Philosophy Test 4

Theorems

Proposition or truth claims that area typically deduced using logical rules from a set of axioms or first principles

Berkeley denied that there are houses, books, trees, and cats? a. true b. false

b. FALSE

The intuitivist model seems to make the role of scientist too? a. active b. passive c. lucky d. secular

b. Passive

Rationalists prefer mathematics and logic since these yield? a. contingent truths b. personal truths c. necessary truths d. historical truths

c. Necessary truths

The instrumentalist view of science is a version of? a. correspondence theory of truth b. coherence theory of truth c. pragmatic theory of truth

c. Pragmatic theory of truth

Falsification

As used by Karl Popper, a criterion for testing the warrant of a scientific claim. A scientist tests a hypothesis by trying to prove it false rather than trying to confirm or verify.

Innate ideas are traditionally regarded as those ideas that we? a. acquire through experience b. have independent experience c. acquire on legitimate authority d. acquire through our own culture and upbringing

b. Have independent of experience

Intention

Ordinarily understood as the conscious motivating factor behind some action.

Ideal language

A language free of the ambiguity and vagueness of ordinary language

Scientific Revolution

A period in. the history of Western civilization, dated at the end of the Renaissance, in'which critical thought about the world was naturalized, and many astronomical and biological insights gained. As used by Thomas Kuhn, a period of transition when one paradigm replaces some other paradigm. Thus an example of this latter concept occurred when the heliocentric theory of the solar system replaced the geocentric theory of the solar system.

Genre

A style or method and typically used to describe types of stories, plays, and films.

Paradigm

A theory with much explanatory power that solves a certain set of problems or anomalies and becomes the model for future scientific work. Darwin's theory of evolution or Copernicus's heliocentric theory of the solar system are examples of paradigms.

Quantum mechanics

An area of theoretical physics that studies the structure and dynamics of atoms and subatomic particles.

Language game

As used by Wittgenstein, it is the practice or use that gives meaning to a word or expression.

Indulgences

As used in this episode in referring to practices of the Catholic church, indulgences were sold by the church for the purpose of getting the souls of departed loved ones out of purgatory.

Pure reasoning

As used in this episode, it means to think or understand independent of sensory experience

Allegory

From the Greek allegoreuo, meaning literally, saying something different from what's actually said.

Induction

Reasoning to the probable truth of some claim or explanation. A limited usage involves drawing probable generalizations from particular claims or observations.

Hermeneutics

The branch of philosophy that deals with the interpretation of words and actions by providing correct rules for interpretation. Its original focus was upon the meaning of texts.

Pragmatic theory of truth

The philosophical view that a statement is true if it works or has predictive value in science and everyday life.

Scientific realism

The view that a true scientific theory is one that correctly describes an objective reality that exists independent of Human consciousness.

Instrumentalism

The view that a true scientific theory is one that enables scientists to make accurate predictions

Pure reason

Thought, speculation without the use of the senses.

Subjective

Uniquely personal, such as your feelings or thoughts

According to the correspondence theory of truth, a true belief or statement? a. accurately reports some aspect of reality b. fits in with other beliefs or statements c. has some usefulness or reliability d. is indubitable

a. Accurately reports some aspect of reality

To know an artist's intention, Dilthey claimed you must? a. almost relive or re-enact the artist's life b. actually give up the idea of being able to know an artist's actual intention c. study the work of art itself very closely d. find the allegorical meaning in a work of art

a. Almost relieve or re-enact the artist's life

The realist view of science tends to adopt the? a. correspondence theory of truth b. coherence theory of truth c. pragmatic theory of truth

a. Correspondence theory of truth

Friedrich Schleiermacher claimed that to correctly interpret a text, one must? a. know the text's historical context b. simply find some personal meaning in the work c. look to the theme of the work d. understand how informed, educated people react to the work

a. Know the text's historical context

A part of the traditional meaning of a priori is being? a. necessary b. skeptical c. contingent d.sacred

