Explain Aristotle's Doctrine of the Mean (Golden Mean) in moral virtue.

Virtue is an intermediate psychological disposition between two vices: an excess and a deficiency (e.g., courage is the mean between cowardice and recklessness).

What is the Socratic Paradox regarding human wisdom?

Socrates' famous assertion that true wisdom lies in recognizing one's own ignorance: 'I know that I know nothing.'

Explain the informal fallacy of Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc.

Mistakenly concluding that because event Y occurred after event X, event X must have been the direct cause of event Y.

Explain the informal fallacy of Begging the Question (Petitio Principii).

A circular reasoning error where the premises assume or take for granted the truth of the conclusion they are supposed to prove.

Explain the formal fallacy of Denying the Antecedent.

An invalid argument structure: If P, then Q; not P; therefore, not Q (e.g., 'If you study, you pass; you didn't study; therefore you won't pass').

Explain the informal fallacy of False Dilemma (False Dichotomy).

Presenting two alternative options as the only possible choices when in reality valid intermediate or alternative choices exist.

Explain the formal fallacy of Affirming the Consequent.

An invalid argument structure: If P, then Q; Q is true; therefore, P is true (e.g., 'If it rains, streets are wet; streets are wet; therefore it rained').

Explain Plato's Theory of Forms (Ideas).

The metaphysical doctrine that non-physical, immutable, eternal, and perfect transcendent archetypes (Forms) represent the truest reality, whereas sensible physical objects are imperfect, transient copies.

Explain the informal fallacy of Ad Hominem.

Attacking an opponent's personal character, background, or physical traits rather than logically addressing the substance of their argument.

List Aristotle's Four Causes that explain the nature and change of any substance.

Material Cause (what it is made of), Formal Cause (its form, essence, or design), Efficient Cause (the agent or force that produced it), and Final Cause (its telos, goal, or purpose).

What is abductive reasoning (inference to the best explanation)?

A form of logical inference that starts with an observation or set of facts and selects the hypothesis that most likely and comprehensively accounts for evidence.

Describe Plato's Tripartite Model of the Soul in The Republic.

The human soul consists of three components: Reason (logos, seeking truth and wisdom), Spirit (thumos, seeking honor and courage), and Appetite (epithumia, biological desires for pleasure and food).

What does Aristotle consider the defining, essential function (ergon) of a human being?

Activity of the soul in accordance with reason, distinguishing humans from plants (nutritive soul) and animals (sensitive/appetitive soul).

State the classical logical Law of Non-Contradiction.

Contradictory propositions cannot both be true simultaneously in the exact same sense: ¬(P ∧ ¬P).

Explain the informal fallacy of Appeal to Unqualified Authority (Argumentum Ad Verecundiam).

Citing an alleged authority figure to validate an argument when the cited person lacks expertise in the specific subject under dispute.

What does Telos mean in Aristotelian metaphysics?

The inherent ultimate purpose, end, or objective toward which all natural things strive to realize their potential.

Distinguish between Actuality (entelecheia / energeia) and Potentiality (dynamis) in Aristotle's philosophy.

Potentiality is the capacity to develop into a certain state (e.g., an acorn has the potentiality to become an oak tree); Actuality is the complete realization and fulfillment of that inherent nature.

What central allegory in Plato's Republic illustrates the human transition from sensible illusion to intelligible truth?

The Allegory of the Cave, where chained prisoners mistake cast shadows on a subterranean wall for reality until one prisoner escapes into the sunlit world of true Forms.

Explain the informal fallacy of the Slippery Slope.

Asserting without evidential or causal justification that taking a modest initial step will inevitably lead to a chain of disastrous consequences.

What defines an inductive argument, and what makes it cogent?

An inductive argument establishes that its premises make the conclusion probable rather than certain; it is cogent if the argument is inductively strong AND all its premises are factually true.

How are moral virtues acquired according to Aristotle?

Through continuous habituation (hexis) and practical repetition; by repeatedly performing just and temperate acts, an individual internalizes virtuous character dispositions.

Explain the informal fallacy of the Straw Man.

Misrepresenting, oversimplifying, or exaggerating an opponent's actual argument to make it easier to attack and refute.

