terms in western philosophy
proposition - a statement that affirms or denies something
predicate - that part of a proposition that is affirmed or denied about the subject
postulate - to assume or assert the truth, reality, or necessity of a claim, the basis of an argument
premise - a proposition upon which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn
thesis - a proposition that is maintained by argument
axiom - a self-evident principle or one that is accepted as true without proof as the basis for an argument, a postulate
supposition - assumption, a minor premise
conclusion - the proposition concluded from one or more premises; a deduction
distribution - the property of standing for every individual designated by a term, theory of reference, universal quantifier,
deduction - the process of reasoning in which a conclusion follows necessarily from the stated premises
syllogism - reasoning deductively from the general to the specific
sorite - an argument consisting of categorical propositions that can be represented as a sequence of categorical syllogisms such that the conclusion of each syllogism except the last one is a premise of the next syllogism in the sequence
enthymeme - a deductive argument (especially a categorical syllogism) from whose ordinary-language expression one or more propositions have been omitted or left unstated
dialectic - a method of argument or exposition that systematically weighs contradictory facts or ideas with a view to the resolution of their real or apparent contradictions
scholastic - adhering rigidly to scholarly methods; pedantic
proof - the evidence or argument that compels the mind to accept an assertion as true
eristic - the art of logical disputation
induction - the process of deriving general principles from particular facts or instances
inference - the act or process of deriving logical conclusions from premises known or assumed to be true
disjunction - a proposition that presents two or more alternative terms, with the assertion that only one (or at least one) is true
definition - a statement conveying fundamental character
justification - a concept of broad scope that has as special cases the concepts of apt belief and right action
cause - the producer of an effect, result, or consequence
explanation - a mutual clarification of misunderstandings; a reconciliation
analytic - following necessarily; tautologous
synthetic - a proposition that attributes to a subject a predicate not inherent in the subject and that does not result in a contradiction if negated
a priori - before experience, from reason,
a posteriori - known by experience
a fortiori - taken as proofed
contingent - true only under certain conditions; not necessarily or universally true
conception - the ability to form or understand mental concepts and abstractions
perception - recognition and interpretation of sensory stimuli
emotion - the part of the consciousness that involves feeling; sensibility
passion - a powerful emotion, such as love, joy, hatred, or anger
reason - the capacity for logical, rational, and analytic thought; intelligence
understanding - comprehension
judgment - the formation of an opinion after consideration or deliberation
enlightenment - movement of the 18th century that emphasized the use of reason to scrutinize previously accepted doctrines and traditions and that brought about many humanitarian reforms
idealism - the theory that the object of external perception, in itself or as perceived, consists of ideas
deism - belief in a God who created and is now absent, theological rationalism
theism - belief in a personal God as creator and ruler of the world
agnosticism - the view that absolute truth is unattainable, there can be neither a proof of God's existence or of God's nonexistence
homoousios - the creed that God the Son is one and the same being or substance as the Father
henotheism - the teaching that there are many gods but that only one of them must be honored and worshipped
fideism - the view that truth in religion is ultimately based on faith rather than on reasoning or evidence
hermetism - human salvation depends on revealed knowledge (gnosis) of God
jansenism - the Roman Catholic doctrine of Cornelis Jansen and his disciples; salvation is limited to those who are subject to supernatural determinism and the rest are assigned to perdition
monergism - the Christian teaching that God alone is the one who saves. It is opposed to synergism which teaches that God and man work together in salvation.
