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Glossary of Terms



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A


allegorical
of or characeristic of allegory

allegory
1) a story in which people, things, and happenings have a hidden or symbolic meaning: allegories are used for teaching or explaining ideas, moral principles, etc.

2) the presenting of ideas by means of such stories; symbolical narration or description


analytic statements

An analytic statement is one in which the concept of the predicate is already contained in the concept of the subject; e.g. "All bachelors are unmarried men", or "All triangles are geometric figures composed of three angles." Analytic statements are therefore true by definition; they are tautologies.


aphorism

1) a short, concise statement of a principle, or;

2) a short, pointed sentence expressing a wise or clever observation or a general truth.


apodictic (adjective)

expressing or of the nature of necessary truth or absolute certainty.


apologetics

the formal defense of a position or doctrine, especially a religion or tradition. An apologia is a formal defense or justification of one's opinions, position, or actions, not the same as an apology, although the words are closely related. The Greek root of both words was apologesthai (to speak in one's defense), formed from the prefix apo- (away, off) and logos (speech).

The word passed into Latin and French, then into English as apology, whose meaning changed in the sixteenth century to include a sense of regret and an admission of fault.


a priori and a posteriori

Terms primarily used to describe two species of propositional knowledge but also, derivatively, two classes of propositions or truths, namey, those that are knowable a priori or a posteriori respectively. Knowledge is said to be a priori (literally: prior to experience) when it does not depend for its authority upon the evidence of experience, and a posteriori when it does so depend. Reasoning processes, then, are said to be a priori deductively and a posteriori inductively.


argument

The giving of reasons to support a conclusion.


B


C


cogent adj.
1. convincing or believable by virtue of forcible, clear, or incisive presentation; telling.
2. to the point; relevant; pertinent.
cognitive adj.
1. of or pertaining to the mental processes of perception, memory, judgement, and reasoning, as contrasted with emotional and volitional processes.
contingent and necessary statements

A necessary statement (or proposition) is one which must be true - where this "must" may be understood as being expressive of logical necessity. A contingent statement is one which ma be true and may be false, i.e. which need not be false and need not be true. Thus, if a statement is contingent, niether it nor its negation is necessary.


contradict:

From 2 Latin roots: contra- (against) and dicere (to say; to speak); 1 : to assert the contrary of : take issue with 2 : to imply the opposite or a denial of "your actions contradict your words"


contradiction:
1 : act or an instance of contradicting 2 a : a proposition, statement, or phrase that asserts or implies both the truth and falsity of something b : a statement or phrase whose parts contradict each other "a round square" is a contradiction in terms 3 a : logical incongruity b : a situation in which inherent factors, actions, or propositions are inconsistent or contrary to one another

D


E


eisegesis
an interpretation that expresses the interpreter's own ideas, bias or the like, rather than the meaning of the text.


essence
the inward nature, true substance, or constitution of anything, as opposed to what is accidental, phenomenal, illusory, etc.


exegesis
exposition; explanation; especially : an explanation or critical analysis of a word, literary passage or text


expedient
~adj. 1. tending to promote some proposed or desired object; fit or suitable for the purpose.
2. conducive to advantage or interest, as opposed to right.
3. ~n. a means to an end: The ladder was a useful expedient for getting to the second floor.


F


fallacy

As we have learned elsewhere on this site, an argument is the giving of reasons to support a conclusion. The presenter of the argument commits a fallacy when the reasons offered do not for one reason or another, support the conclusion. A fallacy, then, is a mistake.

A formal fallacy is a mistake in the formulation of an argument, or the use of an implication that is invalid, or does not follow.
An informal fallacy is a mistake in the meanings of the terms used.


fascism

n. 1. a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc. and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.


G


H


hermeneutics
the science of interpretation; especially the study of the methodological principles of exegesis of a literary passage or text

historical
1.of or concerned with history as a science   2. providing evidence for a fact of history; serving as a source of history   3.established by history; not legendary or fictional; factual; real.


historicity
1.   the condition of having actually occurred in history; authenticity.


I


ideology n.

