601 words you need to know

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10. main section of a will	______________________
Lesson 39
Philosophy and Logic
1. aphorism: a brief statement of principle; a tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion
2. dogma: a system of principles or tenets as of a church; prescribed doctrine; an established opinion or belief. Dogmas, derived from the Greek dokein, “to seem good,” are sometimes put forth without adequate grounds and arrogantly or vehemently proclaimed.
3. empirical: guided by practical experience and not theoretical
4. epistemology: the branch of theology that is concerned with the ultimate or last things-such as death, judgment, heaven, and hell.
5. eschatology: an idea or opinion founded on mistaken logic or perception. There are several types of logical fallacies: the fallacy of accident, of composition, of decision, of the antecedent, and of the consequences.
6. fallacy: an idea or opinion founded on mistaken logic or perception. There are several types of logical fallacies: the fallacy of accident, of composition, of division, of the antecedent, and of the consequence.
7. hedonism: pursuit of or devotion to pleasure; the ethical doctrine that what is pleasant or has pleasant consequences is intrinsically good. In psychology, hedonism refers to the doctrine that behavior is motivated by desire for pleasure or the avoidance of pain.
8. pragmatism: the theory, developed by Charles S. Peirce and William James, that the meaning of a proposition or course of action lies in its observable consequences, and that the sum of these consequences constitutes its meaning; a method or tendency in the conduct of political affairs characterized by the rejection of theory and precedent and by the use of practical means and expedients. A pragmatic person is practical and active rather than contemplative. He may also tend to be meddlesome and officious.
9. predestination: the doctrine that God has foreordained whatever comes to pass, especially the salvation or damnation of individual souls.
10. ratiocination: the act of reasoning methodically or logically.
11. syllogism: in logic, a form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise (all men are foolish), a minor premise (Smith is a man), and a conclusion (therefore, Smith is foolish); a subtle or specious piece of reasoning. Opposed to syllogistic reasoning is inductive reasoning known as the scientific method, which reasons from a part to the whole, from the particular to the general, or from the individual to the universal.
12. teleology: the doctrine that final causes exist; design, purpose, or utility as an explanation of any natural phenomenon. In philosophy, teleology looks upon natural processes as determined by the design of a divine Providence rather than as purely mechanical determinism.
13. tenet: an opinion or doctrine held to be true.
14. theosophy: a system of philosophy or religion that proposes to establish direct, mystical contact with divine principles through contemplation or revelation. The doctrines of the modern Theosophical Societies incorporate elements of Buddhism and Brahmanism.
15. utilitarian: stressing the value of practical over aesthetic values. The theory of utilitarianism, proposed by Jeremy Bentham and John Stewart Mill, held that all moral, social, or political action should be directed toward achieving the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
Exercises
I. Which Word Comes to Mind?
In each of the following, read the statement, then circle the word that comes to mind.
1. How do we know what we know?
	(eschatology, epistemology, pragmatism)
2. If A is B and B is C, then A is C
	(fallacy, dogma, syllogism)
3. Sherlock Holmes is a prime example
	(tenet, ratiocination, teleology)
4. Don’t do it; it might hurt
	(hedonism, aphorism, theosophy)
5. Daniel and Pearl forever
	(empirical, utilitarian, predestination)
6. Use it or lose it
	(utilitarian, aphorism, fallacy)
7. The quintessential principle that brooks no argument
	(theosophy, teleology, dogma)
8. Beyond human comprehension
	(eschatology, ratiocination, theosophy)
9. Respect for the old tried and true ways
	(ratiocination, tenet, pragmatism)
10. Logic with a twist
	(eschatology, teleology, syllogism)
II. True or False?
In the space provided, indicate whether each statement is true or false.
____ 1. A pragmatist and an empiricist are both more concerned with results than theories.
____ 2. Eschatology is deeply involved with daily rituals
____ 3. The explanation for the lion’s mane, the elephant’s trunk, the leopard’s spots falls in the province of teleology.
____ 4. A tenet is one of the ten basic principles of faith.
____ 5. Aphorism is the belief that natural phenomena can be understood only by a study of original causes.
____ 6. Epistemology is the science of letter writing.
____ 7. The empirical approach relies on observation and experience to determine truth.
____ 8. An assumption based on erroneous premises will inevitably be a fallacy.
____ 9. Theosophists generally spend a great deal of time in contemplation.
____ 10. tenets are those who “dwell in the house of the Lord.”
III. Find the Imposter
Find and circle the one word on each line that is not related to the other three
1. eschatology	teleology	utilitarian	predestination
2. document	dogma	tenet	doctrine
3. pragmatic	experiential	romantic	empirical
4. laconic	aphoristic	pointed	conjectural
5. hedonism	affliction	malaise	paroxysm
Lesson 40
Beliefs and Religion
1. agnostic: a thinker who disclaims any knowledge of God. The agnostic does not deny God but denies the possibility of knowing him.