soteriology - the section of Christian theology dealing with the doctrine of salvation
theosophy - philosophical mysticism
tritheism - the heretical belief that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are three separate gods
metempsychosis - the belief that after death the soul begins a new cycle of existence in another human body
alchemy - searches for the philosophers stone that when mixed with alcohol produces immortality
cabala - jewish mysticism
catechesis - oral religious instruction
theurgy - magic performed with the help of beneficent spirits
traducianism - the belief that the soul is inherited from the parents along with the body
rationalism - the doctrine that knowledge is acquired by reason without resort to experience
empiricism - the doctrine that knowledge derives from experience
humanism - a system of thought that centers on humans and their values, capacities, and worth
monism - reality is a unified whole and that all existing things can be ascribed to or described by a single concept or system
dualism - the view that the world consists of or is explicable as two fundamental entities, such as mind and matter, good and evil
solipsism - the theory that the self is the only thing that can be known and verified
consciousness - alertness to or concern for a particular issue or situation, special awareness, sensitivity
cognition - the mental process of knowing, including aspects such as awareness, perception, reasoning, intuition knowledge and judgment
reality - the totality of all things possessing actuality, existence, or essence, that which exists objectively and in fact
spirit - the vital principle or animating force within living beings, incorporeal consciousness
idea - something, such as a thought or conception, that potentially or actually exists in the mind as a product of mental activity
empathy - identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives
coherence - the quality or state of cohering, especially a logical, orderly, and aesthetically consistent relationship of parts
attribute - a quality or characteristic inherent in or ascribed to someone or something
substance - that which has mass and occupies space; matter
matter - that which is in itself undifferentiated and formless and which, as the subject of change and development, receives form and becomes substance
energy - ambitious drive, the capacity of a physical system to do work
category - modes of subjective understanding, such as singularity, universality, or particularity, that organize perceptions into knowledge, classification
mode - the particular appearance, form, or manner in which an underlying substance, or a permanent aspect or attribute of it, is manifested
nature - the material world and its phenomena
mind - the human consciousness that originates in the brain and is manifested especially in thought, perception, emotion, will, memory, and imagination
action - the causation of change by the exertion of power or a natural process
happiness - being especially well-adapted, felicitous, cheerful, content
thought - consideration, attention,
pleasure - amusement, diversion, or worldly enjoyment
essence - the intrinsic or indispensable properties that serve to characterize or identify something
existence - the fact or state of continued being, life
didactic - instruction
semantic - meaning in language
hermeneutics - the science of interpretation and explanation
heuristic - speculative formulation serving as a guide in the investigation or solution of a problem
imagination - the formation of a mental image of something that is neither perceived as real nor present to the senses
merit - demonstrated ability or achievement, credit
dichotomy - division into two usually contradictory parts or opinions
sufficiency - an adequate amount or quantity
condition - a proposition on which another proposition depends; the antecedent of a conditional proposition, prerequisite
notion - a mental image or representation; an idea or conception
significance - a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred
righteousness - adhering to moral principles
compassion - deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it
wisdom - the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight
justice - conformity to moral rightness in action or attitude, truth, fact, or sound reason
relevance - pertinence to the matter at hand
pertinence - having logical precise relevance to the matter at hand
concept - a general idea derived or inferred from specific instances or occurrences
sagacity - the quality of being discerning, sound in judgment, and farsighted; wisdom
implication - a suggestion, an inference
entailment - to have, impose, or require as a necessary accompaniment or consequence
fact - knowledge or information based on real occurrences
schema - a diagrammatic representation; an outline or model
subsumption - incorporating something under a more general category, or rule
will - the mental faculty by which one deliberately chooses or decides upon a course of action
ethics - the philosophical study of moral values and rules
