ancient chinese philosophy

The first and second sovereigns of according to the Chinese mythological tradition were Fu Xi and Nu Wa.

True

The literal meaning of the title Daodejing is "The Classic of the Way and Virtue".

True

Unlike the mythical figure of Laozi in the Daodejing, Zhuangzi was a historical figure.

True

What sets human beings apart from other animals is that human beings have standards of righteousness.

True

Zhuangzi proposes that we engage in 'therapeutic skepticism' by looking at the world from different perspectives.

True

Within Confucianism 'rituals' or 'rites' refer not only to large-scale ceremonies like graduations or funerals but also small, everyday actions like greetings.

True

Xunzi believed that we can override our desires through 'deliberate effort.'

True

Yang Zhu claimed that human nature consisted only of self-interested desires.

True

Zhuangzi criticizes language because words have a tendency to impose a set of values and rigidly fix our minds.

True

Which of the following is not one of the three central ethical theories discussed in lecture?

Intuitionism

The greater ruler according to the Daodejing (Ch. 17) is one that:

Is but a shadowy presence

Which of the following is not a feature of mysticism according to Bryan Van Norden?

It is uniquely found in the tradition of Daoism

Which of the following is not a value we find in the beginning of the Analects?

Adaptability

Which of the following metaphors best describes Mencius's model of moral development?

Agricultural Metaphor

Which of the following is an illustration of incrementalism as discussed in the lectures?

Aiming to study an hour everyday in order to graduate with honors

Which of the following is not one of the characteristics of Virtue Ethics?

An important goal is to find some general moral formulas that will allow one to act well in almost any situation.

Zhuangzi dreams of being a butterfly.

True

Which of the following type of metaphor does Xunzi use to explain the process of moral development?

Craft

Which of the following is not a core feature of Dao?

Dao seeks to change the moral views of people

The "One Thread" that can string together all of Confucius's teachings:

Dutifulness (Zhong) and Sympathetic Understanding (Shu)

The view that we ought to care more about with whom we have greater attachments such as family or friends:

Ethical Partiality

Which of the following best captures Xunzi's view of the relationship between human nature and moral development?

Even though human nature is bad, human beings can develop the virtues

According to Bryan Van Norden, Xunzi believed that human nature is not only bad but evil—human beings do evil things for its own sake.

False

According to Confucius, both punishment and virtue are equally valuable for proper governance.

False

According to most scholars Laozi was a historical figure that composed the Daodejing.

False

Because Mencius believed that "human nature is good" he claimed that whether or not one becomes a virtuous human being does not depend on one's environment.

False

Confucius lived during the Western Zhou dynasty.

False

Consequentialism claims that what makes an action right is that it conforms to certain universal moral principles.

False

Epistemology is the study of the ultimate nature of reality.

False

In his discussion with King Hui of Liang, Mencius claims that actively seeking 'profit' is the best way to gain material goods, but that one should still focus on benevolence and righteousness anyway.

False

In the exchange between Zhuangzi and Huizi about the happiness of fish, Zhuangzi ends up agreeing with Huizi that we cannot know what fish like.

False

Mencius affirms that wealth and sex are intrinsically bad.

False

Mencius believed that human beings are born with the virtues, and that it was society and culture that often destroyed those virtues over time.

False

Mencius's mother moved three times so that Mencius could learn how to gain more wealth.

False

Similar to the view proposed in the Daodejing, Zhuangzi advocates isolating oneself from society and living outside of civilization.

False

The Daodejing advocates building a political movement to create social changes

False

The Mandate of Heaven in Confucianism is given to both good and evil rulers as long as they perform ritual sacrifices.

False

The concept of 'Goodness' or 'Virtue' (de) in Confucius's teachings refers to military strength.

False

The main point of the story of the Ox Mountain in the Mengzi was to show how one of the goals of moral self-cultivation was to become stable like a mountain.

False

While Zhuangzi criticizes the Confucians, he endorses the view of Mohists.

False

Xunzi accepts the existence of moral sprouts in human nature.

False

Xunzi argued that the Mohists were right that we ought to care impartially for everyone.

False

Xunzi believed that music ought to be banned because of its harmful effects on our character.

False

Xunzi claims that no amount of deliberate effort can help someone become good or virtuous.

False

Which of the following identifies the two sources or roots Mencius attributes to Yizi (a Mohist)?

Familial affection and universal (or impartial) care

Which of these is not one of the four sprouts Mencius identifies in 2A6?

Filial piety

According to Bryan Van Norden all of the following are characteristics of Heaven except:

Heaven does not have any influence on the course of human history.

Which of the following is a central theme illustrated by Ch. 11 of the Daodejing according to Bryan Van Norden?

