PHIL TEXTBOOK QUIZZES
How did the understanding of the nature of divinity shift between mythology and the pre-Socratic philosophers? A. While myth presented gods as being like humans, pre-socratic philosophy took the divine to be anything immortal in nature. B. While myth allowed the gods to be immoral and changeable, the pre-Socratics associated the divine with order and consistency. C. While myth saw the gods as multiple, and in conflict, the pre-Socratics began to conceptualize god as a single entity. D. All of the above
D. All of the above
Homer's great poem, The Iliad, begins by announcing that his theme will be a. moderation. b. the relations between gods and men. c. rage. d. the Trojan War.
c. rage.
The problem of evil a. proves that God does not care about us. b. demonstrates the power of evil in human lives. c. dissolves any puzzle about the existence of evil in the world. d. seems to show that evil and God cannot both exist.
d. seems to show that evil and God cannot both exist.
If all A is B and all B is C, then a. all C is B. b. all C is A. c. all A is C. d. none of the above.
c. all A is C.
What puzzling feature of Thales' view appears to have inspired Anaximander's philosophy of the Boundless? A. Anaximander didn't see how a single thing, like water, with a particular set of properties, could account for everything. B. Thales believed that everything was active, but Anaximander thought something must be still. C. Thales thought everything was chaotic. D. Thales thought that the gods held the universe bound.
A. Anaximander didn't see how a single thing, like water, with a particular set of properties, could account for everything.
Why does Socrates think it is blameworthy to fear death? A. Because it implies that you know something that you do not actually know. B. Because the good will be rewarded in the afterlife, so fear of death is an indication of wickedness. C. Because there is nothing after death, and therefore no suffering. D. Because that fear is a useless emotion
A. Because it implies that you know something that you do not actually know.
Which of the following is NOT a theme explored in The Clouds? A. Democracy vs. Aristocracy B. Sophistry vs. Philosophy C. Relativism vs. Absolutism D. Traditionalism vs. Progressivism
A. Democracy vs. Aristocracy
What mistake does Euthyphro make in the first answer he gives to the question, "What is piety?" A. He offers an example of piety, not a definition. B. He defines piety as that which pleases the gods, without realizing that the gods disagree about what is pleasing. C. He defines piety as "that which is pious," which is circular. D. He says that piety is whatever the majority thinks is religiously correct
A. He offers an example of piety, not a definition.
What is the primary ethical message found in the Iliad? A. Immoderate emotions, as well as a lack of piety, bring destruction. B. Humans are powerless to change the will of the gods. C. Justice is a human convention, and the gods are above it. D. The pursuit of honor and glory bring doom.
A. Immoderate emotions, as well as a lack of piety, bring destruction.
Which of the following is NOT true of the good life according to Epicureanism? A. We should be hedonists. B. Pleasure is the only natural good. C. All pleasures should be pursued equally. D. Philosophy should be the study of how to achieve happiness.
C. All pleasures should be pursued equally.
What have the Sophists come to be most well-known for? A. The over-charging of rich parents to teach their children. B. The spread of arete and virtue in the people of Athens. C. The teaching of rhetoric. D. Resistance to new ideas and cultures.
C. The teaching of rhetoric.
According to Aristotle, if all A is B and all B is C, then A. all C is B. B. all C is A. C. all A is C. D. none of the above.
C. all A is C.
According to Aristotle, wisdom involves A. understanding one's own culture. B. restricting one's beliefs to what the senses can tell us. C. knowing the causes of things. D. repudiating past claims to knowledge.
C. knowing the causes of things.
The problem with defining piety as what all the gods love is that a. they don't all love the same things. b. it gives only an external characteristic of piety. c. love can mean many things. d. there is only one god, so it cannot be pious to make reference to many.
b. it gives only an external characteristic of piety.
For a Stoic, the intention with which an action is done is more important than the result of that action because A. God will judge the intention, not the result. B. intentions are in our power, but results are not. C. other people judge us by our intentions. D. intentions are what create the results
B. intentions are in our power, but results are not.
Epicurus thinks an important key to happiness lies in natural science because A. it leads to technological breakthroughs that enhance the quality of life. B. it can show us that some of our fears are unfounded. C. knowledge is something good in itself. D. we should aim to keep our wills in harmony with nature.
B. it can show us that some of our fears are unfounded.
Diotima's ladder of love A. begins with a vision of Beauty itself, and leads beyond it. B. leads its climbers to more and more satisfying objects of love. C. begins with erotic love (eros), but leads the climber beyond it to an altogether different (platonic) kind of love. D. Shows us a pattern that is precisely the revers of that which we find on the Divided Line.
B. leads its climbers to more and more satisfying objects of love
A Stoic thinks we should A. seek virtue more than happiness. B. never seek pleasure as an end. C. always be virtuous, because virtue produces the greatest pleasure. D. be skeptical of all claims to know what virtue is.
B. never seek pleasure as an end
Augustine claims to be able to refute skepticism by A. arguing that God would not deceive us. B. showing that it is absurd to think we could be mistaken about everything. C. pursuing that skeptical infinite regress right to its end. D. a direct appeal to Christ, the Interior Teacher
B. showing that it is absurd to think we could be mistaken about everything.
"In the beginning was the Word... and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." This means that A. words are more powerful even than swords. B. the logos according to which the world was created manifests itself in Jesus of Nazareth. C. we all, being flesh, have God within us. D. as it was in the beginning, so shall it be even among fleshly men.