a. Necessary

Empiricism is the view that? a. our knowledge of the universe comès through our senses b. we can discover basic laws of the universe through pure reason. c. a rigid experimental method is needed to acquire knowledge of the universe d. knowledge of the universe ultimately rests ~ upon authority

a. Our knowledge of the universe comes through our senses

According to Kant? a. our mind shapes the world b. the world shapes our mind c. our culture shapes our mind d. our personalities give each of us our own special world

a. Our mind shapes the world

Most___Believe that the basic principles of logic and math are innate? a. rationalists b. empiricists c. philosophers d. mathematicians

a. Rationalists

Karl Popper advocated a method of science? a. requiring scientific hypotheses to be falsifiable b. requiring scientific hypotheses to be based " upon accepted authority c. requiring scientific hypotheses to be inductively inferred from a collection of facts d. in which paradigms serve to define acceptable methodology

a. Requiring scientific hypotheses to be falsifiable

In Kant's view our mind provides? a. structure b. content c. structure and content d. neither structure nor content

a. Structure

According to the coherence theory of truth, a statement is true if it is consistent with other statements that we regard as true? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

Contemporary philosopher Barry Stroud argues that we have no way of checking to see what the real world might be like? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

Descartes's assumed that "some evil genius not less powerful than deceitful, has employed his whole energies in deceiving me."? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

Empiricism is the belief that all knowledge about the world comes from or is based on senses? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

Francis Bacon and John Stuart Mill claimed that induction is the primary tool of the scientific method? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

In the Meno, Socrates claims that ideas about geometry are remembered and must have acquired at some time before we were born? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

Kant's revolutionary claim that the world must conform to the mind is often referred to as the Copernican revolution is knowledge? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

Kuhn claims that scientists often continue to hold on to a theory even if some observations show up that do not fit into the theory? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

Modern philosopher Bertrand Russell held that a statement is true if it corresponds to reality? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

Plato and Descartes are rationalists? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

The British empiricists were Locke, Berkeley, and Hume? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis says that the structure of a language determines how a speaker of that language thinks? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

The correspondence theory has problems, explaining what a fact is? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

The realist view of scientific truth holds that true scientific theories correspond to the way the world is? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

The way that Gregor Mendel developed his laws of heredity is a good example of inductionism? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

William Whewell, an opponent of Mill, claimed that great scientific advances occur when scientists make a creative guess or hypothesis? a. true b. false

a. TRUE

David Hume argued that causality was? a. the constant conjunction between distinct events b. the necessary relationship between a cause and its effect c. the universal and eternal relationship between natural events d. the mortar between events, as divinely designed

a. The constant conjunction between distinct events

In Kant's view, the senses provide us with? a. the content but not the structure of experience b. the structure but not the content of experience c. insight into the nature of the thing-in-itself d. only confused thinking and should not be trusted at all

a. The content but not the structure of experience

Historically, one method attempted for avoiding misunderstanding in interpretation was? a. the creation of an ideal language b. universal literacy c. requiring people to speak more than one language d. having every educated person learn Latin

a. The creation of an ideal language

Wittgenstein's early work claimed that the ideal language? a. would clearly or exactly represent reality b. would be formal and mathematical c. would be essentially religious d. was a fiction since language is much too complex

a. Would clearly or exactly represent reality

Geometry proved an ideal model for rationalistic thought since it? a. yielded truths that appeared indisputable and certain b. was only known by a select few researchers c. relied only upon experience for its axioms d. was discovered by a Greek

a. Yielded truths that appeared indisputable and certain

Copernicus's heliocentric theory of the solar system versus the geocentric theory? a. paradigm shifts b. not paradigm shifts

a. paradigm shifts

Darwin's theory of evolution versus the theory of creationism? a. paradigm shifts b. not paradigm shifts

a. paradigm shifts

Modern philosopher Bertrand Russell held that a statement is true if it corresponds to reality? a. true b. false

