2010 Fall Proseminar Study Guide for Philosophical Method Test
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Here are some links corresponding to each of the topics on the study guide.
1. Understand all basic terms from argument theory.
2. Be able to distinguish explanations from arguments, deductive from inductive arguments.
Structure in deductive and inductive reasoning
The difference between explanation and argument
3. Review concept of validity and the Principle of Induction
Principle of Induction Concept of Validity
4. Understand, distinguish, and give examples of different types of definitions.
5. Explain and exemplify three main assessment strategies for arguments.
6. Review both lists of philosophical methods and develop a definition and example for each.
2. Philosophical Methods for Philosophy Majors
Our previous examples in student work
Anyone who is interested in forming a study group for this and or Kries' We are meeting at 9 Monday at foley library (email me at kkrossen@gmail.com or text (509)-230 4657). Hope this helps, -Kennedy
Here is my study guide if this helps anyone else! 1) Understand basic terms from argument theory
-Claim: A statement that can be evaluated as true/falst
-Reason: a claim/premises
-Premise: reasons given for a claim (also can be a claim about a claim)
-Conclusion: a claim
-Argument: reasons offered to help decide whether/not to believe a conclusion
-Explanation: reasons for a claim to help understand how a fact/situation came about
-Rationale: offering one claim as reason for another
-Reflective Deliberative Context . . . sorry, haven't done much with this yet
2) Difference between explanations and arguments: (see definitions above)
-Difference between deductive and inductive arguments
-Deductive argument: an argument that attempts to show conclusion with absolute certainty
-Inductive argument: an argument that attempts to show that the conclusion is probable
3) Review concept of validity and principle of induction
-Validity: property of deductive arguments, guarantees that if the premises are true, the conclusion must be true, also needs formal structure
-Principle of Induction: the assumption that nature is "uniform", assigning patterns to events
4) Understand/distinguish/give examples of different types of definitions:
-Stipulative definitions: a meaning assigned to a symbol, cannot have a true/false meaning, used to reduce ambiguity
-Lexical definitions: sometimes called "real definitions", reports the meaning the thing already has, can be determined as true/false, also used to reduce ambiguity
-Precising definitions: used to reduce vagueness . . . for some reason that's all i have right now . . . haha
-Theoretical definitions: tries to make a theoretically adequate or scientifically useful description of objects to which the term applies
-Ostensive definitions: also called "demonstrative definitions", refers to examples by pointing/gesturing
-Persuasive definitions: used to resolve disputes by influencing attitudes or affecting emotions of others (eg for death penalty the pro is "deserved justive for the victin and victim's family", con definition would be "legal murdering of a human being")
-Extential meaning: denotation, examples of what the term signifies
-Intensional meaning: connotation confines all shared characteristics of the objects the term refers to
