Sapere Aude
In his essay “What is Enlightenment?”, Immanuel Kant states that the motto of the Enlightenment is
“Sapere aude!” [Dare to know!]
This 2020 pixar film that displays a platonic theory of the soul echoes existentialist themes of finding meaning through experiences.
Soul
This logical form states that if "If P, then Q" is true and P is true, then Q must also be true.
Modus Ponens
This ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician was known for founding a religious and philosophical movement that linked mathematics, harmony, and the soul.
Pythagoras
This problem arises when a belief can be true and justified yet still fail to constitute knowledge, highlighting that justification alone may be insufficient.
Gettier Problem
Among our members, I'm the one you journeyed to the land where mountains starred in Middle-earth, kiwis walk but seldom fly, and last semester my studies crossed the Pacific. Who am I?
Tyler
This 2023 film explores how a perfect feminine ideal grapples with reality, reflecting existentialist and feminist concerns about identity.
The Barbie Movie
This form of reasoning allows one to conclude "not P" if "If P, then Q" is true and Q is false.
Modus Tollens
This utilitarian philosopher argued that the best action maximizes “the greatest happiness of the greatest number.”
Jeremy Bentham
This thought experiment challenges consequentialist reasoning by forcing a choice between violating a personal moral prohibition or allowing greater harm to occur.
Trolley Problem
Most of us arrived here from far and wide, but I first opened my eyes in the very town where our college stands. Who am I?
Finley
This 2024 body-horror film critiques society’s obsession with youth and beauty, exploring themes of alienation.
The Substance
This form of reasoning allows one to combine two true statements, P and Q, into a single statement "P and Q."
Conjunction
This empiricist argued that ideas come only from sensory experience and that we have no innate knowledge.
David Hume
A scenario in which a person manipulates symbols according to rules to produce outputs in a language they do not understand illustrates the difficulty of attributing understanding to computational processes.
Chinese Room Argument
Though my personality might not hint at it, the hue I secretly favor is as sweet and bright as the chew that pops between your teeth. Who am I?
Sam
This 2006 fantasy horror film contrasts a young girl’s fantastical adventure to regain her birthright as princess of the underworld with escalating fascism in the world outside.
Pan's Labyrinth
This reasoning pattern allows one to conclude "P → R" if "P → Q" and "Q → R."
Hypothetical Syllogism
This philosopher’s “pre-established harmony” was his solution to the mind-body problem, claiming that substances never truly interact but only appear coordinated by divine design.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
This hypothetical device asks decision-makers to ignore their own social position, natural endowments, and personal biases when selecting principles to govern a society.
Veil of Ignorance
This member (from abroad) once appeared as an extra in the movie Rust alongside Alec Baldwin. Who am I?
Jaden
This 2009 fantasy film explores the tension between choosing different worlds and identities, as a young woman’s struggle between mortality and immortality reveals themes of loneliness, trauma, and the search for belonging.
Twilight
This reasoning pattern allows one to conclude "¬Q → ¬P" from "P → Q."
Contrapositive
This 20th-century political philosopher is known for her analysis of totalitarianism, the nature of evil, and the complexities of human freedom and responsibility.
Hannah Arendt
A paradox explores whether an object remains identical after all its constituent parts have been replaced, raising questions about identity over time.
Ship of Theseus