Lexicon

Topic

Moral and Political Philosophy Aesthetics Christology Ecclesiology Epistemology Human Person Logic Metaphysics Moral Theology Philosophy of Nature

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Topic

Moral and Political Philosophy Aesthetics Christology Ecclesiology Epistemology Human Person Logic Metaphysics Moral Theology Philosophy of Nature

Realism
The doctrine according to which a world exists independently of us and that we can know it to some extent as it is in itself. Absolute realism is the doctrine, holding that the objects of knowledge e...
Reasoning
The third operation of the intellect by which one judges that two judgments, taken together, entail a third judgment. Hence, reasoning arrives at new knowledge from previous knowledge. See REASON.
Science
See KNOWLEDGE.
Skepticism
The doctrine according to which we cannot have certitude about anything and, therefore, must suspend our judgment in all matters.
Speculative
Pertaining to intellectual knowing that immediately aims only at grasping something about the object rather than making or doing.
Understanding
(also called Simple Apprehension).— 1. The first operation of the intellect by which one apprehends the nature of a thing and, consequently, produces a concept of it. 2. The intellectual virtue by whi...
Universal
An essence regarded as common to many things or apt to be so. It can be considered in three ways: (a) as it is in itself, e.g., one can consider “rational animal” in itself and apart from its existenc...
Wisdom
(also called Speculative Wisdom).— A science of things in their first principles or causes. Specifically, wisdom judges lower things in light of higher things. In the order of cognition, wisdom render...

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