What defines a deductive argument, and what makes it valid?

A deductive argument claims that if premises are true, the conclusion must follow with absolute logical necessity; it is valid if the truth of the premises strictly guarantees the truth of the conclusion.

State the valid deductive rule of Disjunctive Syllogism.

Either P or Q is true; not P (P is false); therefore, Q is true.

State the classical logical Law of Excluded Middle.

Every proposition must be either true or false, with no third intermediate truth value: P ∨ ¬P.

Define Aristotle's concept of Eudaimonia in the Nicomachean Ethics.

Human flourishing, well-being, or the highest good achieved by living an entire lifetime of rational activity in full accordance with virtue (arete).

What is the Socratic Method (Elenchus)?

A dialectical method of inquiry based on asking probing, targeted questions to cross-examine definitions, stimulate critical thinking, and expose internal contradictions in beliefs.

Explain the informal fallacy of Equivocation.

Using an ambiguous word or phrase in two completely different senses within the premises and conclusion of a single argument.

Why did Plato advocate that philosophers must be kings in the ideal Polis (Kallipolis)?

Because only philosophers possess genuine knowledge of the Form of the Good and virtue rather than fleeting opinion (doxa), ensuring rule by truth rather than selfish ambition.

What is the difference between validity and soundness in deductive logic?

Validity refers strictly to logical structure (if premises were true, conclusion must follow); soundness requires both a valid logical structure AND that all premises are factually true.

State the valid deductive rule of Modus Ponens.

If P, then Q; P is true; therefore, Q is true (affirming the antecedent).

State the valid deductive rule of Modus Tollens.

If P, then Q; not Q (Q is false); therefore, not P (denying the consequent).

Filosofia — Base (A1/A2) 2: Logic, Argumentation, Fallacies & Classical Greek Foundations

[Italiano] Filosofia: Deductive and inductive logic, logical fallacies, the Socratic method, Plato's Theory of Forms, and Aristotle's virtue ethics and metaphysics

Level: basic
Languages: it → it
Cards: 32
Markdown: Filosofia — Base (A1/A2) 2: Logic, Argumentation, Fallacies & Classical Greek Foundations (.md)

Flashcards (32)