casuistry - the case analysis approach to the interpretation of general moral rules, starting with a paradigm reasoning to less obvious cases
virtue - moral excellence and righteousness; goodness
chiliastic - pertaining to the doctrine that when men are perfected the Messiah will appear on the Earth to rule over a happy and glorious kingdom for 1,000 years
angelism - the human aspiration to an angelic status
axiology - value theory
modality - the classification of propositions on the basis of whether they assert or deny the possibility, impossibility, contingency, or necessity of their content
grace - seemingly effortless beauty or charm of movement, form, or proportion
independence - liberty, the condition of being free from restriction or control
function - assigned duty or activity, something closely related to another thing and dependent on it for its existence, value, or significance
tautology - an empty, circular or vacuous statement composed of simpler statements in a fashion that makes it logically true whether the simpler statements are factually true or false
beauty - the quality that gives pleasure to the mind or senses and is associated with such properties as harmony of form or color, excellence of artistry, truthfulness, and originality
sublimity - characterized by nobility, majestic, of high spiritual, moral, or intellectual worth, not to be excelled, supreme, inspiring awe, impressive
universal - of, relating to, extending to, or affecting the entire world or all within the world
necessary - absolutely essential, indispensable, logically inevitable,
absolute - something regarded as the ultimate basis of all thought and being, complete, total,
apparent - readily understood, clear or obvious
logical - reasoning in a clear and consistent manner
natural - conforming to the usual or ordinary course of nature,
total - a whole quantity, an entirety
whole - containing all components, complete, in one unit, constituting the full amount, extent, or duration
ultimate - being last in a series, process, or progression, fundamental, elemental
entire - whole, complete, sole, exclusive
complete - having all necessary or normal parts, components, or steps, entire, concluded
general - concerned with, applicable to, or affecting the whole or every member of a class or category
certain - definite, dependable, inevitable
sustainable - capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment
immediate - instant, direct, near
effective - existing in fact, actual,
inevitable - predictable, impossible to avoid or prevent
sufficient - being as much as is needed
thorough - absolute, utter
simple - having or composed of only one thing, element, or part, being without additions or modifications, mere
most - being one of a large indefinite number; numerous
highest - being at or near the peak or culminating stage,
only - alone in kind or class, sole,
perspicuous - clearly expressed or presented; easy to understand
unconditional - without conditions or limitations, absolute
implicit - implied or understood though not directly expressed
categorical - being without exception or qualification; absolute
ambiguous - open to more than one interpretation, doubtful or uncertain
objection - a ground, reason, or cause for expressing opposition
putative - generally regarded as such, supposed
significance - a meaning that is expressed
criterion - a standard, rule, or test on which a judgment or decision can be based
verifiability - possibility of proving the correctness of a claim or thesis
correctness - free from error or fault, true or accurate, conforming to standards, proper
literal - being in accordance with, conforming to, or upholding the exact or primary meaning of a word or words
plausibile - seemingly or apparently valid, likely, or acceptable; credible
confute - to prove to be wrong or in error, refute decisively
conjunction - a compound proposition that has components joined by the word and or its symbol and is true only if both or all the components are true
substantiate - to support with proof or evidence; verify
realism - the modern philosophical doctrine, opposed to idealism, that physical objects exist independently of their being perceived
taxonomy - division into ordered groups or categories
antagonism - hostility that results in active resistance, opposition, or contentiousness
contention - an assertion put forward in argument
complacency - a feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble, or controversy
testimony - an assertion offering firsthand authentication of a fact
qualia - as distinct from properties, the mode perceived, the redness of the tomato
verbatim - word for word
anthropomorphism - the tendency to ascribe human features or other human characteristics to God
anthroposophy - knowledge of the nature of man
apocatastasis - the doctrine which teaches that a time will come when all free creatures will share in the grace of salvation
axiomatization - the process of defining the basic axiomatic systems from which mathematical theories can be derived
bona fide - in good faith, without fraud
