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This is a list of keyterms in the Philosophical Dictionary. These are terms
for important ideas or terms with many links to other parts of the Dictionary.
Let's start with basic philosophy:
Philosophy: This gives the definition of the OED,
and provides links to
First Assumptions, Natural Logic,
Natural Philosophy,
Natural Realism,
Metaphysics,
Minimal metaphysics, and
Personalism all of which are pretty fundamental.
The last two items are worth reading if you believe yourself to be a
commonsensical sort of person. Other important items here are
Theory, Representing, Reason,
and Wisdom.
Another basic concern is logic:
Logic: This gives a simple definition and provides
links to
Basic Logic,
Classical Propositional Logic,
Extended Propositional Logic,
Logic Notation,
Logical terms,
Natural Deduction, and
Set Theory all of which
are important if you want to know about reasoning.
Personal probability gives a
system that explains everyday logical reasoning of
all kinds based on probability.
Then there are human persons:
Person: This gives a basic definition and
exposition and provides links to
Consciousness,
Character,
Ego, Hypocrisy,
Personality,
Role, Self, Suffering. Other important related terms are:
Brain, Self-deception,
Self-interest. An important aside here -
it concerns a different type of experience than
is normal - is Mysticism. In any case, it is
important to be clear about one's
personal probabilities and one's capacities for
willing, for these are fundamental to all one's
believing and acting.
Then there are a number of important illusions and delusions:
Illusion, Delusion,
Self-deception,
Collusion. In this context other important
terms are: Ignorance,
Prejudice, Fanaticism
and Madness, More specifically but still general,
there are: Ideology,
Religion,
Wishful thinking and their
generators: Priests and
Clergy. In roughly the same class are most kinds of
Politics, in which
context Cant and
Hypocrisy are important, as are Propaganda
and indeed Advertisement. A very normal
product and cause of much illusion and delusion is
Totalitarianism, for which also see Us,
Them, We.
Then there is society:
Society: This gives a basic logical sort of
definition and provides links to
Collusion,
Conformism,
Groups,
Hypocrisy,
Ideology,
Politics, Power,
Religion, Prejudice among other things, and also to
Metaphysics and
Ethics and Morals. Important here are Cooperation,
Ends,
Agreements, and Promises,
and in general terms Leaders,
Followers, Ordinary
men, Groupthinking and Roles.
There also is a useful listing of commented
Politics -
introductory texts, and items on Anarchism,
Conservatism,
Liberalism,
Socialism and the
State and Government.
Also relevant here are Authority and
Bureaucracy.
Then there is knowledge:
Knowledge: This gives a basic
logical sort of definition and provides links to
Belief,
Ignorance,
Evidence,
Experiment,
Fallibilism, Science,
Scientific knowledge. Here
also enter concerns like Adequacy,
Wishful thinking,
Meaning, Truth and
Theory and Representing.
Also relevant here are Propositional
Attitude and concerns relating to Probability
and Certainty.
I wish you much pleasure and enlightenment!