Introduction to Philosophy ch 2
According to Karl Jaspers, during the __________, man becomes aware of Being as a whole, of himself and his limitations. He experiences the terrible nature of the world and his own impotence. He asks radical questions. Face to face with the void, he strives for liberation and redemption.
Axial Period
In 411 and again in 404 the Athenian democracy was overthrown by a group led by antidemocratic aristocrats. The rebellion in 411 was initiated by one of Socrates' star students, Alcibiades. The rebellion in 404 was initiated by two students of Socrates—Critias and Cheredon. What role did Socrates play in the rebellions?
He did not take part in either the overthrow or the restoration of democracy. As a result, he was criticized for his lack of political involvement.
Accounts of Socrates' life were written by __________.
Plato
At the end of Socrates' trial, why did he most likely not bring in friends and relatives or plead for mercy?
Socrates felt that the court should render its decision based on a fair and just interpretation of the case against him.
Eighty men who had found Socrates innocent switched sides and voted that he be put to death because __________.
Socrates had failed to demonstrate either remorse or respect for the power of the court
Why was the agora an important part of Socrates' life?
Socrates loved going to the open marketplace early in the morning each day so that he could spend time in intellectual and spiritual conversations with as many other people as possible
How was Socrates different from pre-Socratic philosophers?
Socrates was not as concerned with the physics of the natural world as he was with the psychology of the mind.
In accordance with the laws of Athens, the jury during Socrates' trial consisted of __________ people.
Socrates' jury was 501 citizens, a cross-section of the 45,000 free citizens living in Athens.
Pre-Socratic philosophers held various opinions on the makeup of the universe. How did Thales, Anaximenes, and Heraclitus differ in their views of the universe?
Thales thought the primal element of the universe was water; Anaximenes thought it was air; and Heraclitus believed it was fire.
__________ is a mythical retelling of what were thought to be actual historical events: Greece's attack on the city of Troy, in the thirteenth century b.c.e., triggered by the seduction and theft of Helen, the wife of the Spartan king Menelaus by the son of Priam, king of Troy.
The Iliad
How do The Iliad and The Odyssey differ?
The Iliad is essentially an account of living in a world of war while The Odyssey focuses on the importance of the human world.
After Socrates was found guilty, he originally suggested that he __________ as his punishment.
be given public maintenance in the Prytaneum
Socrates' central theory was that "the unexamined life is not worth living." In this context, our lives have diminished value when __________.
We live our lives unreflectively
After he had been found guilty, which of the following punishments did Socrates suggest?
a fine of one mina Instead of offering to pay a hefty fine, Socrates suggested paying a comparatively miniscule amount (a mina), which he asked his friends to increase to 30 minae.
What is the premise of The Iliad?
a poem about the birth of the gods The Iliad is a mythical retelling of what were thought to be actual historical events.
Socrates saw himself as a physician of the soul because he __________.
felt that some people were simply going through the motions in life, with souls that were diseased and corrupted; as a physician of the soul, Socrates wanted to help cure them of their spirits
The __________ is demonstrated in the following reasoning. Every dimension of the universe displays design and purpose. Design and purpose implies a designer who is responsible for creating the design and purpose. Therefore, God—the supernatural designer
argument by design
What does the following reasoning demonstrate? Every dimension of the universe displays design and purpose. Design and purpose implies a designer who is responsible for creating the design and purpose. Therefore, God—the supernatural designer—must exist.
argument by design
Xenophon's autobiography, Memorabilia, expresses one of Socrates' central themes as well as the approach he preferred to communicate his ideas to others. Socrates communicated his theory that "the unexamined life is not worth living" to Euthydemus by __________.
asking Euthydemus a series of three brief questions
How did nonscientific factors play a role in ancient beliefs?
Superstition, myths, and religion infiltrated the processes of reason and observation for early cultures.
According to Karl Jaspers, the most extraordinary events are concentrated in the __________. Among them, Greece witnessed the appearance of Homer, of the philosophers—Parmenides, Heraclitus, and Plato—of the tragedians, of Thucydides and of Archimedes.
Axial Period
Socrates displayed great courage in upholding his beliefs, even in the face of death. Years later, how did Aristotle react when he was faced with a similar decision?
He chose to be exiled from Athens rather than be put to death.
In The Odyssey, Odysseus returns home and restores order out of chaos, just as he has done with the challenges on his journey. In this context, which of the following best describes polis?
a city-state as well as a social idea Yes, for Greeks, this is the goal—to create our own ordered polis in the midst of an absurd and amoral universe.
Socrates' jury was chosen from __________.
a cross-section of the 45,000 free citizens of Athens
According to Karl Jaspers, the "turning point of civilization" occurred during the "__________" when man, as we know him today, came into being.
Axial Period
Why did Socrates see himself as a physician of the soul?