epiphenomenalism - the view that matter is primary and that the mind is a secondary phenomenon accompanying some bodily processes
diallelon - a circular definition
eschatological - pertaining to the end of the world, life after death
etiology - the philosophical study of causation
foundationalism - the view that knowledge and epistemic justification have a two tier structure: some instances of knowledge are non-inferential or foundational; and all other instances are inferential in that they derive form foundational knowledge
haecceity - this-ness, a scholastic term to express individuality or singleness
heuristics - strategies that people use to solve problems
holism - the idea that ``the whole is greater than the sum of the parts
hylomorphism - the doctrine that the natural material units of the world we live in are substances composed of substantial form and prime matter
hylozoism - the doctrine that matter possesses a species of life and sensation, or that matter and life are inseparable
hypostatization - regarding something abstract as a material thing
hypothetico deductive method - comparing the explanatory value of competing hypotheses by looking to see how well they are sustained by their predictions
iatromechanism - cartesian mechanicism, reduced the body to a simple machine and explained health and sickness in terms of particulate matter in motion
iconoclastic - an attack on established beliefs or institutions
iconography - the study of representative art in general
idea - whatever is immediately before the mind when one thinks
in nuce - in a nutshell
ipso facto - by the fact itself
isomorphism - a one-to-one correspondence between a perceived object and its internal representation
leisign - a sign with the nature of a general type
lemma - proposition
logicism - the philosophical theory that all of mathematics can be derived from formal logic
meliorism - the belief that the world can be made better by human effort
mereology - study of part-whole relationships
meritocracy - a society in which political power is proportionate to merit
neustics - indicates the mood of a sentence
noema - the intended object of awareness
noosphere - the sum total of all human knowledge and experience
nomological - lawlike generalization
nomothetic - relating to or involving the search for abstract universal principles
parsing - the analysis of the syntax of a sentence
phrastics - content of a sentence
postmodern - the late 20th-century tendency (in art, thought, and society) to distrust objectivity, authority, universality, and moral and ideological absolutes
praxiology - the science or study of behaviour
proprium - a nonessential peculiarity of a species
psychologism - the theory that psychological analysis may be used as a method of resolving philosophical problems
qualisign - a sign with the nature of an appearance
reification - to regard or treat an abstraction as if it had concrete or material existence
reism - also called concretism, the theory that the basic elements are concrete objects
retributivism - the theory that punishment is justified by the moral desert of the offender
rhemes - a sub-class of phemes
semiology - the science or art of signs
semiotics - refers to theories regarding symbolism and how people glean meaning from words, sounds, and picture
seraph - an angel of the first order; usually portrayed as the winged head of a child
sinsign - a sign as an individual object or event
syncreticism - relating to a historical tendency for a language to reduce its use of inflections
synechism - the general theory that the essential feature in philosophic speculation is continuity
telishment - non retributive punishment
trope - an abstract particular, an instance of a property occuring at a particular place and time
tychism - any theory which conceives chance as an objective reality; esp., a theory of evolution which considers that variation may be purely fortuitous
zetetic - the method used for finding the value of unknown quantities by direct search, in the solution of problems
behaviorism - the view that behaviour is fundamental in understanding mental phenomena
compatibilism - the thesis that free will is compatible with determinism, when we take free will to merely to be a hypothetical ability to have chosen differently if one had been differently psychologically disposed by some different beliefs or desires
determinism - every physical event, including human cognition and action, is causally determined by an unbroken chain of prior occurrences
materialism - the only thing that exists is matter; if anything else, such as mental events, exists, then it is reducible to matter
functionalism - mental states can be accounted for without taking into account the underlying physical substrate (the neurons), instead attending to higher-level functions such as beliefs, desires, and emotions
instumentalism - the sanction of truth is its utility, or truth is genuine only in so far as it is a valuable instrument
cognitivism - the view that ethical sentences express propositions