a. true

The correspondence theory has problems explaining what a fact is? a. true b. false

a. true

In Plato's dialogue, the Meno, Socrates has a slave boy solve? a. a puzzle about the nature of justice b. a mathematical problem c. a dispute over the nature of a fair wage d. the problem of freedom and slavery

b. A mathematical problem

According to some contemporary philosophers, traditional empiricism resulted in skepticism because it treated experience or sensation as? a. only being about the external world and not " our internal world b. being "inside us," or occurring in some "inner theatre" of our mind c. a confused form of thinking d. requiring innate ideas

b. Being inside us, or occurring in some 'inner theatre' of our mind

Conceptual relativism is a version of? a. correspondence theory of truth b. coherence theory of truth c. pragmatic theory of truth

b. Coherence theory of truth

According to Kant, the mark of science is that it tries to disprove or falsify proposed theories? a. true b. false

b. FALSE

According to Kant, we need only reason, and not the senses, to know anything about the world around us? a. true b. false

b. FALSE

Kant rejected the view of knowledge now called transcendental idealism? a. true b. false

b. FALSE

Leibniz completely rejected the theory of innate ideas? a. true b. false

b. FALSE

Locke's primary qualities include color and smell, and his secondary qualities include size and shape? a. true b. false

b. FALSE

Most of the rationalists felt that the basic principle of logic and math could not be innate ideas in us? a. true b. false

b. FALSE

The instrumentalist view of scientific truth is based on the correspondence theory of truth? a. true b. false

b. FALSE

The romantic philosopher Wilhelm von Humboldt vehemently denied that we construct the world according to the categories of our language that we happen to use? a. true b. false

b. FALSE

According to the coherence theory of truth, a true belief or statement? a. accurately reports some aspect of reality b. fits in with other beliefs or statements c. has some usefulness or reliability d. is indubitable

b. Fits in with other beliefs or statements

Hermeneutics gets its name from? a. Hermits who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls b. Hermes, the messenger god c. Hermenes, the ancient poet of Zybos d. the research method of hermeneology

b. Hermes, the messenger of god

According to Locke's empiricism, there is a gap between? a. simple ideas and complex ideas b. ideas and the material objects they are supposed copies of c. causes and their effects d. religion and justice

b. Ideas and the material objects they are supposed copies of

According to David Hume, ideas are distinguished from impressions by? a. ideas being real while impressions are not b. impressions having more force and vivacity c. impressions being copies of ideas d. ideas being one and all complex

b. Impression having more force and vivacity

Kant argued that a criterion for discovering the formal structuring components of experience is? a. a culture's religious concepts b. the a priori nature of some concepts c. the a posteriori nature of some concepts d. the personal importance of some concepts to an individual

b. The a priori nature of some concepts

Rationalism is the view that? a. our knowledge of the universe comès through our senses b. we can discover basic laws of the universe through pure reason. c. a rigid experimental method is needed to acquire knowledge of the universe d. knowledge of the universe ultimately rests ~ upon authority

b. We can discover basic laws of the universe through pure reason

The discovery of a gene for Alzheimer's disease? a. paradigm shifts b. not paradigm shifts

b. not paradigm shifts

The discovery that the universe is closer to 15 billion than 12 billion years old? a. paradigm shifts b. not paradigm shifts

b. not paradigm shifts

Two theories of truth discussed in this episode were? a. empiricism and rationalism b. empiricism and transcendental idealism c. correspondence and coherence d. conceptual and categorical

c. Correspondence and coherence

Martin Luther's conflict with the Catholic church was in part of the result of? a. Martin Luther's low pay as a parish priest b. the Church's lack of support for Luther's planned cathedral in Wittenberg c. disagreements over interpretations of the Bible d. an apparently rigged election, which kept Luther from becoming Pope

c. Disagreements over interpretations of the Bible

Hans-George Gadamer emphasized the? a. need for objective interpretations b. need to find an artist's true intentions c. ever present subjectivity in all interpretations d. lack of intention in speaking a language