He felt that some people were simply going through the motions in life, with souls that were diseased and corrupted. As a physician of the soul, Socrates wanted to help cure them of their spirits.
Socrates displayed great courage in upholding his beliefs, even in the face of death. Years later, how did Galileo react when he was faced with a similar decision?
He recanted his belief that Earth orbits around the sun and then spent twenty years under house arrest, supposedly doing penance for his "blasphemous" beliefs.
What role did Anytus play in Socrates' death?
He was responsible for the charges being brought against Socrates. Anytus arranged for Meletus, a young, unsuccessful poet with a sarcastic streak, to bring the obviously concocted charges against Socrates.
In Greek culture, religious stories formed a rich and colorful array of divine characters. They include gods and goddesses like Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Ares, Hermes, Athena, Heracles, Dionysus, Artemis, and Apollo. __________ provided an account of the actions of the gods in Theogony.
Hesiod
Socrates' goal was goal was to achieve a deep understanding of essential truths through the process of uncovering unjustified claims to knowledge, exposing logical inconsistencies, and gradually making his discussion partners aware of their lack of rational understanding of things they thought they knew. Why was this dialectical analysis of concepts unique in recorded history?
It is the first systematic use of reason for its own sake in philosophy.
Socrates attempts to defend himself during his trial by questioning Meletus about the charges. Socrates points out that the youth would be "very fortunate if only one man corrupted them, and everyone else did them good." Meletus acknowledges that numerous people influence our development over a long period of time, confirming the proverb, "__________."
It takes a village to raise a child.
At Socrates' trial, he demanded a clear definition of the key concepts under discussion. The insistence on "defining your terms" has been a core strategy of philosophy ever since __________ introduced it.
Socrates
How does the Confucius saying "He who knows he is a fool is not a great fool" apply to Socrates?
Socrates asserts that he is not the wisest man—only that he is "a little wiser" than others because he recognizes his lack of true wisdom.
Who referred to Socrates as a gadfly, an annoying, biting insect, attached "to a horse that is large and wellbred but rather sluggish from its size, and needing to be aroused"?
Socrates.
Socrates loved the exploration and interplay of ideas in discussions with others. It was through these experiences that he developed what has come to be known as the __________.
Socratic Method
The __________ used a dynamic approach of questioning and intellectual analysis to draw answers out of people rather than lecture them.
Socratic Method
How did the people of Athens react after Socrates' death?
They declared a period of mourning. Within days following his execution, the city of Athens declared a period of mourning, closing the schools and businesses in honor of their finest citizen.
What was the importance of Pythagoras, Heraclitus, and Parmenides?
They were three "pre-Socratic" philosophers who offered answers to "What is the nature of reality?" and other philosophical questions.
Socrates did not plead for mercy at the end of his trial because __________.
he felt that the court should render its decision based on a fair and just interpretation of the case against him
Socrates' principles were more important than anything, even his own life. Therefore, __________.
he refused to make emotional appeals to the court
When Socrates said that he was not born of an oak or a rock, he meant that __________.
he was born of flesh and blood and that he had relatives, too, including three sons
Socrates was a master of __________, a form of rhetoric that has at least two conflicting levels of meaning—an obvious one and a hidden one. Socrates used this when confronted by Thrasymachus during a discussion of the essential nature of justice.
irony
Socrates was the son of Sophroniscus, a__________, and Phaenarete, a__________, whose careers were to serve as rich metaphors for Socrates throughout his life.
sculptor; midwife
For Socrates, a good and honorable life entailed making full use of all of one's gifts: intellectually, creatively, and courageously. Socrates displayed honor and courage during the Peloponnesian War with Sparta when he __________.
walked through a mass of armed enemy soldiers to save his wounded friend, Alcibiades
Socrates' central theory was that "the unexamined life is not worth living." It was Socrates' belief that our lives have diminished value when __________.
we live our lives unreflectively
At his trial, Socrates addresses the common belief that "__________.". In doing so, he makes use of a very effective discussion strategy by anticipating a potential criticism or counterargument against his position and then providing an explanation to counter it.
where there's smoke, there's fire
Socrates used irony, a form of rhetoric that has at least two conflicting levels of meaning—an obvious one and a hidden one—because he __________.
would create a false sense of security in his dialogue partners and create the conditions for unmasking their foolishness and ignorance
Hesiod is best known for __________.
writing Theogony
What is Hesiod best known for?
writing Theogony
Why did eighty men who had found Socrates innocent switch sides and vote that he be put to death?
they did not see any signs of remorse from Socrates
Socrates acknowledged that the Greek dramatist Aristophanes conducted a long-running public campaign to ridicule and discredit him. For example, in response to Socrates' metaphoric characterization of himself as a "midwife" to men's understanding, Aristophanes contended that too often Socrates produced only a "miscarriage of ideas." In his play The Clouds he even—sarcastically—features Socrates as a major airhead with his head "in the clouds." Instead of confronting Socrates directly, Aristophanes created his personal attack behind Socrates' back, forcing Socrates to __________.