naturalism - rejects the validity of explanations or theories making use of entities inaccessible to natural science
nominalism - there exist no universals outside of the mind
pluralism - a framework of interaction in which groups show sufficient respect and tolerance of each other, that they fruitfully coexist and interact without conflict or assimilation
realism - holds that universals really exist, independently and somehow prior to the world
reductionism - describes a number of related theories that hold that the nature of complex things can always be reduced to simpler things
accident - an occurence
assent - agreement with a statement or proposal to do something
canon - a body of rules established as valid and fundamental in a field or art or philosophy
salience - strikingness
dogma - a religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof
enigma - something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
involution - (in integral thought) is the process by which the Divine manifests the cosmos. Involution prepares the universe for the Big Bang; evolution continues from that point forward
greek terms
sumbebękos - accident, properties or characteristics predicated of substances
logos - account, formula
energeia - actuality
entelecheia - actualization
alloiôsis - alteration
kataphatikos - affirmative
apophansis - assertion, sentence with a truth value, declarative sentence
hupothesis - assumption
pathos - attribute
axioma - axiom
on, onta - being(s)
huparchein - belong
katęgoria - category
aition, aitia - cause, material cause, or the elements out of which an object is created, efficient cause, or the means by which it is created, formal cause, or the expression of what it is, final cause, or the end for which it is
kinęsis - change
metabolę - change
gignesthai - come to be
genesis - coming to be
antiphanai - contradict
antiphasis - contradiction
enantion - contrary
horos, horismos - definition
apodeixis - demonstration
apophasis - denial (of a proposition)
dialectic - dialektikę,
diaphora - differentia
eidopoios diaphora - specific difference
telos - end
to ti ęn einai, to ti esti - essence
en tôi ti esti - essential
einai - exist
aition, aitia - explanation
eidos - form
morphę - form
ergon - function
genos - genus
homônumon - homonymous
amesos - immediate
adunaton - impossible
kath' hauto - in respect of itself
individual - atomon, tode ti
induction - epagôgę
infinite - apeiron
kind - genos, eidos
knowledge - epistęmę
hulę - matter
kinęsis - movement
phusis - nature
apophasis - negation (of a term)
en merei, epi meros - particular
idios, idion - peculiar, distinctive
kath' hauto - per se
aisthęsis - perception
aporia - perplexity
dunaton - possible
endechomenon -
dunamei - potentially
dunamis - potentiality
katęgorein - to predicate
katęegoroumenon - "what is predicated"
katęgoria - predication, act or instance of predicating, type of predication
peripatetics - students of Aristotle
archę - principle, starting point of a demonstration
hęi - qua
poion - quality
poson - quantity
elenchein - refute
elenchos - refutation
chôriston - separate
epistęmę - science
psuchę - soul, the internal principle of unity of a thing
eidos - species
eidopoios - specific
hupokeimenon - subject
ousia - substance, the bearer of properties or characteristics
horos - term
katholou - universal
sophia - wisdom
eastern philosophy
chi - (chinese) ether, air, vital energy
kundalini - (sanskrit) inner path, passage for the life force
yoga - (sanskrit) a means of becoming (re)united with the supreme being, or with the universal soul
ashtanga yoga - (sanskrit) the eightfold path
yamas - (sanskrit) moral discipline
niyamas - (sanskirt) austerities
asanas - (sanskrit) steady poses
pranayama - (sanskrit) control of vital energy through breath regulation
pratyahana - (sanskrit) withdrawl of the senses
dharana - (sanskrit) concentration
dhyana - (sanskrit) meditation
laja samadhi - (sanskrit) is a latent ("laja"), potential level of samadhi. It begins in deep meditation or trance
savikalpa - (sanskrit) mind freed from desire, yet dualism remains
nirvikalpa - (sanskrit) samadhi
samadhi - (sanskrit) a blessed state in which the individual transcends desire and suffering and attains nirvana
bhava-samadhi - (sanskrit) ecstasy in which the devotee retains his ego and enjoys communion with the Personal God
nirvana - (sanskrit) blowing out, buddhist term for the 'extinction' of the ego leading to enlightenment and bliss
moksha - (sanskrit) liberation
satori - (japanese) glimpse of samadhi
chakras - (sanskrit) literally wheel, circle, denotes energy centers
sahasrara - (sanskrit) brain
ajna - (sanskrit) thrid eye
vishuddha - (sanskrit) throat
anahata - (sanskrit) heart
manipura - (sanskrit) navel
swadhisthana- (sanskrit) genetalia
muladhara - (sanskrit) coccyx
agni - (sanskrit) the god of fire
ajana - (sanskrit) heaven, dwelling place of the gods
maya - (sanskrit) ignorance
akasa - (sanskrit) ether
prana - (sanskrit) breath of life, cosmic energy,
bhagvan - (sanskrit) epithet of God
rajas - (sanskrit) impurity, dust, the darkening quality of passion,
purusha - (sanskrit) soul, the indwelling self