2. apocalyptic: pertaining to a revelation; foretelling imminent disaster and total destruction. Apocalypse refers to the last books of the New Testament.
3. apocryphal: of questionable authority and authenticity; false or counterfeit. The Apocrypha includes the 14 books of the Septuagint found in the Vulgate but considered uncanonical by the Protestant because they are not part of the Hebrew Scriptures.
4. apostate: one who forsakes his faith or principles
5. apotheosis: deification; an exalted or glorified ideal.
6. benediction: a blessing, an invocation of divine blessing, usually at the end of a religious service. A newly married man is called a benedict, suggesting that marriage brings to a bachelor many blessings.
7. blasphemy: any irreverent or impious act or utterance
8. deist: believer in the existence of God as the creator of the universe who after setting it in motion abandoned it, assumed no control over life, exerted no influence on natural phenomenon, and gave no supernatural revelation. Deism is a natural religion based on human reason and morality.
9. infidel: a person who does not believe in any religion; among Christians or Muslims, one who does not accept their particular beliefs. This word infidelity denotes unfaithfulness to moral or martial obligations.
10. mantra: a mystical formula of invocation or incantation in Hinduism and Buddhism. The word comes from mens, the Latin meaning “mind” and the ancient Sanskrit word for “scared counsel” or “formula”
11. ontology: the branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of being
12. pantheism: the doctrine that the universe, conceived of as a whole, is God.
13. sacrilegious: disrespectful or irreverent toward anything regarded as sacred. The term is derived from the Latin sacrilegium, “one who steals sacred things,” which of course is one form of sacrilege.
14. syncretism: the attempt or tendency to combine or reconcile differing beliefs, as in philosophy or religion. It comes from the Greek syn (together) and kret (Cretain) and refers to the uniting of Cretan cities against a common enemy.
15. theodicy: a vindication of divine justice in the face of the existence of evil. Theodicee was the title of a work by Leibnitz in 1710. The word combines the Greek roots for “god” and “judgment”
Exercises
I. Which Word Comes to Mind?
In each of the following, read the statement, then circle the word that comes to mind.
1. In the Middle Ages this would have brought the harshest punishment
	(ontology, blasphemy, apocryphal)
2. God and nature are synonymous
	(benediction, pantheism, apocalyptic)
3. This person could be a Christian, Muslim, or Jew, depending on what you are
	(infidel, mantra, apotheosis)
4. An attempt to explain why God permitted the rise of Hitlerism
	(theodicy, apostate, sacrilegious)
5. If you can’t beat them, join them
	(agnostic, syncretism, deist)
6. The absolute best of its kind
	(apotheosis, sacrilegious, apocryphal)
7. Doomsday is coming
	(blasphemy, apocalyptic, ontology)
8. Belief that differing faiths can be reconciled
	(agnostic, pantheist, syncretist)
9. A blessing
	(mantra, benediction, blasphemy)
10. An unauthorized version
	(sacrilegious, apocryphal, blasphemy)
II. True or False?
In the space provided, indicate whether each statement is true or false
____ 1. The apocryphal writings have been universally accepted as part of the Bible
____ 2. An apostate is one who has changed his religious beliefs.
____ 3. Pantheists emphasize the importance of religious services
____ 4. The sacrilegious person holds a place of honor in the community of believers
____ 5. The apocalyptic view is definitely pessimistic
____ 6. The agnostic is inclined to say, “Thank God for my blessings.”
____ 7. The apostate finds solace in his mantra
____ 8. Ontology attempts to answer the question: What is reality?
____ 9. Sacrilegious and blasphemous behavior is typical of an apostate
____ 10. Mantras are part of the worship in Buddhism and Hinduism
III. Synonyms or Antonyms
Find and circle the two words on each line that are either synonyms or antonyms.
1. apostate	apocryphal	heretic	biblical
2. blasphemous	apotheosis	degradation	occult
3. infidel	mantra	religion	invocation
4. canonical	apocryphal	apocalyptic	orthodox
5. laity	benediction	denominational	anathema