How being empty or nothing can be essential for everything else to exist

Which of the following is not one of the fundamental values that Jonathan Haidt claims is shared across all cultures?

Human Rights

Which of the following marks a difference between consequentialism and Kantianism?

Kantianism advocates always acting in accordance with certain moral principles, but consequentialism advocates always acting to maximize the happiness for all even when a moral principle must be violated.

Knowing how to ride a bike is an example of what kind of knowledge, according to Bryan Van Norden?

Knowing how

Which of the following accurately captures Master Chariot's view of suffering and physical deformation in Ch.6?

Master Chariot sees no reason for disliking physical deformations.

Which of the following is not true with regard to Xunzi's account of the virtues?

No virtue is recognized by people universally

The example of Martin Luther King, Jr. aiming to recover the moral ideals and values found in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to gain civil rights is an example of which concept as discussed by Bryan Van Norden?

Revivalistic Traditionalism

Which of the following is not a feature of rituals in Confucianism?

Rituals are important when one is young, but as one gets older they become less and less important.

Which of the following is not a feature of the Daoist practice of "fasting of the mind"?

Seeking recognition by society

Which of these is not one of the four virtues Mencius identifies in 2A6?

Self-Discipline

The Virtue-Ruler Hypothesis states that:

State will flourish if and only if the ruler is virtuous.

Perspectivalism, according to the lectures emphasizes which of the following?

The power of the mind to shape our views about goodness and value.

Which of the following best describes the Confucian concept of 'learning' (xue)?

The process by which one develops morally through the internalization of the classics and rituals.

Moral Development for Xunzi:

Takes an outside-in direction (morality is imposed on us from the outside through education and culture).

Which of the following is not a feature of the story of the Butcher in the Zhuangzi?

That focus and concentration are unnecessary for engaging in skillful activities

The thought experiment involving the child that is about to fall into a well in the text of Mengzi aims to show which of the following?

That human nature is good

A key premise in the argument for the value neutrality of death, as discussed in the lecture, is:

That we are all simply a part of the unified whole from the perspective of the Dao

The Field Analogy for Dao identifies all of the characteristics of the Dao except:

The Dao can be represented by field equations that identifies various dimension

Which of the following captures the attitude toward Confucianism and Mohism that we find in the Daodejing?

The Daodejing takes both traditions as ultimately harmful to society.

Which of the following texts helped to shape the Cosmological Foundation of the Daodejing?

The Yijing

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the "heart-mind" (xin) on Mencius's view?

The heart-mind, while a source of feeling and emotion is not a source of thought or cognition.

In his discussion with King Xuan, Mencius highlights how the king saved an ox from getting executed. According to Mencius, what more does the king need to do to become a "benevolent" or "true" king?

The king needs to simply reflect on his moral feelings and extend them to the people.

The story of the farmer from Song in 2A2 highlights which of the following ideas?

The need to undertake the process of moral development in a gradual way.

On Zhuangzi's view the death of his wife is akin to which of the following?

The passage of the four seasons

Which of the following is not a feature of the "skill stories" in the Zhuangzi?

They show the importance of propositional knowledge or "knowing that".

The example of riding a bicycle is discussed by Bryan Van Norden to illustrate which of the following?

To illustrate an instance of "knowing how"

According to Zhuangzi much of our unhappiness is self-inflicted. Therefore we should (according to Zhuangzi):

Transform our mindsets and take up new perspectives

According to Bryan Van Norden, Xunzi rejects teleology (the view that the universe has some intentional goal).

True

According to Confucius, becoming a "great man" or a "petty man" does not depend on whether or not one achieves a high social status.

True

As in the Daodejing, Zhuangzi advocates attunement with Nature.

True

Confucius believed that the key to transforming society was to recover certain key values that had been lost.

True

Despite the fact that human nature is bad, Xunzi believed that human beings can still become a sage.

True

In the parable of the monkeys and the trainer, the trainer finds a way to go along with the desire of the monkeys.

True

Mencius believed that care should be differentiated and "graded" depending on one's relationships to that person.

True

Mencius rejects psychological egoism.

True

Metaphysics is the central branch of philosophy that studies the ultimate structure of reality.

True

Mozi was a consequentialist

True

On Xunzi's view of human nature, human beings are primarily driven by self-interested desires.

True

One feature of 'non-action' in the Daodejing is being un-self-conscious.

True

The earliest written records in China, some of which were imprinted on "oracle bones" date back to the Shang dynasty.

True

Which of the following is not one of the practical lessons we find in the Zhuangzi?

We should move away from our natural inclinations and reshape our motivations to become virtuous.

Which of the following is not a feature of Zhuangzi's view of death?

While we should not be afraid of death, we should still do everything we can to postpone death.

The two fundamental, seemingly competitive but ultimately complementary forces in the Daodejing are called:

Yin and Yang