B. the logos according to which the world was created manifests itself in Jesus of Nazareth.
Which of the following is the best answer to the question, "how did Hesiod explain the origin of reality"? A. The Gods created reality out of nothing, under the direction of Zeus. B. Hesiod presents all things as coming into being sexually, as he modeled all explanations on humans. C. Hesiod argued that the world is in a state of ever-changing chaos. D. First there was a formless mass of stuff, and then earth spontaneously appeared
D. First there was a formless mass of stuff, and then earth spontaneously appeared
Which of the following claims was NOT made by Heraclitus: A. All things are in the process of continual change. B. Logos is available to all, but only had by the few. C. Opposition is necessary to the world-order. D. Physical fire is the substance of all reality
D. Physical fire is the substance of all reality
Which of the following is NOT what Socrates intends when he compares himself to a gadfly? A. A gadfly is small, and easily crushed if a more powerful creature decides to hurt it. B. A gadfly is far more clever than larger animals. C. Despite its small size, and gadfly can motivate large animals into action. D. A gadfly is irritating to a lazy, slow horse.
B. A gadfly is far more clever than larger animals.
Which of the following is the best explanation for the problem of the one and the many? A. That we are each one person, with a single perspective, but there are many of us, and we disagree. B. That reality reveals a huge diversity of different things, but we want to be able to explain it all with reference to some single thing. C. That reason tells us there are many things and there is no way to make the chaos one. D. That we can tell ourselves we will only eat one chip, but we always end up eating too many
B. That reality reveals a huge diversity of different things, but we want to be able to explain it all with reference to some single thing.
Which of the following is NOT a critique that Xenophanes offers of the gods of Homer and Hesiod? A. That humans have created gods in their own images. B. That the Greek gods are a creation of man, meant to control the people. C. That the gods of Greek mythology are immoral. D. Xenophanes claims all of the above.
B. That the Greek gods are a creation of man, meant to control the people.
In the Apology Socrates claims that he needs to respond to both his earlier and later accusers. What is the difference between the charges of his early and later accusers? A. The early accusers only charged him with not believing in the gods, while the later accusers added corrupting the youth. B. The early accusers said that Socrates was wise, while the later accusers insisted that he did not believe in the Gods and corrupted the youth. C. The early accusers said that Socrates was seeking to corrupt the youth, like Alcibiades, while the later added that he did not believe in the gods. D. The early accusers said Socrates was trying to destroy the Athenian democracy, while the later said he was seeking political power
B. The early accusers said that Socrates was wise, while the later accusers insisted that he did not believe in the Gods and corrupted the youth.
Which of the following best characterizes the differences between Socrates and the sophists? A. Though both sought after students, Socrates was very particular about who he would teach, while the sophists would teach anyone for money. B. The sophists taught students to be persuasive through rhetoric, while Socrates sought the truth through dialectic. C. Both claimed to know nothing, but the sophists argued that this was because all truth is relative. D. Socrates was very popular with the people, while the sophists tended to be very unpopular.
B. The sophists taught students to be persuasive through rhetoric, while Socrates sought the truth through dialectic.
What gave epistemic authority to the epic poets? A. They were inspired by Zeus to write the things they recorded. B. They received their information from the daughters of the Goddess Mnemosyne. C. They studied Greek culture in great depth, and knew the myths better than anyone else of the day. D. They had authority because the majority of people believed them.
B. They received their information from the daughters of the Goddess Mnemosyne.
Which words best fill in the blanks below: "What truth can I know?" is an example of a(n) ______________________ question, "Where did I come from?" is an example of a(n) _________________ question, and "How should I act?" is an example of a(n) __________________ question. A. philosophical, epistemological, religious B. epistemological, metaphysical, ethical C. teleological, religious, metaphysical D. scientific, epistemological, religious
B. epistemological, metaphysical, ethical
God, Aristotle says, A. cares for his creatures as a father cares for his child. B. functions as the final cause for the world. C. knows the number of hairs on each persons head. D. is a moved unmover
B. functions as the final cause for the world.
Aristotle differs from Plato in A. believing knowledge is different from opinion. B. holding that something like a puppy is as real as anything can be. C. loving wisdom less. D. being more otherworldly than Plato
B. holding that something like a puppy is as real as anything can be.
What does Protagoras promise to teach Hippocrates? a. Proper management of his own affairs and the affairs of the city. b. Cleverness in speaking so he can avoid paying his debts. c. Geometry, astronomy, and flute playing. d. The traditional Greek virtues, as exemplified in the works of Homer.
a. Proper management of his own affairs and the affairs of the city.
Dialectic is a. a technique for helping others by raising objections to what they believe. b. a technique for convincing others that one's own view is the best. c. a technique for undermining truth by questioning everything. d. a technique for showing how smart you are, thus provoking hostility in your hearers.
a. a technique for helping others by raising objections to what they believe.
God, Aristotle says, a. cares for his creatures as a father cares for his child. b. functions as the final cause for the world. c. knows the number of hairs on each person's head. d. is a moved unmover.
b. functions as the final cause for the world.
Categories are a. statements true of everything. b. indicators of the different ways things can be. c. categorically true or false. d. ways of doing something
b. indicators of the different ways things can be.
Epicurus thinks an important key to happiness lies in natural science because a. it leads to technological breakthroughs that enhance the quality of life. b. it can show us that some of our fears are unfounded. c. knowledge is something good in itself. d. we should aim to keep our wills in harmony with nature
b. it can show us that some of our fears are unfounded.