1. the body of doctrine, myth, belief, etc., that guides an individual, social movement, institution, class, or large group. 2. such a body of doctrine, myth, etc., with reference to some political and social plan along with the devices for putting it into operation. 3. Philos. the study of the nature and origin of ideas.


J


K


L


legend

1. a story handed down for generations among a people and popularly believed to have a historical basis, although not verifiable: cf. myth


M


myth [LL.  mythos < Gr.   mythos story, legend]

1. a traditional story serving to explain some phenomenon of nature, the origin of man, or the customs, institutions, religious rites, etc, of a people. cf. LEGEND   2.such stories collectively; mythology.   3. any fictitious story, imaginary person or thing spoken of as though existing.


N


O


Obfuscate:
1. to confuse, bewilder or stupify.
2. to make obscure or unclear.


Objective:
Being independent of the mind; real; actual. Determined by and emphasizing the features and characteristics of the object, or the thing dealt with, rather than the thoughts or feelings of the speaker, without bias or prejudice; detached; impersonal.

Objective truth:
That which corresponds to the facts. It is that which is objectively true, regardless of how you or I feel about it, or what we think about it. It is a statement which is actually true, or a thing which is actually real, apart from any relation to us.


P


paradigm
a pattern, example, or model


paradox
an apparent, or seeming contradiction, which, under closer scrutiny is resolved.


perspicuity
1. clearness or lucidity, as of a statement.
~SYN clarity, plainness, intelligibility


premise
Logic. a proposition supporting or helping to support a conclusion


presuppose
1. to suppose or assume beforehand; take for granted in advance
2. to require, or imply as an antecedent condition: An effect presuppposes a cause


presupposition
that premise, condition or state of affairs that is presupposed


Q


R


real adj.
1. true; not merely ostensible, nominal, or apparent. 2. existing or occurring as fact; actual rather than imaginary, ideal, or fictitious. 3. being an actual thing; having objective existence; not imaginary. 4. philos. a. existent or pertaining to the existent as opposed to the nonexistent. b. actual as opposed to possible or potential. c. independent of experience as opposed to phenomenal or apparent.


reality n.
1. the state or quality of being real. 2. a real thing or fact. 3. philos. a. something that exist independently of ideas concerning it.


rubric:
any heading, title, etc., as of a chapter or section


S


subjective:
characteristic of or belonging to reality as perceived rather than as independent of mind; (compare OBJECTIVE).
relating to experience or knowledge as conditioned by personal mental characteristics or states;
peculiar to a particular individual : PERSONAL {subjective judgments} modified or affected by personal views, experience, or background "a subjective account of the incident";
arising from conditions within the brain or sense organs and not directly caused by external stimuli: "subjective sensations"; arising out of or identified by means of one's perception of one's own states and processes

T


tautegorical:

saying the same thing with different words (opposite of allegorical)


tautology:
redundant explanation; meaningless proof that is true whether or not its component statements are true; ex.: A bachelor is an unmarried man; A triangle has three angles

tautoousious:
absolutely identical



truth:
that which is true; ("true" is the opposite of "false") a statement that accords with fact. Truth is the quality of being in accordance with facts or reality, conformity with facts, in actual application to statements, or ideas. The opposite of "truth" is falseness, or falsity.


totalitarian adj.

1. of or pertaining to a centralized government that does not tolerate parties of differing opinion and that exercises dictatorial control over many aspects of life. 2. exercising control over the freedom, will, or thought of others; authoritarian; autocratic


totalitarianism n.

1. the practices and principles of a totalitarian regime. 2. absolute control by the state or a governing branch of a highly centralized institution. 3. the character or quality of an autocratic or authoritarian individual, group, or government.


U


V


valid adj.
1. sound; just; well-founded: a valid reason. 2. having force, weight, or cogency; authoritative. 3. legally sound, effective, or binding; having legal force: a valid contract. 4. Logic. (of an argument) so constructed that if the premises are jointly asserted, the conclusion cannot be denied without contradiction.


validity n.
1. the state or quality of being valid: to question the validity of an argument.


volition n.
1. the act of willing, choosing, or resolving; exercise of willing. - volitional, volitionary adj. - Syn. 1. discretion, choice


W


X


Y


Z




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