guna - (sanskrit) quality, attribute,
soma - (sanskrit) fermented liquid drunk by the priests,
sannyasin - (sanskrit) a renouncer, an ascetic,
arhat - (chinese) monk having attained nirvana
bodhisattva - (sanskrit) a person who has generated spontaneous bodhichitta but who has not yet become a Buddha
- (sanskrit) the quality of mind of a Bodhisattva, one who does spiritual practice for the benefit of all beingsatman - (sanskrit) the individual in hindu thought, dependent on worship of brahman,
brahman - (sanskrit) lit. growth, means the ulimate reality, possessed of being, consciousness and bliss and dependent on nothing else for existence
advaita - (sanskrit) non dualistic form on vedanta
vedanta - (sanskrit) the most influential of the schools of hinduism,
adhyatman - (sanskrit) belonging to the self, or supreme spirit
vipassana - (pali) insight, buddhist term to describe mediation and its effect
agma - (sanskrit) what has come down, authorative religious text,
ahamkara - (sanskrit) the ego
ahanta - (sanskrit) eternal
buddhi - (sanskrit) intellect
ahimsa - (sanskrit) nonviloence,
mana - (pali) perception
vedas - (sanskrit) the earliest hindu sacred texts, passed down orally and then composed over a millenium beginning 1400bc
satchitananda - (sanskrit) being, consciousness, bliss
anattavada - buddhist doctrine of no-soul
wu wei - (chinese) non doing
aradhya - (sanskrit) object of worship
avatara - (sanskrit) descents of the supreme being into the physical world
avidya - (sanskrit) ignorance,
bhakti - (sanskrit) devotion, love of God
sangha - (pali) monastery,
dharma - (sanskrit) duty, right, justice, virtue, religion
dhamma - (pali) The Doctrine, The Teaching of the Buddha, The Law, nature, the Truth, Ultimate Reality
samana - (pali) contemplative, literally, a person who abandons the conventional obligations of social life
karma - (sanskrit) fruits of action, duty, universal justice,
sutra - (sanskrit) lit. rope or thread, refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or a collection of such
sunya - (sanskrit) emptiness
samsara - (sanskrit) wheel of rebirth
bodhipakkhiya dhamma - (pali) the 37 qualities contributing to enlightenment
sammasamadhi - (pali) right meditation, being all one,
anapansatiyoga - (pali) mindfulness of breath coming in and breath going out
dukkha - (pali) all existence is unsatisfactory
anicca - (pali) all existence is impermanent
anatta - (pali) there is no permanent self
mahayana - (sanskrit) greater vehicle
hinayana - (sanskrit) lesser vehicle
theravada - (sanskrit) doctrine of the elders, form of hinayana
zen - (japanese) form of mahayana that developed in china in 600ad
tathagata - (sanskrit) a synonym of Buddha, to refer to the historical Buddha, or to the office of Buddha
chittopad - (pali) decision, determination,
yatha bhutam - (pali) that which is
shraddha - (pali) self confidence
karuna - (sanskrit) compassion
tathata - (pali) suchness
upeksha - (sanskrit) indifference
shunyata - (sanskrit) zero
tantra - (sanskrit) lit. loom, philosophy in which the ultimate reality is conceived of siva-sakti,
samkhya - (sanskrit) knowledge,
shirshasan - (sanskrit) headstand
siddhasan - (sanskrit) sitting yogic posture
samsar - (sanskrit) the world
mudras - (sanskrit) visions, outward expressions of psychic transformation
upanishads - (sanskrit) are part of the Hindu Shruti scriptures which primarily discuss meditation and philosophy, literally it means sitting down near
om - (sanskrit) yes, verily, so be it,
adhitthana - (pali) decision, resolution, self determination, will
anatta - (pali) not self, egolessness
atta - (pali) self, ego
bhavana - (sanskrit) mental culture
dukkha - (pali) suffering
dana - (sanskrit) generosity, giving
citta - (sanskrit) thought
deva - (sanskrit) god, diety
siddhi - (sanskrit) psychic power
magga - (pali) the path, the way
tanha - (pali) craving, desire, thirst
nama - (pali) mind, name, mental factors, mentality
iddhipada - (pali) the four paths of accomplishment
jhana - (sanskrit) meditation, trance, ecstasy, absorption, a state of serene contemplation attained by meditation
kamma - (pali) a volitional action
kammatthana - (pali) the act of meditation or contemplation, subjects of meditation exercises
kalpa (sanskrit) - an aeon, world cycle
tipitaka - (pali) the three baskets, the three divisions of the buddhist canon: vinaya, sutta and abhidhamma
upadana - (pali) attachment, clinging
sila - (pali) morality
parami - (pali) perfections, stages of spiritual perfection achieved by a boddhisattva on his path to buddhahood
panna - (pali) wisdom, insight
nibbana - (pali) the extinction of the fires of greed, of hatred and ignorance, the unconditioned, the supreme goal of buddhism,
satipatthana - (pali) the four foundations of mindfulness
karuna - (pali) compassion
puja - (pali) worship (external and mental, honor, veneration, homage, devotional offering)
majjima patipada - (pali) the middle way (the eightfold noble path)
saddha - (pali) faith, confidence
samudaya - (sanskrit) the cause of suffering: clinging to desire
mantra - (sanskrit) sacred or magical formula