PHIL 1301 Exam 2

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.

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.

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.

Which of the following does Kierkegaard consider the highest stage of human existence?

The religious stage.

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.

Which of the following is an objection to the Irenaean theodicy?

- Considering events like the Holocaust, and the fact that innocent children die from disease and starvation, there seems to be much more evil in the world than ought to be necessary for soul building. - Even if this theodicy explains human suffering, it does nothing to explain animal suffering. - If God wants free beings with perfected souls, then if he's truly ALL-POWERFUL, he ought to be able to create them that way from the beginning. NOT: 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 an element of the Augustinian theodicy?

- God is not responsible for evil; it is the result of free human choices. - All evil is either sin or the punishment for sin. - God's initial creation was perfect, containing no evil. NOT: God allows evil to exist as a challenge to humans (this is Irenaean Theodicy)

What is the origin of dukkha?

It's a result of our internal thirst and craving.

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.

What is the main claim of the Irenaean theodicy?

Evil serves the purpose of soul-building.

In Part I of the reading by Daniel Birsch, we get a list of the traditional properties of God. Which of the following is NOT among them?

God is unknowable.

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.

In Meditation 2 Descartes discovers something that he cannot doubt. What is it?

That he exists as a thinking thing.

There are several extraordinary claims made in Chapter 4. Which of the following is among them?

- The Absolute Truth is that there is nothing which is absolute. Everything is relative and impermanent. - Nirvana is no different than Samsara, it all depends on perspective. - Nirvana is beyond all dualities; good and evil, right and wrong, existence and non-existence. - Nirvana is beyond logic and reasoning. It cannot be understood through intellectual effort. NOT: Nirvana is the perception of the ultimate Reality or "Rädsara," a realm of perfect and unchanging form (there is no realm of perfect, unchanging reality in Buddhism, "Radsara" does not exist)

Enlightenment or Nirvana is the "ultimate purpose" of Buddhism. It's described in many ways. Which of the following is among them?

- The cessation of dukkha. - Absolute truth. - Blowing out. - Liberation - Extinction of thirst. NOT: Reincarnation

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.

What is a theodicy?

An attempt to reconcile the existence of God with the existence of evil.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.