Hedonism a. recommends pursuing every pleasure, so as to maximize happiness in life. b. is a doctrine that disparages pleasure and recommends virtue as the key to happiness. c. is compatible with denying oneself many pleasures. d. has nothing to say about pain, fear, or sorrow
c. is compatible with denying oneself many pleasures.
Existence, Aquinas tells us, a. is included in form, the principle of actuality in things. b. is something we can take for granted. c. is something added to the essence of finite things. d. derives from essence, and from essence alone.
c. is something added to the essence of finite things.
The Form of the Good a. is explained by Plato in terms of still other Forms. b. is the one and only Form that can be seen with thenaked eye. c. is the ultimate explainer. d. is located by Plato in the absolute center of the Divided Line.
c. is the ultimate explainer.
What does Socrates conclude that the god means by human wisdom? a. knowing things and their causes. b. knowing justice and piety. c. knowing that one really knows little or nothing. d. knowing the truth and doing it.
c. knowing that one really knows little or nothing.
Induction a. can get us only a probability of truth, never certainty. b. begins from first principles. c. leads from many individual perceptions to universal concepts. d. is a matter of direct intuition of truths
c. leads from many individual perceptions to universal concepts.
The oracle at Delphi told Socrates' friend that a. Socrates was the wisest man alive. b. Socrates should spend his life questioning the Athenians about virtue. c. no one was wiser than Socrates. d. only the god was wise.
c. no one was wiser than Socrates.
Socrates "divine sign" a. advises him what to do. b. enables him to foretell the future. c. prevents Socrates from doing or saying certain things. d. is claimed by Socrates to come directly from the gods.
c. prevents Socrates from doing or saying certain things
Anselm's "ontological" argument for the existence of God a. begins with easily observed facts about the world. b. moves from the premise that I exist to the conclusion that God exists. c. purports to establish that "There is no God" is self- contradictory. d. begins from the idea of God as the greatest thing I can
c. purports to establish that "There is no God" is self- contradictory.
A reductio ad absurdum argument a. has an absurd conclusion. b. has absurd premises. c. reduces its assumed premise to absurdity. d. makes its proponent look absurd.
c. reduces its assumed premise to absurdity.
Truth, according to Aristotle, a. is apparent to the senses, rather than to mystical vision. b. is what all sentences have in common. c. represents things as they are. d. is what logic alone can reveal.
c. represents things as they are.
Anselm's argument a. moves from existence to essence. b. presupposes that God exists. c. starts from essence and ends with existence. d. begins with premises derived from Christian faith.
c. starts from essence and ends with existence.
A skeptic will a. assert that nothing can be known. b. assert that we can know only the contents of our own minds. c. suspend judgment about what reality is like. d. refuse to ask why.
c. suspend judgment about what reality is like.
Evil is a. a positive reality, as every toothache proves. b. a thing not easily endured. c. the privation of good. d. ultimately due to the devil, who invented it by rebelling against God.
c. the privation of good.
A good and happy life, Augustine thinks, is a. the result of an act of free will that straightens out our disordered loves. b. one of those things that is in our power, as opposed to things not in our power. c. the result of God's grace. d. reached by identifying yourself with the pure, unsullied soul within.
c. the result of God's grace.
Happiness, Augustine holds, consists in a. pleasures of the mind rather than pleasures of the body. b. the approval of others. c. the love of a good woman/man. d. having what you desire, provided that wisdom approves.
d. having what you desire, provided that wisdom approves.
Parmenides is rightly called a rationalist because a. he rationalizes and deceives himself about the truth. b. he gives reasons explaining all things, even change. c. unlike his predecessors, he was a rational person. d. he is willing to follow the argument wherever it leads.
d. he is willing to follow the argument wherever it leads.
Socrates is unlike the Sophists in that a. he took very little pay for his teaching, and as a result remained poor, while they grew rich. b. he was interested in the question of human excellence. c. the youth of Athens sought out his company. d. he thought winning was not the main thing
d. he thought winning was not the main thing
Which of the following claims is NOT true of Hesiod and Homer? A. Both were primarily concerned with transmitting material in an oral tradition. B. We don't know whether Homer was an influence on Hesiod, or Hesiod was an influence on Homer, or whether they were contemporary to each other. C. They wrote poetry that had appeal to particular communities in Greece, and therefore each was more likely to be read/accepted by certain Greek cultures and not others. D. That while Hesiod tends to focus largely on metaphysical questions of origin and creation, Homer mostly answers questions about ethics and human nature
C. They wrote poetry that had appeal to particular communities in Greece, and therefore each was more likely to be read/accepted by certain Greek cultures and not others.
The dialogue Euthyphro is often taken to demonstrate the importance of good definitions. Which of the following is NOT something required of a good definition according to Socrates? A. That everyone in the discussion agrees to it. B. That it successfully can be used to identifies things that do fall under the definition. C. That it reflect the truth of the matter about the thing being discussed. D. That it can successfully exclude things that don't fall under the definition
A. That everyone in the discussion agrees to it.
What do we mean when we understand history as teleological in nature? A. That we understand the events in history as connected together in such a way that they are moving us towards something. B. That we take history to be a real set of absolute facts. C. That history cannot be told without reference to philosophy, because that the thoughts of people are the most important explanation of action. D. That historical narratives always have a hidden agenda, and are therefore inherently false.
A. That we understand the events in history as connected together in such a way that they are moving us towards something.
