SAYLOR ACADEMY PHIL102
FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026 - 2027
literal meaning - ANSWERS-A sentence's grammatical structure and
the conventional meanings assigned to the words used
Conversational implicature - ANSWERS-information that is
understood through inference but is not actually said in a conversation
implied meaning - ANSWERS-This is a suggested, but not stated
meaning
reportive definition - ANSWERS-A dictionary-type definition that
attempts to capture how a word is normally used
stipulative definition - ANSWERS-assigns a new meaning to a term
precising definition - ANSWERS-seeks to make more precise what
was previously vague or fuzzy
persuasive definition - ANSWERS-A definition that aims at
persuading the listener one way or another toward the term being
defined.
,factual dispute - ANSWERS-occurs when people disagree on a matter
that involves facts
verbal dispute - ANSWERS-when a vague or ambiguous term results
in a linguistic misunderstanding
necessary condition - ANSWERS-a condition without which another
event cannot occur
sufficient condition - ANSWERS-a condition that will certainly bring
about another event
antecedent - ANSWERS-The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a
pronoun.
consequent - ANSWERS-the outcome of the hypothetical condition
obscure - ANSWERS-difficult to see, vague
lexical ambiguity - ANSWERS-A situation in which a word has two
or more meanings. Example: pen-writing instrument pen- a place
where pigs live
referentially ambiguous - ANSWERS-A sentence in which a single
word does not explicitly refer
, Ex: Person A and Person B got into the car and they turned on the air
conditioning". It's not clear which person turned on the AC.
syntactically ambiguous - ANSWERS-sentence's grammatical
structure is unclear, words have multiple but determinate meanings
Ex: "Politicians are frightening people"
Vagueness - ANSWERS-indefiniteness, uncertainty. Meanings are
indeterminate
Ex: "Dinner will be done in a while."
incompletely expressed idea - ANSWERS-Self-explanatory.
Ex: "Will this test be like the last one?"
Instead of, "How will this test be similar to the last one? Are we
talking length, difficulty, or content?"
distortions of meaning - ANSWERS-can result in an erroneously
positive or negative disposition
reification - ANSWERS-viewing an abstract, immaterial concept as if
it were a concrete thing
category mistake - ANSWERS-Attributing a property to something
that could not possibly have that property.
Ex: Comparing apples and oranges and placing apples in the "citrus"
category.
FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026 - 2027
literal meaning - ANSWERS-A sentence's grammatical structure and
the conventional meanings assigned to the words used
Conversational implicature - ANSWERS-information that is
understood through inference but is not actually said in a conversation
implied meaning - ANSWERS-This is a suggested, but not stated
meaning
reportive definition - ANSWERS-A dictionary-type definition that
attempts to capture how a word is normally used
stipulative definition - ANSWERS-assigns a new meaning to a term
precising definition - ANSWERS-seeks to make more precise what
was previously vague or fuzzy
persuasive definition - ANSWERS-A definition that aims at
persuading the listener one way or another toward the term being
defined.
,factual dispute - ANSWERS-occurs when people disagree on a matter
that involves facts
verbal dispute - ANSWERS-when a vague or ambiguous term results
in a linguistic misunderstanding
necessary condition - ANSWERS-a condition without which another
event cannot occur
sufficient condition - ANSWERS-a condition that will certainly bring
about another event
antecedent - ANSWERS-The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a
pronoun.
consequent - ANSWERS-the outcome of the hypothetical condition
obscure - ANSWERS-difficult to see, vague
lexical ambiguity - ANSWERS-A situation in which a word has two
or more meanings. Example: pen-writing instrument pen- a place
where pigs live
referentially ambiguous - ANSWERS-A sentence in which a single
word does not explicitly refer
, Ex: Person A and Person B got into the car and they turned on the air
conditioning". It's not clear which person turned on the AC.
syntactically ambiguous - ANSWERS-sentence's grammatical
structure is unclear, words have multiple but determinate meanings
Ex: "Politicians are frightening people"
Vagueness - ANSWERS-indefiniteness, uncertainty. Meanings are
indeterminate
Ex: "Dinner will be done in a while."
incompletely expressed idea - ANSWERS-Self-explanatory.
Ex: "Will this test be like the last one?"
Instead of, "How will this test be similar to the last one? Are we
talking length, difficulty, or content?"
distortions of meaning - ANSWERS-can result in an erroneously
positive or negative disposition
reification - ANSWERS-viewing an abstract, immaterial concept as if
it were a concrete thing
category mistake - ANSWERS-Attributing a property to something
that could not possibly have that property.
Ex: Comparing apples and oranges and placing apples in the "citrus"
category.
