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Philosophy
Grade 9-12
Major Philosophical Schools Cheat Sheet
A printable reference covering Stoicism, Epicureanism, Rationalism, Empiricism, Skepticism, Existentialism, Pragmatism, and ethical schools for grades 9-12.
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Major philosophical schools are organized ways of answering big questions about reality, knowledge, ethics, society, and human purpose. This cheat sheet helps students compare schools by their core claims, methods, and famous thinkers. It is useful for reading primary texts, writing essays, and recognizing how different philosophers build arguments. A clear reference makes it easier to connect abstract ideas to concrete examples.
Key Facts
- Rationalism holds that reason is the main source of knowledge, so its core pattern is knowledge = reason plus logical deduction.
- Empiricism holds that knowledge begins with experience, so its core pattern is knowledge = observation plus evidence.
- Skepticism questions whether certainty is possible, and its rule is to withhold belief when evidence or reasoning is insufficient.
- Stoicism teaches that virtue is the highest good and that students should focus on what they can control rather than what they cannot control.
- Epicureanism teaches that a good life comes from modest pleasure, friendship, freedom from fear, and the reduction of unnecessary desires.
- Utilitarianism judges an action by consequences, using the rule right action = greatest overall happiness or least overall harm.
- Deontology judges an action by duty and moral rules, so an action can be wrong even if it produces a useful result.
- Existentialism emphasizes freedom, responsibility, and meaning-making, with the core claim that people must choose values rather than simply inherit them.
Vocabulary
- Metaphysics
- The branch of philosophy that studies reality, existence, identity, causation, and what kinds of things are real.
- Epistemology
- The branch of philosophy that studies knowledge, belief, truth, evidence, and justification.
- Ethics
- The branch of philosophy that studies right action, moral character, values, duties, and the good life.
- Rationalism
- The view that reason, logic, and sometimes innate ideas are the strongest foundations for knowledge.
- Empiricism
- The view that sense experience, observation, and evidence are the strongest foundations for knowledge.
- Pragmatism
- The view that ideas should be judged by their practical effects, usefulness, and success in solving problems.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing Stoicism with having no emotions is wrong because Stoicism teaches disciplined judgment about emotions, not the elimination of all feeling.
- Treating Epicureanism as reckless pleasure-seeking is wrong because Epicurus emphasized simple pleasures, friendship, and freedom from anxiety.
- Mixing up Rationalism and Empiricism is wrong because Rationalism gives priority to reason, while Empiricism gives priority to experience and observation.
- Assuming Utilitarianism always protects individual rights is wrong because it can justify harming one person if doing so increases total happiness.
- Calling every uncertain belief Skepticism is wrong because philosophical Skepticism is a method of questioning justification, not simply being doubtful or negative.
Practice Questions
- 1 A chart lists 8 claims: 3 rely mainly on observation, 2 rely mainly on reason, 2 suspend judgment, and 1 judges by total happiness. How many claims are empiricist, and how many are utilitarian?
- 2 An essay compares 4 ethical schools and gives 3 examples for each school. How many total examples are needed, and name one ethical school from the cheat sheet.
- 3 Classify each claim as Rationalism, Empiricism, Stoicism, Utilitarianism, or Existentialism: knowledge comes from the senses; choose meaning through responsibility; control your judgments; use reason to find truth; choose the action with the best overall consequences.
- 4 Explain why two schools can disagree about the same action even when both are trying to be rational and ethical.