What does Socrates argue is the most important thing in life? A. To live a morally good life. B. To take care of your friends and family. C. To die for a good cause. D. To avoid an unjust death
A. To live a morally good life.
According to Plato, is it possible to have a mere opinion that is the truth? A. Yes, but it is still merely an opinion and not knowledge because you don't believe it for the right reasons. B. Yes, but even when we have a belief in the truth there is no way to know it is true, so we can't claim it is knowledge. C. No, because if what you believe is true then it isn't an opinion, it is knowledge. D. No, because all opinions are in some way false.
A. Yes, but it is still merely an opinion and not knowledge because you don't believe it for the right reasons.
How does a skeptic live? A. by conforming to appearances. B. by pursuing the infinite regress to the very end. C. by using circular reasoning. D. according to the law of nature.
A. by conforming to appearances.
Sin, according to Augustine, is A. having a disordered love life. B. not to be attributed to babies, who are truly innocent. C. something that just happens to us--a fate we cannot help. D. a mistake we make when we don't know better.
A. having a disordered love life.
Unlike Plotinus, Augustine holds that A. the created world is not an emanation of the being of God. B. God is identical to everything that exists. C. things differ from each other in both being and goodness. D. all that is arises mysteriously out of the primal nothingness.
A. the created world is not an emanation of the being of God.
What is an argument? A. A disagreement between two people. B. The statement of one's own opinion in full. C. At set of premises that are meant to logically lead to a conclusion, and can be evaluated as more or less effective. D. A deduction from facts to some conclusion, which is irrefutable.
C. At set of premises that are meant to logically lead to a conclusion, and can be evaluated as more or less effective.
Which of the following is the best definition of the 'Euthyphro Dilemma'? A. Piety is a relative term, so it is impossible to determine what is truly pious. B. The gods all love different things, so it is impossible to know which god to please, and how to be pious. C. Either the gods love the pious because it is pious, or the pious is pious because the gods love it, but both options have negative consequences. D. Euthyphro wants to leave, but Socrates won't stop talking to him.
C. Either the gods love the pious because it is pious, or the pious is pious because the gods love it, but both options have negative consequences.
How did Socrates understand the message given by the Oracle at Delphi? (Select the best answer) A. He took her to be telling him that he alone had wisdom to teach others about the nature of truth. B. He took her to be challenging him to find others with wisdom and learn from them. C. He understood her to be telling him that humans are only wise insofar as they know that they know nothing. D. He understood her to be telling him that his wisdom must be used to save Athens from itself.
C. He understood her to be telling him that humans are only wise insofar as they know that they know nothing.
How does Parmenides answer the problem of appearance and reality? A. Parmenides argues that appearance is identical to reality. B. Parmenides suggests that sensory experience alone can tell us the nature of reality. C. Parmenides argues that while it appears that the universe is many, reason tells us that in reality it is just one. D. Change is real, and any other appearance is a lie
C. Parmenides argues that while it appears that the universe is many, reason tells us that in reality it is just one.
Which of the following is NOT true of Plato's relationship with Socrates? A. Plato 's early dialogues are likely accurate accounts of Socrates' views and interactions, but his later dialogues increasingly contained his own views. B. Plato was present at Socrates' trial, but not present for his execution. C. Plato wrote his dialogues based on the writings of Socrates, which we have since lost. D. Plato admired Socrates greatly, and took himself to be taking up Socrates' mission in his writing and teaching
C. Plato wrote his dialogues based on the writings of Socrates, which we have since lost.
What was it about the Athenian democracy that worried citizens like Aristophanes? A. It was possible for those who were not powerful or rich by birth to gain political power. B. It made the city weaker than their rival, Sparta. C. Power fell to those who had the greatest skill in persuading the masses. D. Women and slaves were still denied participation in politics.
C. Power fell to those who had the greatest skill in persuading the masses.
In the dialogue, Phaedo, what according to Socrates are the ornaments of the soul? A. Success, power, influence. B. Rhetorical skill, cleverness, persuasiveness. C. Righteousness, truth, moderation. D. The love of friends and family.
C. Righteousness, truth, moderation.
What is 'Socratic ignorance'? A. The ignorance of the people that Socrates questions, who fail to prove they have the knowledge they think they have. B. Socrates' insistence that he knows nothing, and his skepticism about whether there is any real truth. C. Socrates' claim to know only that he knows nothing, as opposed to deity which can know the absolute truth. D. The ignorance of those who did not understand Socrates' mission, and eventually sought his death
C. Socrates' claim to know only that he knows nothing, as opposed to deity which can know the absolute truth.
Which of the following best describes the Socratic process of dialectic? A. Asking a series of questions about the definitions of different concepts. B. Presenting a thesis, and then arguing for it using logic. C. Starting with a proposal, asking a question about that proposal that results in a challenge to it, revising the proposal, and repeating this pattern. D. Knowing your audience well enough to understand what kinds of arguments and methods of persuasion are most likely to be convincing for the people present.
C. Starting with a proposal, asking a question about that proposal that results in a challenge to it, revising the proposal, and repeating this pattern.
What was the general understanding of the sophists concerning logos? A. That the study of logos leads to the good life. B. That there is only one logos, and in order to learn it you need to consult a sophist. C. That there is a logos for every side to every argument. D. That the only way to avoid relativism is to use your reason to understand the true logos.