#	Front (Term / Question)	Back (Definition / Answer)
1	Explain Aristotle's Doctrine of the Mean (Golden Mean) in moral virtue.	Virtue is an intermediate psychological disposition between two vices: an excess and a deficiency (e.g., courage is the mean between cowardice and recklessness).
2	What is the Socratic Paradox regarding human wisdom?	Socrates' famous assertion that true wisdom lies in recognizing one's own ignorance: 'I know that I know nothing.'
3	Explain the informal fallacy of Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc.	Mistakenly concluding that because event Y occurred after event X, event X must have been the direct cause of event Y.
4	Explain the informal fallacy of Begging the Question (Petitio Principii).	A circular reasoning error where the premises assume or take for granted the truth of the conclusion they are supposed to prove.
5	Explain the formal fallacy of Denying the Antecedent.	An invalid argument structure: If P, then Q; not P; therefore, not Q (e.g., 'If you study, you pass; you didn't study; therefore you won't pass').
6	Explain the informal fallacy of False Dilemma (False Dichotomy).	Presenting two alternative options as the only possible choices when in reality valid intermediate or alternative choices exist.
7	Explain the formal fallacy of Affirming the Consequent.	An invalid argument structure: If P, then Q; Q is true; therefore, P is true (e.g., 'If it rains, streets are wet; streets are wet; therefore it rained').
8	Explain Plato's Theory of Forms (Ideas).	The metaphysical doctrine that non-physical, immutable, eternal, and perfect transcendent archetypes (Forms) represent the truest reality, whereas sensible physical objects are imperfect, transient copies.
9	Explain the informal fallacy of Ad Hominem.	Attacking an opponent's personal character, background, or physical traits rather than logically addressing the substance of their argument.
10	List Aristotle's Four Causes that explain the nature and change of any substance.	Material Cause (what it is made of), Formal Cause (its form, essence, or design), Efficient Cause (the agent or force that produced it), and Final Cause (its telos, goal, or purpose).
11	What is abductive reasoning (inference to the best explanation)?	A form of logical inference that starts with an observation or set of facts and selects the hypothesis that most likely and comprehensively accounts for evidence.
12	Describe Plato's Tripartite Model of the Soul in The Republic.	The human soul consists of three components: Reason (logos, seeking truth and wisdom), Spirit (thumos, seeking honor and courage), and Appetite (epithumia, biological desires for pleasure and food).
13	What does Aristotle consider the defining, essential function (ergon) of a human being?	Activity of the soul in accordance with reason, distinguishing humans from plants (nutritive soul) and animals (sensitive/appetitive soul).
14	State the classical logical Law of Non-Contradiction.	Contradictory propositions cannot both be true simultaneously in the exact same sense: ¬(P ∧ ¬P).
15	Explain the informal fallacy of Appeal to Unqualified Authority (Argumentum Ad Verecundiam).	Citing an alleged authority figure to validate an argument when the cited person lacks expertise in the specific subject under dispute.
16	What does Telos mean in Aristotelian metaphysics?	The inherent ultimate purpose, end, or objective toward which all natural things strive to realize their potential.
17	Distinguish between Actuality (entelecheia / energeia) and Potentiality (dynamis) in Aristotle's philosophy.	Potentiality is the capacity to develop into a certain state (e.g., an acorn has the potentiality to become an oak tree); Actuality is the complete realization and fulfillment of that inherent nature.
18	What central allegory in Plato's Republic illustrates the human transition from sensible illusion to intelligible truth?	The Allegory of the Cave, where chained prisoners mistake cast shadows on a subterranean wall for reality until one prisoner escapes into the sunlit world of true Forms.
19	Explain the informal fallacy of the Slippery Slope.	Asserting without evidential or causal justification that taking a modest initial step will inevitably lead to a chain of disastrous consequences.
20	What defines an inductive argument, and what makes it cogent?	An inductive argument establishes that its premises make the conclusion probable rather than certain; it is cogent if the argument is inductively strong AND all its premises are factually true.
21	How are moral virtues acquired according to Aristotle?	Through continuous habituation (hexis) and practical repetition; by repeatedly performing just and temperate acts, an individual internalizes virtuous character dispositions.
22	Explain the informal fallacy of the Straw Man.	Misrepresenting, oversimplifying, or exaggerating an opponent's actual argument to make it easier to attack and refute.
23	What defines a deductive argument, and what makes it valid?	A deductive argument claims that if premises are true, the conclusion must follow with absolute logical necessity; it is valid if the truth of the premises strictly guarantees the truth of the conclusion.
24	State the valid deductive rule of Disjunctive Syllogism.	Either P or Q is true; not P (P is false); therefore, Q is true.
25	State the classical logical Law of Excluded Middle.	Every proposition must be either true or false, with no third intermediate truth value: P ∨ ¬P.
26	Define Aristotle's concept of Eudaimonia in the Nicomachean Ethics.	Human flourishing, well-being, or the highest good achieved by living an entire lifetime of rational activity in full accordance with virtue (arete).
27	What is the Socratic Method (Elenchus)?	A dialectical method of inquiry based on asking probing, targeted questions to cross-examine definitions, stimulate critical thinking, and expose internal contradictions in beliefs.
28	Explain the informal fallacy of Equivocation.	Using an ambiguous word or phrase in two completely different senses within the premises and conclusion of a single argument.
29	Why did Plato advocate that philosophers must be kings in the ideal Polis (Kallipolis)?	Because only philosophers possess genuine knowledge of the Form of the Good and virtue rather than fleeting opinion (doxa), ensuring rule by truth rather than selfish ambition.
30	What is the difference between validity and soundness in deductive logic?	Validity refers strictly to logical structure (if premises were true, conclusion must follow); soundness requires both a valid logical structure AND that all premises are factually true.
31	State the valid deductive rule of Modus Ponens.	If P, then Q; P is true; therefore, Q is true (affirming the antecedent).
32	State the valid deductive rule of Modus Tollens.	If P, then Q; not Q (Q is false); therefore, not P (denying the consequent).