Phil 1302 test 2
In the second Meditation what did Descartes discover that he cannot doubt. Latin expression for his famous claim?
Discovers that he can't doubt his existence God exist
Dukkha is a central concept in Buddhism. As the author, Walpola Rahula, points out it's often translated as "suffering." However, it really means something broader and more complex. The Buddha identifies three aspects or categories of dukkha. Which of the following is NOT among them?
Expectation. Having expectations is a recipe for disappointment. This category includes all of the forms of "suffering" that we bring upon ourselves through our hopes and desires.
Descartes Goals in the Meditations
Goals: establish Foundation to knowledge
According to Birsch, which of the following would be the best way to understand the claim that God is transcendent?
God exists outside of space and time.
In the "Essence of God" reading by Daniel Birsch, we get a list of the traditional properties of God. Which of the following is NOT among them?
God is unpredictable.
What is the origin of dukkha?
It's a result of our internal thirst and craving.
According to Walpola Rahula which of the following is an appropriate characterization of the attitude of Buddhism towards life?
Realistic, but light-hearted and joyful.
Enlightenment or Nirvana is the "ultimate purpose" of Buddhism. It's described in many ways. Which of the following is NOT among them?
Reincarnation
Which of the following does Kierkegaard consider the highest stage of human existence?
The religious stage.
Rene' Descartes
1596 - 1650 Father of Modern Phil Among 1st enlightenment phil
What is the main claim of the Irenaean theodicy?
Evil serves the purpose of soul-building.
NEXT PART OF THE TEST
NEXT PART OF THE TEST
In Meditation 2 Descartes discovers something that he cannot doubt. What is it?
That he exists as a thinking thing.
Three categories of belief that Descartes
authority senses/dreaming innate belief like math - evil
What is a theodicy?
An attempt to reconcile the existence of God with the existence of evil.
Which of the following is NOT an element of the Augustinian theodicy?
God allows evil to exist as a challenge to humans.
Which of the following is NOT among the criticisms of Kierkegaard presented in the first half of the reading?
It's self-contradictory for Kierkegaard to try to rationally explain why we should embrace an irrational belief.
Descartes Legacy & Why was he not successsful
Legacy: radical skepticism Epistemology - Theory of knowledge
According to the first half of the reading, Kierkegaard's ideas about religion and faith are a response to two concerns about Christianity. What are they?
That Christianity is based on a logical contradiction, and that God's existence cannot be known as an objective truth.
The Eight-fold Path encompasses practical advice about living a life that is conducive to enlightenment. According to the author of the text, what two characteristics is the Buddha chiefly concerned to develop?
Wisdom and compassion.
According to Kierkegaard, what is the only legitimate path to belief in God?
A leap of faith.
Towards the end of the second meditation there is a famous passage in which Descartes describes an object and the way it changes. It's a confusing passage in which he's emphasizing that the existence of the mind is more obvious than the existence of bodies, and that what can be known can only be known through the mind. What's the object he describes?
A piece of wax.
Which of the following is the best reconstruction of Paley's argument? (Hint: This is a teleological argument, and teleology is about purpose. The argument goes from the recognition of purpose in the world, to the conclusion that God exists.)
All things like watches have a purpose. All things with a purpose have a designer. Nature is like a watch. Therefore nature has a designer.
What's central to the two main theodicies discussed by John Hick?
Belief in human free will.
The first Noble Truth is that all of existence is dukkha. The second Noble Truth is that dukkha arises from within. What is the third Noble Truth?
Cessation of dukkha.
Descartes claims that all of his beliefs that are derived from the senses can be doubted. Which of the following is the main reason he gives for this claim?
He cannot be certain that he is not dreaming.
René Descartes explains his purpose at the beginning of the reading. What is he trying to accomplish?
He's trying to establish a solid foundation for knowledge.
Percentage of world population & and when is it founded
Hinduism - 15% Judaism - Less then 1% Buddhism - Christianity - 30-33% Islam - 20-25% 622 BCE
There are several extraordinary claims made in Chapter 4. Which of the following is NOT among them?
Nirvana is the perception of the ultimate Reality or "Rädsara," a realm of perfect and unchanging forms.
Define the following properties traditionally associated with God
Omnipotent - omniscient - omnipresent - transcendant - all-good - personal -
Siddhartha Gautama was the founder of Buddhism. He lived in Northern India (present-day Nepal). During what century was he born?
Sixth century B.C.E (500's B.C.E.)
What's been your LEAST favorite subject that we've covered this semester?
The Ancient Greeks Thomson on Abortion Singer on Animal Rights The Ancient Greeks Thomson on Abortion Singer on Animal Rights Utilitarianism and Deontology Moral Realism vs. Relativism Haidt on Empirical Ethics Manning on the Ethics of Care Descartes on Knowledge Arguments for God The Problem of Evil Buddhism Kierkegaard
What's been your favorite subject that we've covered this semester?
The Ancient Greeks Thomson on Abortion Singer on Animal Rights The Ancient Greek Thomson on Abortion Singer on Animal Rights Utilitarianism and Deontology Moral Realism vs. Relativism Haidt on Empirical Ethics Manning on the Ethics of Care Descartes on Knowledge Arguments for God The Problem of Evil Buddhism Kierkegaard
What does the Buddha say about the human soul or self?
The Buddha says that there is no soul, nor even a self.
Descartes claims that he has some beliefs which do not derive from the senses, such as the belief that "two and three together always form five," and "squares can never have more than four sides." Nonetheless, Descartes casts doubt even upon these beliefs. Which of the following is the worry he raises?
There may exist an all-powerful evil being who deceives him.
Aquinas offers five proofs for the existence of God, often called the Five Ways. Which of the following is the best summary of the proof from motion?
Things in the world move, and everything that moves has to be moved by something else. But there cannot be an infinite chain of movers, so there must be a first mover, namely God.
Which of the following is NOT an objection to the Irenaean theodicy?
To understand evil we should think of God as a parent. If parents protect their children from every danger, then the children don't acquire the skills to protect themselves.
Which of the following is NOT one of the fundamental differences between traditional Buddhism and the major Western religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam?
Traditional Buddhists do not believe that humans should be ethical.
Kierkegaard is considered one of the founders of the philosophical movement known as existentialism, a philosophy that focuses on the nature of human experience/existence. Both of the readings describe Kierkegaard's portrayal of the fundamental human condition. What is it?
We are alienated from God by sin, and as a result we experience anxiety and despair.
William Paley claims that if we were to find a watch on the ground we would immediately know that it must have had a designer. Which of the following is his main reason for saying this?
We would see that the watch has a purpose.