"spar with shadows"
Socrates was found guilty by a vote of _________ to __________.
281; 220
How many people were on the jury during Socrates' trial?
501
The charges against Socrates include allegations that he __________.
"corrupted the youth" of Athens and that he "does not believe in the gods whom the state believes in, but in other new divinities"
Socrates questions Meletus about the charges in an attempt to defend himself. Socrates points out that the youth would be "very fortunate if only one man corrupted them, and everyone else did them good." Meletus acknowledges that numerous people influence our development over a long period of time. Meletus' acknowledgement confirms the proverb, "__________."
It takes a village to raise a child.
Why did Socrates compare himself to a gadfly, an annoying, biting insect that bothers horses?
Like a gadfly, Socrates bothers people to prevent them from merely shuffling through life, living unexamined lives.
Meletus was Socrates' main accuser. Following Socrates' execution, __________.
Meletus was condemned to death
Why did Socrates refer to himself as a midwife?
Midwives deal with the body and Socrates deals with the mind, enabling men to "give birth" to their own understanding.
According to Thrasymachus, there is no universal definition for justice. Justice is simply what is in the interest of the stronger party, the person (or people) who have the authority to command what they think is "just" and "right." This belief can best be summed up as "__________."
Might makes right
The owner of a sandwich shop franchise meets with the store manager and says to her, "You need to push more items and raise the revenue at this location. Need I remind you that the last three managers were fired for failing to increase sales?" This dialogue is an example of "__________."
Might makes right
The Apology was written by __________ and was considered to be an interpretation of __________ ideas.
Plato; Socrates'
Lycaretos is a member of an influential group of educational travelers. For a fee, Lycaretos and others in his group teach people how to argue persuasively. They teach people how to win an argument at all costs, using whatever techniques and tricks are needed. Lycaretos and the other __________ believe the truth to be relative.
Sophists
Socrates' central concern of philosophy is the psyche, or "soul." What is Socrates' belief with regard to the soul?
The soul is "immortal and imperishable, and after death should continue to exist in another world."
Socrates is on trial because he has been accused of __________.
corrupting the youth of Athens and not believing in the gods whom the state believes in
Socrates defended his lack of political involvement, explaining that he had been warned against engaging in politics by his famous __________—the inner voice, or guiding spirit he claimed to possess.
daimonion
During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt and the U.S. Congress imprisoned Japanese American citizens in internment camps for the duration of the war. This action __________.
demonstrates that every culture is vulnerable to powerful emotions that can skew rational judgment
It was Socrates' belief that philosophy was best practiced in conversation with others. "Conversation" meant more than merely "talking." It was a disciplined and investigative give-and-take, probing complex issues in a question-and-answer format. Plato characterized this exchange of ideas as __________, from the Greek word for "to argue" or "converse," a dynamic exchange or method involving contradiction or a technique for establishing an informed conclusion.
dialectic
Socrates believed that philosophy was best practiced in conversation with others, meaning a disciplined and investigative give-and-take, probing complex issues in a question-and-answer format. This exchange of ideas was characterized by Plato as __________, which is derived from a Greek word for conversation, and its goal was to achieve a deep, clear, rationally founded understanding of the most significant areas of human experience.
dialectic
With regard to Socrates' belief that "the unexamined life is not worth living," he was convinced that we have a moral obligation to achieve our full human potential, "actively exercising our soul's powers," which is the Greek definition of happiness, also known as __________.
eudaemonia
Amelia has agreed to go on a blind date with Jonathan. Just before she leaves to meet him, a friend tells her, "I've heard a lot about Jonathan. He's not a very nice guy." This is an example of __________.
poisoning the well
t Socrates' trial, his accusers used a fallacy known as __________ in an attempt to undermine his effectiveness. Before Socrates even spoke, they told the jury that he was a very clever speaker and warned them not to be misled by his cleverness.
poisoning the well
As a result of his debate with Socrates, Thrasymachus was forced to acknowledge that his (Thrasymachus') view of justice __________.
results in believing two contradictory definitions
During his debate about justice with Thrasymachus, Socrates used a form of argument known by the Latin phrase reductio ad absurdum, which means "reducing to absurdity, to force Thrasymachus to acknowledge that his (Thrasymachus') view of justice __________.
results in believing two contradictory definitions
What is the premise of The Odyssey?
the story of a Greek warrior who, following the defeat of Troy, embarks on a ten-year journey to return home, an adventure filled with challenge, danger and drama, and ultimate triumph
Julius Semertzides and his friend Manos Argyris visited the Oracle at Delphi, seeking information about their lives. They were high-level politicians and both agreed that they were the wisest men in Athens. Their debate was centered on who was the wiser between the two. When they asked the Oracle to answer this question for them, she most likely told them that __________.
there was no man wiser than Socrates