Glossary Of Philosophic Terms

Glossary Of Philosophic Terms
In Support of blupete's Essay
"On Philosophy"
-M-
[TOC]

Materialism:
§ Materialism is the view that all things are rooted in material nature. It is a view that is widely held and comes down to us from the early Greeks such as Epicurus and the proponents of Stoicism. This is not a theory that suited those who were in control during the times leading up to about 1700, the religionists. Though they were prepared to accept dualism, the thinkers of the church preferred idealism; materialism was a threat to the medieval dominance of the scholastics. The theory of materialism was renewed and developed beginning in the 17th century, especially by Hobbes, and, in the 18th century, John Locke.
Metaphysics:
§ Metaphysics is an area of study which concerns itself with the existence of things. Are things real? Or, do they exist simply in one's mind? Is the mind real? These are some of the elementary questions that come to one who inquires into the nature and ultimate significance of the universe. Those who hold reality subsists only in thought are idealists (idealism); those who hold reality subsists only in matter are materialists (materialism); and those who hold that reality subsists in both in thought and in matter are dualists (dualism).
I suppose it might be said that the difference between science and philosophy is in the question asked: -- With science, it is asked: "How does it happen?" The answer is to be found in physics. With philosophy, it is asked: "Why does it happen?" The answer may be found in metaphysics.
Somerset Maugham, in his work, The Summing Up, expressed his view on Metaphysics: it is "the finding of bad reasons for what we believe upon instinct ..."
Moral Codes:
§ A moral code is a set of moral teachings or practical lessons. Further, from the OED, we see that morals are usually taught 22 by way of a fiction or of a fable; but, sometimes, of a real occurrence. I would assert that a moral code is always based, in the first instance, as a result, at some point in history, of a "real occurrence"; though most often forgotten. If a moral is made (and to Dickens, there's a moral in everything23), the moral is usually better than the temporary point being made.
Because of its definition (so often misunderstood), morals differ from the truth at least to this extent: though some people are mistaken, truth is an absolute and is to be the same for everyone; on the other hand, each individual (though many in compared sets may be the same) has his or her own particular set of morals built up as a result of their own particular set of experiences.24
Each individual will have "hidden pieces" in their particular set of morals, which, on upon being brought out, would likely bring on feelings of shame. Morals are, however, correctable, or, better put, changeable, according to one's new experiences: so too, the process of changing one's morals is likely an on going one.

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