Philosophy

nihilism

noun

/naɪə.ləɪzm/ or /naiē.lēizm/

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a system of thought that considers life as meaningless and rejects religious beliefs, moral principles, legal rules, etc.

utilitarianism

noun

/ju:.tɪ.lɪ.tɛ.riə.nɪ.zəm/ or /yoo.ti.li.te.riē.ni.zēm/

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the doctrine that the best measure or decision is the one that satisfies the majority of people

stoicism

noun

/stoʊə.sɪ.zəm/ or /stoooē.si.zēm/

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an ancient Greek philosophy that values virtue and encourages living in harmony with nature's divine Reason

solipsism

noun

/sɑ:.lɪp.sɪ.zəm/ or /saa.lip.si.zēm/

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a philosophical concept or belief system that asserts the self as the only reality and that only the individual's mind is sure to exist

ontology

noun

/ɑn.tɑ.lə.ʤi/ or /aan.taa.lē.ji/

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the branch of philosophy that is concerned with concepts such as existence, being, and reality

monism

noun

/mɑ.nɪ.zəm/ or /maa.ni.zēm/

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a philosophical theory asserting that all of reality is fundamentally unified and derived from a single substance or principle

objectivism

noun

/ɑ:b.ʤɛk.tɪ.vɪ.zəm/ or /aab.jek.ti.vi.zēm/

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a philosophy that emphasizes individual rights, reason, and laissez-faire capitalism

subjectivism

noun

/sʌb.ʤɪk.tɪ.vɪ.zəm/ or /sab.jik.ti.vi.zēm/

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a notion in philosophy according to which knowledge, moral values, and ethical obligations are subjective and there is no external or objective truth

absurdism

noun

/æb.sɜr.dɪ.zəm/ or /āb.sēr.di.zēm/

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the belief that life is inherently meaningless, yet individuals can create their own meaning

teleology

noun

/ti.liɔ.lə.ʤi/ or /ti.liaw.lē.ji/

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the study of purpose, design, and final causes in the natural world, exploring the idea that things have inherent goals or intentions

cogito

noun

/kɑ:.ʤi:.toʊ/ or /kaa.ji.tooo/

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the philosophy illustrating the core acknowledgment of one's existence through the act of thinking

monad

noun

/moʊ.næd/ or /mooo.nād/

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a fundamental, indivisible entity or substance, often associated with Leibnizian philosophy, possessing inherent characteristics and reflecting the entire universe from its unique perspective

pragmatism

noun

/præg.mə.tɪ.zəm/ or /prāg.mē.ti.zēm/

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a philosophical movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, emphasizing the practical consequences and real-world effectiveness of beliefs, theories, and actions

noumenon

noun

/naʊ.mə.nən/ or /naoo.mē.nēn/

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a philosophical term referring to the intrinsic nature of a thing, independent of human perception, in contrast to phenomena which are how things appear to human observers

transcendence

noun

/træn.sɛn.dəns/ or /trān.sen.dēns/

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the state of surpassing ordinary experience to reach higher understanding or existence

empiricism

noun

/ɛm.pɪ.rə.sɪ.zəm/ or /em.pi.rē.si.zēm/

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a theory stating that all knowledge is derived from experience

cynicism

noun

/sɪ.nɪ.sɪ.zəm/ or /si.ni.si.zēm/

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a doubtful view toward others' honesty or intentions

Taoism

noun

/tˈaʊɪzəm/

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a Chinese philosophy focusing on living in harmony with the Tao, the fundamental principle of the universe

libertarianism

noun

/lɪ.bər.tɛ.riə.nɪ.zəm/ or /li.bēr.te.riē.ni.zēm/

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a philosophy advocating minimal government intervention and prioritizing individual freedom

dualism

noun

/duə.lɪ.zəm/ or /dooē.li.zēm/

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the belief that reality consists of two fundamental and opposing components, such as mind and body or good and evil

fatalism

noun

/feɪ.tə.lɪ.zəm/ or /fei.tē.li.zēm/

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the belief that events and outcomes are predetermined and inevitable, with little or no control by individuals

deconstruction

noun

/dikənˈstɹəkʃən/

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a philosophy method that reveals and challenges underlying assumptions in texts and concepts

hedonism

noun

/hi.də.nɪ.zəm/ or /hi.dē.ni.zēm/

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a system of belief that the highest of good is when one is in the pursuit of pleasure

Cartesian

Adjective

/kɑːɹtˈiːʒən/

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related to the philosophical concepts of René Descartes, particularly his focus on rationalism and mind-body dualism

Kantian

Adjective

/kˈænʃən/

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relating to the philosophical principles advocated by Immanuel Kant, focusing on rationality and morality

socratic

Adjective

/sək.ræ.tɪk/ or /sēk.rā.tik/

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related to the teaching or method of questioning used by the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates

transcendental

Adjective

/træn.sən.dɛn.əl/ or /trān.sēn.den.ēl/

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relating to a system of thought emphasizing intuition and spirituality over empirical evidence, seeking to understand reality beyond the physical world

tenet

noun

/tɛ.nət/ or /te.nēt/

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a fundamental belief or principle that is central to a system of thought, philosophy, or religion