C. That there is a logos for every side to every argument.
What does it mean to say that the naturalists tried to explain the world according to its own principles? A. That they modeled their understanding of the world on the nature of human beings. B. That they tried to extract the principles from mythology, and apply them to the world they observed around them. C. That they wanted to make observations about the world, and develop laws of nature according to what they saw. D. That they applied their own world views to things they observed in nature.
C. That they wanted to make observations about the world, and develop laws of nature according to what they saw.
Which was NOT a factor in Greece becoming the birthplace of philosophy? A. The Sky-god tradition valued order, intellect, and beauty. B. Epic poems celebrated a striving for human excellence. C. The Gods of mythology honored the philosophers. D. Economic success and multiculturalism all contributed to social conditions
C. The Gods of mythology honored the philosophers.
Which of the following as NOT a factor in Athens rising to cultural and philosophical prominence? A. Democracy. B. The control of the seas. C. The commitment to a warrior-state. D. Multiculturalism
C. The commitment to a warrior-state.
What is the connection between dialectic and truth? Choose the best answer. A. Dialectic cannot show us the truth, but it can demonstrate which position is most persuasive. B. Dialectic methods, if followed properly, necessarily lead to true conclusions. C. The dialectic method, if followed properly, can help us identify false beliefs, and thereby move us closer to the truth. D. Dialectic cannot lead to truth, it is the method by which sophists come up with an argument for any position.
C. The dialectic method, if followed properly, can help us identify false beliefs, and thereby move us closer to the truth.
Aquinas agrees with Aristotle that A. Ideas (Forms) are realities independent of our minds. B. all finite beings are a composed of matter and a independently existing form. C. change is explained as a shift from potentiality to actuality. D. some properties can float free of substances.
C. change is explained as a shift from potentiality to actuality.
Anselm's "ontological" argument for the existence of God A. begins with easily observed facts about the world. B. moves from the premise that I exist to the conclusion that God exists. C. purports to establish that "There is no God" is self-contradictory. D. begins from the idea of God as the greatest thing I can conceive
C. purports to establish that "There is no God" is self-contradictory.
Anselm's argument A. moves from existence to essence. B. presupposes that God exists. C. starts from essence and ends with existence. D. begins with premises derived from Christian faith
C. starts from essence and ends with existence.
Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons that Socrates referred to himself as a midwife? A. Like a midwife, Socrates helps others 'give birth' to ideas, but does not have ideas himself. B. Socrates knows how to help others through the pains of laboring with an idea. C. Socrates can determine whether someone is really 'pregnant' with a truth, or if the idea is false. D. Socrates could use his own knowledge to give ideas to others, as a midwife might hand a baby to the mother.
D. Socrates could use his own knowledge to give ideas to others, as a midwife might hand a baby to the mother.
Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons that Crito gives for Socrates making an escape from prison? A. There are many people willing to pay the money needed to facilitate the escape. B. Socrates would be abandoning his duties and a father if he allows himself to be executed. C. Socrates will be responsible for harming the reputations of his friends, should he refuse to escape. D. Socrates is likely to live a long life, and it is too early for him to die
D. Socrates is likely to live a long life, and it is too early for him to die
What did Thales mean when he claimed that "All things are filled with the gods"? A. That the gods of mythology created all things. B. That the world is ever-changing because it was controlled by the gods. C. That the things we see around us are literally made of gods. D. That all things contain their own immortal principles
D. That all things contain their own immortal principles
What is the course purpose and question? Choose the best answer. A. To learn the history of philosophy, and ask the question, "Why does this matter to me?" B. To understand philosophy by looking at the change in thought between the ancient and medieval world, and asking "How did the understanding of God change?" C. To learn the history of the ancient and medieval world, while seeking to answer the question, "What is philosophy?' D. To construct our own historical narrative that tells the story of the history of thought in the ancient and medieval world, focusing on the question, "What is truth?"
D. To construct our own historical narrative that tells the story of the history of thought in the ancient and medieval world, focusing on the question, "What is truth?"
Which claim best illustrates Socrates' reasons for refusing to escape from prison? A. The gods would be angry with him should he escape. B. The actions of the Athenian jury were just, so he is not justified in escaping. C. To escape would be pointless, as it would be impossible for him to complete his mission if he had to move from place to place for the rest of his life. D. To escape would be to violate a just agreement he has made with the state.
D. To escape would be to violate a just agreement he has made with the state.
Happiness, says the skeptic, A. is unavailable to humans, since knowledge is unavailable. B. must be founded on sure and certain understanding of the true nature of reality. C. is available only to those who have gone through the pangs of skeptical doubt and come out into the clear light of knowledge on the other side. D. is a by-product of giving up the demand to know.
D. is a by-product of giving up the demand to know.
In the argument from possibility and necessity, Aquinas reasons that A. since at one time nothing existed, something must have come from nothing. B. every being is a necessary being, otherwise there would be an infinite regress. C. some necessary beings have their being cause by merely possible beings. D. not every being could be a merely possible being.
D. not every being could be a merely possible being.
On the Divided Line, A. likenesses explain the reality of things. B. lower forms produce the higher by combining in complex ways. C. the most real things are those we can see and hear and touch. D. the visible world is explained and produced by the intelligible
D. the visible world is explained and produced by the intelligible
A Stoic a. believes that our happiness or unhappiness is entirely within our own control. b. says "Grin and bear it," no matter how unhappy something makes you. c. cares for no one and nothing but his own freedom happiness. d. prefers nothing, shuns nothing, and is indifferent to everything.
a. believes that our happiness or unhappiness is entirely within our own control.
