5.18 Philosophy — Epoché
What you will be able to do Name the faculties of the mind as German philosophy divides them: Vernunft, Verstand, Geist, Bewusstsein, Wahrnehmung . Talk about argument and doubt: Argument, Widerspruch, Zweifel, Gewissheit, Vorurteil, logisch . Read the key words of ethics and the Enlightenment: Moral, Ethik, Tugend, Gewissen, Wille, Aufklärung . Recognise the German philosophical words that English has borrowed or translated: Weltanschauung , Gegenstand , Vorurteil . Sentences from this lesson, before the explanation. Read the German aloud; all of them come back below. German English Der Geist sollte zusammen mit dem Körper weiter entwickelt werden. [1] The mind should be developed along with the body. Das Böse währt nicht ewig. [2] Evil is not eternal. Es verstößt gegen meine Prinzipien. [3] It's against my principles. Kein Reich währt ewig. [4] No empire lasts forever. Es gibt bestimmt einen Grund. [5] I'm sure there's a reason. Prerequisites : 5.17 — you need the academic layer of Latin and Greek words from 1.4 Cognates , the science vocabulary from 5.17 Vocabulary , and the nominal style from 2.30 Grammar . German is one of the great languages of philosophy. Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Marx, Nietzsche and Heidegger wrote in it, and English philosophy still borrows German words or translates them part by part. In 1.4 Cognates you met the international layer: Philosophie , System , Problem . This lesson adds the native core, the words German philosophers built from ordinary German roots. Many of them are everyday words too: vernünftig means sensible in any kitchen, and Sinn appears in Macht das Sinn? That double life is what makes German philosophy feel both abstract and close to everyday speech. Word list Sixty words in four groups. Thinking and arguing Word (article, plural) Meaning Notes der Philosoph（-en） de philosopher Gender / part of speech masculine noun (n-declension) How English differs n-declension: den Philosophen ; spelled with ph . Ich wollte Philosoph werden. [6] I wanted to become a philosopher. philosophisch de philosophical Gender / part of speech adjective How English differs Like English, also for a calm attitude to life. Das ist mir zu philosophisch. [7] That's too philosophical for me. der Denker（-） de thinker Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs From denken ; Dichter und Denker is Germany's image of itself. Er ist ein unabhängiger Denker. [8] He is an independent thinker. die Vernunft de reason Gender / part of speech feminine noun, no plural How English differs Reason as a faculty; Kant's great book is the Kritik der reinen Vernunft . Es widerspricht der Vernunft. [9] It is contrary to reason. vernünftig de sensible, reasonable Gender / part of speech adjective How English differs Everyday praise for sound judgement: Sei vernünftig! Bitte sei vernünftig. [10] Please be reasonable. der Verstand de understanding, intellect, mind Gender / part of speech masculine noun, no plural How English differs In Kant, the faculty of concepts, distinct from Vernunft ; in daily life, common sense. Gebrauche deinen Verstand! [11] Use your head! der Geist（-er） de mind, spirit; ghost Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs One word for mind , spirit and ghost ; Hegel's key term. Öffne deinen Geist. [12] Open your mind. die Logik de logic Gender / part of speech feminine noun, no plural How English differs Stress on the first syllable. Wir verstanden seine Logik nicht. [13] We didn't understand his logic. logisch de logical Gender / part of speech adjective How English differs Also colloquial of course : Logisch! Das ist logisch. [14] That's logical. das Argument（-e） de argument (reason in support) Gender / part of speech neuter noun How English differs A reason, not a quarrel; a quarrel is der Streit . Dieses Argument ist unwiderlegbar. [15] This argument is unassailable. der Widerspruch（¨-e） de contradiction; objection Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs speaking against . Das ist ein Widerspruch. [16] That's a contradiction. der Zweifel（-） de doubt Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs Related to zwei , two : being of two minds. Ich habe Zweifel. [17] I have doubts. zweifeln de to doubt Gender / part of speech verb How English differs With an : an etwas zweifeln . Du darfst nicht zweifeln. [18] You must not doubt. die Gewissheit（-en） de certainty Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs From gewiss , certain . Ich weiß nicht mit Gewissheit, wann er kommen wird. [19] I do not know for certain when he will come. das Vorurteil（-e） de prejudice Gender / part of speech neuter noun How English differs pre-judgement , exactly the Latin structure of prejudice . Er hat ein Vorurteil gegen Jazz. [20] He has a prejudice against jazz. Being and knowing Word (article, plural) Meaning Notes die Existenz（-en） de existence; livelihood Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs Also one's means of living: eine Existenz aufbauen . Glauben Sie an die Existenz Gottes? [21] Do you believe in the existence of God? existieren de to exist Gender / part of speech verb How English differs Participle without ge- : existiert . Er existiert nicht. [22] He doesn't exist. das Wesen（-） de being, creature; nature, essence Gender / part of speech neuter noun How English differs A living being and the essential nature of a thing. Menschen sind bewusste Wesen. [23] Humans are conscious beings. die Wirklichkeit（-en） de reality Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs From wirklich , real ; Wirklichkeit werden , to come true . Ein Traum der Menschheit wird Wirklichkeit. [24] A dream of mankind becomes reality. die Wahrnehmung（-en） de perception Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs From Old High German wara , attention (related to English aware ): taking notice of something. Not from wahr , true . Vielleicht ist es eine Frage der Wahrnehmung. [25] Maybe it's a quest