Philosophy Midterm

Aquinas says that the first efficient cause of everything is _____. a. the universe b. God c. nature d. an infinite series

God.

According to Kant, nothing can be called "good" without qualification except _____. a. right action b. good consequences c. happiness d. a good will

a good will.

T or F According to ethical egoism, you should do whatever you desire to do or whatever gives you the most immediate pleasure.

False.

T or F Aristotle thinks that the highest good is an instrumental good (good for the sake of something else).

False.

T or F Confucianism is an individualistic moral philosophy.

False.

T or F Craig believes that the universe is the effect of a plurality of causes.

False.

T or F Craig thinks that the cause of the universe must be an accident.

False.

T or F If inductive arguments succeed in lending probable support to their conclusions, they are said to be valid.

False.

T or F If sound, Aquinas' arguments prove that the God of traditional religion (an all-knowing, all-good, all-powerful being) exists.

False.

T or F Kant argues that the moral law is conditional.

False.

T or F Kant believes that we should not treat persons merely as a means except when society's welfare is at stake.

False.

T or F Kant declares that we should never in any circumstances treat people as a means.

False.

T or F Mill believes that the moral worth of an action depends on one's motives.

False.

T or F Paley's argument, if cogent, proves the existence of the Christian God.

False.

T or F Scientists and philosophers have no explanation for the existence of the universe.

False.

According to Mill, to determine whether one pleasure is more valuable than another, we must _____. a. determine which one is objectively most pleasurable b. determine which pleasure most experienced people prefer c. consult philosophers of the past d. consult science

determine which pleasure most experienced people prefer.

The systematic use of critical reasoning to try to find answers to fundamental questions about reality, morality, and knowledge is called _____. the philosophical method the argumentative method propositional logic syllogistic reasoning

the philosophical method

The systematic use of critical reasoning to try to find answers to fundamental questions about reality, morality, and knowledge is called _____. a. the argumentative method b. the philosophical method c. propositional logic d. syllogistic reasoning

the philosophical method.

According to Craig, the kalam cosmological argument establishes that _____. a. the God of Christianity exists b. the universe has a cause c. the Big Bang model is false d. the universe is uncaused

the universe has a cause.

Craig argues that the series of events in time cannot be actually infinite, so we know that _____. a. the universe is finite in the past and began to exist b. the universe is infinite in the past c. the universe never is uncaused d. the universe exists only in the mind

the universe is finite in the past and began to exist.

Philo says the analogy that Cleanthes uses to make his case is _____. a. too complicated b. weak c. strong d. not based on a legitimate method of reasoning

weak.

To Kant, making a lying promise would be wrong because _____. a. lying to people can cause them harm b. lying to people harms society c. you could not consistently will that everyone should make lying promises d. most people condemn the practice

you could not consistently will that everyone should make lying promises.

Craig says an actually infinite number of things _____. a. is possible b. is meaningless c. exists somewhere d. cannot exist

cannot exist.

Moral theories that say that the rightness of actions depends solely on their consequences are _____. a. deontological b. virtue oriented c. consequentialist d. egoistic

consequentialist.

Anselm assumes that a being that exists in reality is greater than a being that _____. a. is worshipped b. is embodied c. exists only in the understanding d. exists without flaws

exists only in the understanding.

True or False? A deductive argument is an argument intended to give probable support to its conclusion.

false

Paley maintains that the key difference between the "contrivance" of a watch and that of nature is that the latter is _____. a. simpler b. more natural c. older d. greater and grander

greater and grander.

According to Aquinas, an infinite regress of causes is _____. a. finite b. possible c. impossible d. necessary

impossible.

For Socrates, the soul is harmed by lack of _____. a. knowledge b. wealth c. community d. courage

knowledge.

Paley says that every indication of contrivance and design that exists in the watch exists in _____. a. God b. infinity c. the works of nature d. time

the works of nature.

T or F An argument is not synonymous with persuasion.

True.

T or F A statement can be valid or invalid.

False.

Kant says that when trying to decide whether an action is morally permissible, we must ask if we can consistently will that the maxim of our action should become _____. a. a rule for maximizing happiness b. a contingent law c. a universal law d. a rule of thumb

a universal law.

Mill says that the ultimate end of utilitarianism is an existence as free of pain as possible and as rich as possible in _____. a. lower pleasures b. spiritual attainment c. social achievement d. enjoyments

enjoyments.

T or F For Mill, a beast's pleasures can satisfy a human being's conception of happiness.

False

T or F A deductive argument is an argument intended to give probable support to its conclusion.

False.

T or F According to Philo, since the universe is perfectly ordered, the existence of a deity is likely.

False.

T or F Socrates preferred exile to death.

False.

T or F Socrates thought that the primary occupation of a good citizen should be the pursuit of wealth and prestige.

False.

The famous statement "An unexamined life is not worth living" is attributed to _____. a. Aristotle b. John Locke c. Socrates d. Plato

Socrates.

T or F Mill asserts that happiness is the sole end of human action.

True

T or F A good deductive argument is said to be sound.

True.

T or F According to Socrates, we should always consider in doing anything whether we are doing right or wrong.

True.

T or F Aquinas thinks that an infinite series of causes is repugnant to reason.

True.

T or F Aristotle says that virtue is a mean lying between two vices.

True.

T or F Craig says that the anthropic principle supports the idea of intelligent design of the universe.

True.

T or F Hick asserts that it is no limitation on God's power that he cannot accomplish the logically impossible.

True.

T or F In philosophy—and in any other kind of rational inquiry—accepting a conclusion (statement) without good reasons is an elementary mistake in reasoning.

True.

T or F Paley says that if we found a watch and examined it closely, we would naturally infer that it had a maker—even if we had never seen a watch made.

True.

T or F Persuasion does not necessarily involve giving any reasons at all for accepting a claim.

True.

An important moral criterion of adequacy is known as _____. a. simplicity b. consistency with our considered moral judgments c. fruitfulness d. fallibility

consistency with our considered moral judgments.

According to Paley, we must conclude that a watch had an intelligent designer if the watch _____. a. shows purposefulness b. has a structure c. runs well d. is engraved

shows purposefulness.

A question-and-answer dialogue in which propositions are methodically scrutinized to uncover the truth is known as _____. a. an argument b. the Socratic method c. the Socratic jest d. a debate

the Socratic method.

For Socrates, an unexamined life is a tragedy because it results in grievous harm to _____. a. the state b. the justice system c. the body d. the soul

the soul.

In the moral life, feelings are _____. a. essential and inevitable b. essential to impartiality c. an unerring guide d. reason based

essential and inevitable.

According to Socrates, a clear sign that a person has _____ is her exclusive pursuit of social status, wealth, power, and pleasure. a. philosophical ambition b. worldly wisdom c. exceptional desires d. an unhealthy soul

an unhealthy soul.

Critics of the divine command theory have argued that the theory implies that God's commands are _____. a. well supported b. unclear c. unknowable d. arbitrary

arbitrary.

If you assume that a set of statements is true, and yet you can deduce a false or absurd statement from it, then the original set of statements as a whole must be false. This kind of argument is known as _____. a. modus tollens b. modus ponens c. hypothetical syllogism d. reductio ad absurdum

reductio ad absurdum.

A moral theory explains _____. a. why an action is right or wrong b. why one moral event caused another c. where a moral agent got her values d. why people do what they do

why an action is right or wrong.