house is on fire
Conditional = 'if, then' statements
Whenever the if (antecedent) is true, the then (consequent) must be true
In logic: A -> B
For example: If my house is on fire, then I lose all my possesions
Sufficient vs Necessary conditions
Sufficient = Event A is enough to secure the occuernce of Event B
Necessary = Event B must occur when Event A occurs
Types of argument
Inductive arguments = Inference on probability
E.g. - Swan A is white, swan B is white so swans are white
Abductive argument = Inference to best explanation
E.g. - My grass is wet, I didn't water my grass this morning, so it must have rained this morning
Deductive argument (syllogism) = Premises entail conclusion
E.g. - All men are mortal, Socrates is a man so Socrates is mortal
A priori vs A posteriori
A priori = Knowing something via reason prior to observation
A posteriori = Knowing something via observation
Necessary, Contingent, Analytic and Synthetic Truths
Necessary = Always true, no matter what happens in the world
E.g. 2+2=4
Contingent = Happens to be true, because of the state of the world
E.g. I am a philosophy student
Analytic = True by definition. Similar to both a priori and necessary truths
E.g. All bachelors are unmarried men
Synthetic = True in virtue of the statement corresponding with matters of fact
E.g. Grass is green
Logical fallacies
Masked Man Fallacy = Mistaking two things as the same because one is described differently, even though they are not the same.
Ad Hominem = Attacking the person making an argument instead of addressing the argument itself.
Straw Man = Misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attack.
False Dichotomy = Presenting only two options when more exist
Circular Reasoning = Using the conclusion of an argument as one of its premises, making the argument go in a circle