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A philosophical theory or approach that emphasizes individual existence, freedom, and choice.

An ethical theory that posits the best action is the one that maximizes utility, typically defined as that which produces the greatest well-being of the greatest number of people.

A central concept in the moral philosophy of Immanuel Kant, referring to an absolute, unconditional requirement that must be obeyed in all circumstances and is justified as an end in itself.

The philosophical view that the mind and body are fundamentally different kinds of substances or realities and that mental phenomena are, in some respects, non-physical.

A theory of knowledge that asserts that knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience.

The philosophical idea that only one's own mind is sure to exist and that knowledge outside one's own mind is unsure.

A philosophy focusing on the structures of consciousness as experienced from the first-person point of view.

An ethical theory that uses rules to distinguish right from wrong, as opposed to consequentialism which focuses on outcomes.

A theory that individuals are born without built-in mental content and that all knowledge comes from experience or perception.

The philosophical idea that pleasure or happiness is the most important pursuit of mankind, and that people should aim to maximize pleasure in their lives.

A philosophical approach that views political and historical problems as being rooted in material conditions rather than in ideals.

A form of cooperative argumentative dialogue between individuals based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to draw out ideas and underlying presuppositions.

The philosophical view that all events are determined completely by previously existing causes.

A feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish that is said to be the recognition of the true freedom and responsibility of the individual to give meaning to life in a seemingly indifferent universe.

The rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless.

A philosophical view that regards reason as the chief source and test of knowledge or any view appealing to reason as a source of knowledge or justification.

A philosophical tradition that began in the United States in the late 19th century that holds that the truth of any idea is determined by its usefulness in applicable practical situations.

A medieval philosophical and theological system that aimed to reconcile Christian theology with classical philosophy, particularly that of Aristotle.

A branch of moral philosophy that emphasizes character, rather than rules or consequences, as the key element of ethical thinking.

The selfless concern for the well-being of others.

An ancient Greek school of philosophy that taught that virtue, the highest good, is based on knowledge, and that the wise live in harmony with the divine Reason that governs nature.

A branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world.

The study of knowledge and justified belief.

The branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of art, beauty, and taste, with the creation and appreciation of beauty.

The systematic study of the form of valid inference and reasoning.

A sub-field of metaphysics, it studies concepts that directly relate to being, in particular becoming, existence and reality.

The branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct, often addressed as moral philosophy.

A tendency to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen; a lack of hope or confidence in the future.

The belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable, a type of resignation in the face of future events.

The philosophical standpoint that the efforts of humanity to find meaning in the universe ultimately fail (and, hence, are absurd) because no such meaning exists, at least in relation to the individual.

A broad movement that developed in the mid-to-late 20th century across philosophy, arts, architecture, and criticism which is marked by a general distrust of grand theories and ideologies as well as a problematical relationship with any notion of “art”.

The doctrine that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute.

A political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of authority and rejects all involuntary, coercive forms of hierarchy.

A philosophical movement that developed in the late 1820s and 1830s in the eastern United States, stemming from English and German Romanticism, the Biblical criticism of Johann Gottfried Herder and Friedrich Schleiermacher, and the skepticism of David Hume.

The theory and methodology of interpretation, especially the interpretation of biblical texts, wisdom literature, and philosophical texts.

A philosophical attitude of doubt towards knowledge claims set forth in various areas.

A rationalist outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters.

An intellectual and philosophical movement which dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries.

The group of philosophies that assert that reality, or reality as we can know it, is fundamentally mental, mentally constructed, or otherwise immaterial.

A body of unchanging moral principles regarded as a basis for all human conduct.

A philosophical view that various existing things can be explained in terms of a single reality or substance.

The belief that only physical (material) things truly exist, and that all other things, including thoughts, feelings, consciousness, and sensations, can be explained in terms of physical laws.

A movement in philosophy and sociology that arose alongside postmodernism, defined by a questioning of the traditional assumptions and concepts.

A view in philosophy according to which all knowledge is a compilation of human-made constructions, not the neutral discovery of an objective truth.

A philosophical system developed by Ayn Rand which posits that reality exists independently of consciousness and that individuals are in contact with reality through sensory perception.

The doctrine or belief that everything material, however small, has an element of individual consciousness.