How does a skeptic live? a. by conforming to appearances. b. by pursuing the infinite regress to the very end. c. by using circular reasoning. d. according to the law of nature.
a. by conforming to appearances.
The charges against Socrates include a. corrupting the youth. b. the murder of his father, who himself killed a servant. c. aiding Sparta in the war against Athens. d. worshiping Persian gods.
a. corrupting the youth.
Sophists tend to hold that the gods a. exist by nomos. b. exist by physis. c. exist by both nomos and physis. d. do not exist at all.
a. exist by nomos.
Justice, in the Homeric world, consists in a. giving to each man his due. b. sharing the spoils of war equally. c. avoiding hubris. d. resigning oneself to what will be.
a. giving to each man his due.
Sin, according to Augustine, is a. having a disordered love life. b. not to be attributed to babies, who are truly innocent. c. something that just happens to us--a fate we cannot help. d. a mistake we make when we don't know better.
a. having a disordered love life.
Heraclitus believes that opposition a. is an essential and necessary part of reality. b. will eventually be overcome when strife among men ceases. c. is contrary to the logos which unites all things in one. d. prevents the achievement of moderation, which is the chief virtue.
a. is an essential and necessary part of reality.
One thing Socrates does not say during his defense speech at the trial is that a. life is the greatest good. b. a good man cannot be harmed. c. it is wicked and shameful to do wrong. d. it is not difficult to avoid death.
a. life is the greatest good.
The Great Chain of Being a. locates all humans on the same level. b. stretches at its extremes from rocks to angels. c. is made of such strong material that no force can break it. d. shows that all living things (in contrast with non-living things) have the same value.
a. locates all humans on the same level.
Augustine was attracted to the Manicheans because they a. seemed to deal with the problem of evil in a rational manner. b. held that there is one God, omnipotent, omniscient, and perfectly good. c. took the Scriptures literally. d. thought, as Augustine himself did, that will was more fundamental than intellect.
a. seemed to deal with the problem of evil in a rational manner.
In the Myth of the Cave, a. the prisoners represent all of us before we begin tosearch for wisdom. b. the prisoners are forced to look directly at the fire, though that hurts their eyes. c. the exit represents access to the visible world, lighted by the sun. d. no one who escapes and sees reality as it is would ever return to that dismal place.
a. the prisoners represent all of us before we begin tosearch for wisdom.
Socrates believes that a. wrongdoing is due to ignorance. b. we sometimes do know the good but fail to do it. c. laziness and pleasure often distract us from what we know is right. d. we all do sometimes act in ways that we know are bad.
a. wrongdoing is due to ignorance.
Which of the following does Democritus not say? a. Moderation increases enjoyment. b. The needy man knows how much he needs. c. It is childish to have immoderate desires d. The brave man is the one who overcomes his pleasures.
b. The needy man knows how much he needs.
Xenophanes criticizes the Homeric gods a. for not coming to our aid when we need them. b. as unworthy of our admiration and respect. c. and says there are no gods at all. d. and substitutes other gods from more moral traditions.
b. as unworthy of our admiration and respect.
Anaximander's argument for the Boundless as that out of which all things come a. appeals to the infinite quality of the universe. b. assumes that observable features of the world all need explaining. c. holds that explanations can go back and back infinitely far. d. identifies the Boundless with the gods of Homer's poems.
b. assumes that observable features of the world all need explaining.
Human beings a. were created sinful, as is shown by the story of Cain killing Abel. b. fell away from their original goodness because they wanted to be like God, making their own rules to live by. c. are destined to live in the "kingdom of God" because of their original goodness. d. help each other according to the Golden Rule.
b. fell away from their original goodness because they wanted to be like God, making their own rules to live by.
The key idea in rhetoric is that a. one should speak the truth, no matter how it affects one's interests. b. one should be able to make a persuasive case for any position. c. with its help, one can avoid sleepwalking through life and align oneself with the logos. d. no one should take advantage of another because of rhetorical skill.
b. one should be able to make a persuasive case for any position.
Knowing something, according to Plato, a. requires having evidence provided by your senses. b. puts you in touch with reality. c. is the result of persuasion. d. means it is very, very unlikely that you aremistaken about it, though that is always possible.
b. puts you in touch with reality.
Augustine claims to be able to refute skepticism by a. arguing that God would not deceive us. b. showing that it is absurd to think we could be mistaken about everything. c. pursuing that skeptical infinite regress right to its end. d. a direct appeal to Christ, the Interior Teacher.
b. showing that it is absurd to think we could be mistaken about everything.
If Plato is right, then if "Gertrude" names an individual elephant, the term "elephant" names a. the idea of an elephant existing in our minds. b. the eternally existing Form of the Elephant. c. some elephant or other, but no particular one. d. all the individual elephants there are or ever have been.
b. the eternally existing Form of the Elephant.
In Plato's Divided Line, a. the sections must be equal in length to do the symbolic job he requires of them. b. the intelligible world is related to the visible world as visible things are related to likenesses of them. c. the intelligible world is related to the visibleworld as likenesses are related to the things they are likenesses of. d. science is portrayed as the way to ultimate truth, where the soul can find "traveller's rest and journey's end."
b. the intelligible world is related to the visible world as visible things are related to likenesses of them.
Christians believe that a. humans can only be justified by observing all the precepts of the Law. b. the very wisdom through which the world was made can be found in the life and character of Jesus. c. our salvation will be accomplished through knowledge and education. d. the Jewish Old Testament must be repudiated by believers in Jesus.
b. the very wisdom through which the world was made can be found in the life and character of Jesus.