c. Ever present subjectivity in all interpretations

According to the pragmatic theory of truth, a true belief or statement? a. accurately reports some aspect of reality b. fits in with other beliefs or statements c. has some usefulness or reliability d. is indubitable

c. Has some usefulness or reliability

According to Plato, learning is best understood as? a. being filled with ideas b. rote memorization of new ideas c. remembering ideas one already possesses d. acquiring new ideas through the work of others

c. Remembering ideas one already possesses

Francis Bacon advocated a method of science? a. requiring scientific hypotheses to be falsifiable b. requiring scientific hypotheses to be based " upon accepted authority c. requiring scientific hypotheses to be inductively inferred from a collection of facts d. in which paradigms serve to define acceptable methodology

c. Requiring scientific hypotheses to be inductively inferred from a collection of facts

Hermeneutics is the branch of philosophy which focuses upon? a. ultimate nature of reality b. theories of knowledge c. the study of the interpretation of words and actions d. issues and problems regarding the distribution of social goods

c. The study of the interpretation of words and actions

Leibniz's example of veins in a block of marble marking out the figure of Hercules was an attempt to illustrate the nature of? a. greek mythology in modern European culture b. the evolution of sculptures in European history c. the nature of innate ideas d. the power of empiricism

c. the nature of innate ideas

George Berkeley argues that an object is? a. a something; I know not what b. a material thing c. always an illusion d. a collection of ideas

d. A collection of ideas

Immanuel Kant attempted to philosophically prove that? a. empiricism was more tenable than rationalism b. rationalism was more tenable than empiricism c. a synthesis between Greek and Medieval " thought was necessary d. a synthesis between empiricism and rationalism was necessary

d. A synthesis between empiricism and rationalism was necessary

Historically, an alternative method of interpretation as opposed to a literal interpretation of? a. divine interpretation b. secular interpretation c. antithetical interpretation d. allegorical interpretation

d. Allegorical interpretation

Our belief in an external, material world is, for Hume, the result of? a. a rational analysis of the nature of a sense impression b. a rational analysis of the nature of an idea c. a very likely cause given its effect, which is our experience d. custom and habit

d. Custom and habit

For George Berkeley, material objects? a. are what science studies b. can only be known indirectly C. are rare and difficult to know d. do not exist

d. Do not exist

Wilhelm Dilthey's work is most closely associated with that of? a. Aristotle b. Hans-Georg Gadamer C. Paul Ricoeur d. Friedrich Schleiermacher

d. Friedrich Schleiermacher

Thomas Kuhn advocated a method of science? a. requiring scientific hypotheses to be falsifiable b. requiring scientific hypotheses to be based " upon accepted authority c. requiring scientific hypotheses to be inductively inferred from a collection of facts d. in which paradigms serve to define acceptable methodology

d. In which paradigms serve to define acceptable methodology

According to Immanuel Kant, a scientist should approach nature as a? a. pupil b. neophyte c. tape recorder d. judge

d. Judge

According to some critics of Kant's views, his a priori concepts are actually relativized to? a. age b. gender c. race d. language

d. Language

To solve David Hume's skepticism regarding anyone ever proving that our experience of objects actually conforms to the nature of the objects themselves outside or beyond experience, Kant made? a. it apparent that all of Hume's skeptical arguments were written when Hume was only in his twenties b. all of our ideas innate c. the mind more of a tabula rasa than Locke d. objects conform to our experience

d. Objects conform to our experience

Empiricism is the view that? a. the mind has certain ideas innately b. innate ideas are abstract entities c. all legitimate ideas come from authority d. sense experience is the source of ideas

d. Sense experience is the source of ideas

Descartes uses the example of the wax to demonstrate that? a. ideas ultimately arise within experience b. some innate ideas are acquired from experience c. he could not be certain he was awake or dreaming d. we know physical or material objects through an intuition of the mind

d. We know physically or material objects through an intuition of the mind