Philosophy Terminology

noun a formal written defense of one's opinions or conduct

• The defendant's lawyer presented a compelling apologia for his client's actions.
• She gave a heartfelt apologia for missing the meeting.
• He tried to come up with some lame apologia for not doing his homework.
• Her art piece was seen as an apologia for the struggles of marginalized communities.

noun any of the declarations of blessedness made by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount

• The beatitude of the monk was evident in his serene demeanor.
• She radiated beatitude after receiving the good news.
• The beatitude on his face was priceless when he saw his favorite band perform live.
• The beatitude of reaching the mountain peak was overwhelming for the hikers.

noun a person who asserts their opinions in an arrogant or stubborn manner, especially without evidence or support

• The dogmatist refused to consider any alternative viewpoints during the debate.
• Don't bother trying to change the dogmatist's mind, they're set in their ways.
• That dogmatist is so stubborn, they won't listen to anyone else's opinion.
• The dogmatist's beliefs were like a brick wall, impossible to break through.

noun the attainment of spiritual knowledge or insight

• The philosopher dedicated his life to the pursuit of enlightenment.
• She had a moment of enlightenment and finally understood the concept.
• Dude, I had this total enlightenment moment last night, it was mind-blowing.
• The artist's painting symbolized the journey towards enlightenment.

noun the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature, origin, and scope of knowledge

• Epistemology is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge.
• I find epistemology to be a fascinating subject because it deals with how we know what we know.
• Epistemology is like trying to figure out how we can be sure about stuff.
• Exploring epistemology is like diving deep into the ocean of knowledge to understand its depths.

noun the quality or state of being mistaken or incorrect

• The theological debate centered around the concept of biblical errancy.
• Some people believe in the errancy of certain historical accounts.
• I think the errancy of that theory is pretty obvious.
• His erratic behavior could be seen as a form of intellectual errancy.

adjective relating to or characterized by the belief that reason and logic are the primary sources of knowledge and truth

• The philosopher's argument was deeply rooted in rationalistic principles.
• She always approaches problems with a rationalistic mindset.
• I don't get all that rationalistic mumbo jumbo.
• His rationalistic approach to life kept him grounded in reality.

noun a person who is knowledgeable in a particular field of study, especially academic or scholarly subjects

• The schoolman argued that education should focus on classical literature.
• The schoolman at the conference was known for his strict adherence to traditional teaching methods.
• The schoolman was a real bookworm, always buried in his textbooks.
• She was a schoolman when it came to cooking, always following recipes to the letter.

noun a follower or advocate of the philosophical methods of Socrates

adjective relating to or characteristic of the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates or his methods of questioning

• The Socratic method is a form of cooperative argumentative dialogue to stimulate critical thinking.
• My philosophy professor loves using the Socratic method in class.
• I totally bombed that Socratic seminar today.
• The author's writing style is often described as Socratic, challenging readers to think deeply about the themes.

noun a point of view or way of thinking about a particular issue or situation

• From a scientific standpoint, the results of the experiment were inconclusive.
• From my standpoint, I think we should go with the first option.
• Dude, from my standpoint, this movie is a total snooze fest.
• Looking at the issue from a different standpoint can sometimes provide new insights.

adjective showing no emotion or reaction, especially in the face of adversity or pain

• Despite facing numerous challenges, she remained stoical and composed throughout the ordeal.
• Even when things got tough, he stayed stoical and didn't let it get to him.
• She's so stoical, nothing seems to faze her.
• The old tree stood stoical in the face of the raging storm, its branches swaying but not breaking.

verb to include or absorb something within a larger category or group

• The new policy will subsume all previous regulations under one comprehensive framework.
• The new rule will include all the old ones in one big policy.
• The new boss is gonna roll all the old rules into one big one.
• The new idea subsumes all the old ones, creating a unified approach.

noun a person who engages in deep or intellectual thinking, often characterized by stroking their chin in contemplation

• The literary critic was known as a chinstroker for his deep analysis of classic novels.
• My professor is a bit of a chinstroker when it comes to discussing philosophy.
• I can't stand those chinstrokers who act like they know everything about art.
• The politician's speech was filled with empty promises and chinstrokers.

noun a term used in philosophy to refer to an abstract concept or idea

• The concept of abstractum in philosophy refers to an entity that exists independently of the material world.
• I still don't quite understand what abstractum means in art class.
• That abstractum stuff in the museum just looks like a bunch of random shapes to me.
• His emotions were like an abstractum, difficult to grasp or define.

noun A word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'accidens' is a noun that refers to something that happens by chance or is incidental.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun. 'Accidens' itself is not an adjective.

• The doctor explained that the patient's symptoms were merely accidens and not indicative of a serious underlying condition.
• Don't worry, it's just an accidens and nothing to be alarmed about.
• It's all good, it's just a little accidens.
• In the grand scheme of things, this setback is just a minor accidens on the road to success.

noun a philosophical theory that emphasizes the existence of concrete objects and the reality of objective facts

• Actualism is a philosophical doctrine that holds that reality exists independently of the mind.
• I've been reading up on actualism and it's a really interesting concept.
• Actualism is like believing in the real deal, no bs.
• In a world full of illusions, actualism helps us see things as they truly are.