The Ring of Gyges story poses the problem of a. whether it is right to steal. b. whether we should value moral goodness only for itsconsequences. c. how to escape punishment for evil deeds. d. how we might become invisible, and thus able to do whatever we want
b. whether we should value moral goodness only for itsconsequences.
Jesus says, a. "Take care for your soul, which is your pure and noble essence, that it remain undefiled." b. "How hard it will be for those who are poor to enter into the kingdom of God." c. "As you wish that men would do to you, do so to them." d. "No one can serve two masters; indeed, serve no master at all if you would be free.
c. "As you wish that men would do to you, do so to them."
Which of the following is not a theme expressed in Euripides' play, Hippolytus? a. Rhetoric corrupts virtue. b. Humans are merely pawns in the hands of powers that care nothing for them. c. Nothing can harm the truly innocent. d. Fortune is ever veering and nothing can be relied upon.
c. Nothing can harm the truly innocent
When Socrates says that he wants the "form" of piety, he means that he wants a. its general shape. b. the influences that produce or "form" piety in an individual. c. a definition d. what all Athenian citizens agree that piety is.
c. a definition
Aristotle defines happiness (eudaemonia) as a. harmony in the soul. b. a feeling of excellence (arete) pervading the soul. c. activity of the soul in accord with reason. d. whatever makes you feel good about yourself
c. activity of the soul in accord with reason.
Conversations with Socrates generally end with a. everyone agreeing with Socrates. b. Socrates clarifying the subject with a short speech. c. agreement that a satisfactory answer hadn't been reached. d. a conviction that progress had been made.
c. agreement that a satisfactory answer hadn't been reached.
What we know first and most easily, according to Aquinas, a. is the soul. b. are the contents of our own minds. c. are things like carrots and clouds. d. are ideas of things like carrots and clouds.
c. are things like carrots and clouds.
Xenophanes says that with respect to the truth, a. humans have never known it and will never know it. b. it was revealed to us from of old. c. even if we knew it, we couldn't know for sure that we knew it. d. if we seek it, not relying on the stories of the poets, we will be sure to find it.
c. even if we knew it, we couldn't know for sure that we knew it.
In saying that all things are full of gods, Thales apparently meant that a. Homer was right in saying that what happens can be attributed to the will of the gods. b. traditional religious views could be defended after all. c. explanations of events in the world could be explained in terms of events in the world. d. science has its limits.
c. explanations of events in the world could be explained in terms of events in the world.
We know about Socrates primarily a. from his own writings. b. through the plays of Aristophanes. c. from Plato's dialogues. d. from the biography written by his wife, Xantippe.
c. from Plato's dialogues.
One of the things the Sophists do not teach is a. how to make the weaker argument into the stronger. b. how to prevail in the courts. c. how to discern logically good arguments from bad. d. how to persuade creditors to forgive debts.
c. how to discern logically good arguments from bad.
When Anaximander says that things make reparations to each other for injustice, he means that a. even inanimate things must perform intentional actions. b. nothing right ever happens in the world. c. inherent in nature is a principle of balance. d. the gods see to it that their laws are obeyed.
c. inherent in nature is a principle of balance.
St. Paul taught that a. the soul is essentially good, and salvation consists in becoming aware of who you are. b. Jesus and Socrates are much alike--men of virtue whom it would be wise to imitate. c. the will is in conflict with itself and we cannot save ourselves. d. unless we live good lives, we cannot inherit the kingdom of Heaven.
c. the will is in conflict with itself and we cannot save ourselves.
Why do we sin? Augustine answers that a. we were created with a flaw that tends toward evil. b. we are made to sin by the Evil One, who tempts us and leads us into evil. c. there is no cause for it. d. it is because we have a body dragging us down from the spiritual plane.
c. there is no cause for it.
When Protagoras says that man is the measure of all things, he means that a. it is only man, of all the animals, that has devised measures for distance, weight, temperature, etc. b. what exists must be measured by what all men have in common. c. there is no objective criterion available to humans by which to judge truth and goodness. d. measuring is important to man for building all sorts of things.
c. there is no objective criterion available to humans by which to judge truth and goodness.
Hesiod claimed to write his poems a. after exhaustive study of the heavens and the earth. b. by collecting stories that had been passed down from the ancestors. c. through divine inspiration. d. because he was bored while herding sheep on holy Helicon.
c. through divine inspiration.
Pleasure, for Aristotle, is a. never to be sought as an end. b. the end that humans are naturally motivated by. c. unsuitable as the principal end for rational creatures. d. the reason we should be virtuous
c. unsuitable as the principal end for rational creatures.
"In the beginning," the Bible tells us, a. "time and chaos formed all things." b. "day and night, evening and morning, summer and winter manifest the turning of the great wheel of the eternal All." c. "nothing was, nor could be." d. "God created the heavens and the earth."
d. "God created the heavens and the earth."
In his conversation with Crito, Socrates does not say, a. "Why should we care so much for what the majority think?" b. "The important thing is not life, but the good life." c. "I am the kind of man who listens only to the argument that on reflection seems best to me." d. "Life is the greatest good, and happiness is its ornament."
d. "Life is the greatest good, and happiness is its ornament."
The objects of knowledge, Plato says, are a. things you can see and touch. b. the things believed in by everyone in your culture. c. items in flux, continually changing from moment to moment. d. Forms (intelligible realities).
d. Forms (intelligible realities).
What, according to Heraclitus, is wisdom? a. Minding your own business and being content with what you have. b. Satisfying your desires, even though they are in opposition. c. Recognizing that life in this world is but a dream. d. Understanding the thought that steers all things.
d. Understanding the thought that steers all things.
Arguing from efficient causality, Aquinas says that a. there must be something that is the efficient cause of itself. b. the eternity of the world proves that God is not an efficient cause. c. a series of causes going on forever proves that God is eternal. d. a series of causes cannot go on forever.
d. a series of causes cannot go on forever.
Aristotle explains change in terms of a. atoms and the void. b. flux and opposition. c. the vortex motion of the universe. d. actuality and potentiality
d. actuality and potentiality
When Stoics advise us to keep our wills in harmony with nature, they a. mean that if something feels natural to us, we should "go with the flow" and "just do it!" b. deny God, the author of nature. c. contradict Plato and Aristotle, who emphasize living in accord with reason. d. are in effect advising us to do our duty.
d. are in effect advising us to do our duty.
The argument for God's existence from change a. claims that every change is a transition from actuality to potentiality. b. assumes that something can be simultaneously both potentially hot and actually hot. c. assumes that changes can be traced back to infinity. d. argues that without a first cause of change there would be no intermediate causers of change.
d. argues that without a first cause of change there would be no intermediate causers of change.
The gods, in Homer's poem, a. urge men to be more like themselves. b. live in delight and splendor on Olympus, scarcely ever thinking about the affairs of men. c. function as moral ideals for human beings, who have a hard time living up to the gods' standards. d. care about the honor given them by men.
d. care about the honor given them by men.
A statement, according to Aristotle, is a. like a prayer. b. composed of three or more terms. c. like knowledge, always true. d. either true or false.
d. either true or false.
What is right for us to do, according to natural law, a. can be known only through careful attention to what is described as natural in the Scriptures. b. is whatever naturally feels right. c. is whatever God, the author of nature, arbitrarily legislates as right. d. expresses our nature as rational human beings.
d. expresses our nature as rational human beings.
Thomas Aquinas a. depends on Anselm's ontological argument to buttress faith with reason. b. rejects Anselm's argument as invalid. c. thinks that God's existence cannot be proved, but must be accepted on faith. d. holds that we are not in the right epistemological position to use Anselm's argument.
d. holds that we are not in the right epistemological position to use Anselm's argument.
Socrates refuses Crito's offer of escape from prison because a. he is already seventy years old and would die soon anyway. b. it would be dangerous for his family if he tried to escape. c. he doesn't want to be a burden on those who would have to take him in after the escape. d. in escaping he would do injury to the laws of Athens
d. in escaping he would do injury to the laws of Athens
The term "philosophy" means a. wise thoughts b. love of the brothers c. giving reasons for one's beliefs. d. love of wisdom.
d. love of wisdom.
The conclusion reached in the Euthyphro is that piety is a. what all the gods love. b. care of the gods, just as doctors care for their patients. c. sacrifice and prayer. d. none of the above
d. none of the above
The soul, Plato tells us, has distinct parts, each of which has a function. For instance: a. the ego, which is the reality principle. b. the id, or the set of unconscious desires present in every soul. c. the superego, or one's conscience. d. reason, which guides
d. reason, which guides
In his comic play, The Clouds, Aristophanes portrays Socrates as a. a critic of the Sophists. b. the one who burns down the Thinkery. c. the father of Pheidippides, who wants him to learn how to make the weaker argument into the stronger. d. someone who teaches for pay.
d. someone who teaches for pay.
Augustine, in a sermon, advises a. that we must understand in order to believe. b. that we must judge purported authorities for ourselves. c. that we must exert our wills to the uttermost to discover the truth. d. that in order to understand, we must first believe.
d. that in order to understand, we must first believe.
In Aristotle's account of the four causes, a. the efficient cause of the world is God. b. a final cause is pure potentiality. c. the formal cause is the three-dimensional shape (or form) that a material object has. d. the material cause is the one that explains the individuality of things.
d. the material cause is the one that explains the individuality of things.
When we say that God is good, according to Aquinas, we mean a. that God is not bad. b. to use the word "good" in an equivocal sense. c. exactly what we mean when we use the word "good" in regard to created things—otherwise we wouldn't know what we do mean. d. to apply the word "good" by analogy or proportion.
d. to apply the word "good" by analogy or proportion.
Parmenides says that a goddess spoke and told him a. to believe without question what was to be revealed to him. b. that both the One and the Many exist in harmonious tension. c. that what appears true is true. d. to judge by reasoning what she tells him.
d. to judge by reasoning what she tells him.
According to Plato, education is a. supplying the facts to those who need them. b. everyone's job. c. valuable because it pays off in the acquisition of marketable skills. d. turning the soul of the student toward the real
d. turning the soul of the student toward the real
In discussions with others, Socrates a. held that victory would go to the best speaker. b. used the arts of rhetoric as taught by the Sophists. c. asked questions, but would answer none. d. was happy to be refuted.
d. was happy to be refuted.
Relativism is the view that a. truth is relative to falsehood. b. everything is related to everything else. c. heat is relative to cold. d. what is true for me may not be true for you
d. what is true for me may not be true for you
A moral person a. may have a rough time in life, but will be admired by all in the end. b. may or may not be a happy person. c. is the person considered by a community to be moral. d. will be a happy person
d. will be a happy person