Deck 1: What Is Philosophy

Question 1

Socrates discussed his philosophical ideas in:

A) his school, the Academy.
B) the public marketplace.
C) the city of Miletus.
D) Both A and B
E) Both B and C

Answer 1

B

Question 2

According to Socrates:

A) the principles of right thought and action vary from society to society.
B) the principles of right thought and action vary from generation to generation.
C) the principles of right thought and action are the same for all people at all times.
D) there are no universal principles of thought and action--each of us is an individual.
E) if there are universally valid principles of thought and action, it is impossible for mortals to know what they are.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The intent of the Athenian rulers in prosecuting Socrates was to

A) discourage him from writing more dialogues.
B) have him put to death for his offenses.
C) punish him for worshipping false gods.
D keep him from further threatening the political establishment by his teachings.
D) keep him from further threatening the political establishment by his teachings.
E) embarrass and discredit him in a lengthy trial.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The first western philosopher is traditionally thought to be:

A) Socrates.
B) Plato.
C) Thales.
D) Descartes.
E) a Milesian thinker whose name is lost to history.

Question 5

Logos, according to the Stoics, is:

A) the power of words.
B) the rational part of the soul.
C) the rational power that organizes the universe.
D) an ethical principle.
E) an ideal state we may reach only through the study of philosophy.

Question 6

Our word for "philosophy" comes from a Greek expression meaning:

A) wise fool.
B) search for wisdom.
C) love of wisdom.
D) examined life.
E) self-examination.

Question 7

Socrates believed the proper study for philosophers to be:

A) the fundamental nature of the universe.
B) the nature of man.
C) the "good life."
D) the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water.
E) politics.

Question 8

Which of the following was not one of the Milesian philosophers?

A) Lucretius
B) Thales
C) Anaximander
D) Anaximenes
E) All of the above were Milesians.

Question 9

Lucretius cites the fact that a ring worn on the finger grows thinner over the years as evidence for his claim that:

A) all things grow smaller over time.
B) material objects are only temporary, not eternal.
C) the universe is composed of what we would call atoms.
D) physical reality is really an illusion.
E) not everything can be explained by an appeal to natural processes.

Question 10

In Socrates' view, true happiness:

A) is impossible in life, but may be achieved in the afterlife.
B) is, sadly, incompatible with the practice of philosophy.
C) can only be achieved in a democracy.
D) lies in having the wisdom to accept one's fate without question.
E) may be achieved through a process of self-examination.

Question 11

One of Thales' philosophical positions was that everything is made of:

A) fire.
B) water.
C) air.
D) earth.
E) energy.

Question 12

When Socrates says he's ignorant of the nature of justice, he is:

A) employing double-consciousness.
B) lying.
C) being ironic.
D) trying to develop his interlocutor's "second-sight."
E) Both A and D

Question 13

Socrates was the first philosopher:

A) to study cosmology.
B) to write a dialogue.
C) to found a school.
D) in the western tradition.
E) to develop the idea that there is a parallel between language and the world.

Question 14

Thrasymachus claims that what is just is:

A) whatever is in the interest of the most powerful members of society.
B) possible only in a democracy.
C) often different from what is "right."
D) to give each citizen what he deserves.
E) a matter of law, not philosophy.

Question 15

Socrates believes the role of a teacher is to:

A) pass on the truth to students.
B) ask probing questions
C) demonstrate the true principles of thought and action.
D) discover students' strengths and weaknesses.
E) All of the above

Question 16

According to the author:

A) there is a philosophical component to virtually everything we do.
B) philosophy is primarily conceptual analysis.
C) philosophy is a sort of science that can be carried on without the use of precise instruments.
D) philosophy is really a "handmaiden" of hard science.
E) science is just philosophy being carried out by other means.

Question 17

A surprisingly modern belief of Lucretius is that the:

A) proper study of philosophy is the nature of man.
B) diversity of species can be explained by natural selection.
C) earth revolves around the sun.
D) world is made up of tiny, unseen bodies.
E) stars are actually other suns at a great distance.

Question 18

The ancient Milesian philosophers were primarily concerned with:

A) the study of the nature of man.
B) the pursuit of "the good life."
C) the nature of ethical behavior.
D) learning the order and composition of the universe
E) the relationship between man and the gods.

Question 19

In his trial, Socrates chose to be executed rather than to cease practicing philosophy because:

A) he held the examination of human nature, thought, and belief to be more important than mere survival.
B) at the age of 70, he had nothing left to write.
C) he preferred death to life in a society that had rejected him.
D) he wanted to show the injustice of the Athenian judicial system.
E) he mistakenly believed his jailers wouldn't actually carry out the sentence.

Question 20

The Socratic Dialogues were written by whom?

A) By Socrates, in the last years before his death
B) the first few by Socrates, the rest by Plato after his death
C) By Socrates, with Plato's help
D) By Plato, with Socrates' help
E) By Plato, after the death of Socrates

Question 21

Socrates was interested in the scientific views of his time.

Question 22

According to rationalism:

A) at least some knowledge is obtained by the exercise of reason.
B) when we are born, our minds are "blank slates."
C) nothing can ever be known with certainty.
D) we cannot know things that the senses do not reveal to us.
E) we ought to ignore the influence of emotion.

Question 23

David Hume writes that logic:

A) is the sole source of human knowledge.
B) is never to be trusted.
C) can only explain the principles and operations of reason.
D) is the proper study of all philosophers.
E) is the foundation of ethical theory.

Question 24

Descartes, Leibniz, and Kant were all:

A) Stoics.
B) metaphysical idealists.
C) Milesian Cosmologists.
D) British Empiricists.
E) Continental Rationalists.

Question 25

The "double-consciousness" referred to by Du Bois is:

A) intended only as a metaphor.
B) simultaneously seeing oneself both as an individual and as a member of one's race.
C) experienced only by the educated elite.
D) an idea founded upon Stoic philosophy.
E) an idea founded upon the views of the British Empiricists.

Question 26

When the author states that philosophy ought to be rational, he means that:

A) the British Empiricists were wrong.
B) philosophers should be able to give reasons, evidence, and arguments for their beliefs.
C) philosophical principles ought to apply to everyone everywhere.
D) philosophers ought not be influenced by their non-philosophical views.
E) philosophy ought to be treated like another branch of science.

Question 27

What is cosmology?

A) A theory of natural beauty
B) The study of the order of the world
C) A norm in accordance with which the universe has been created
D) The theory that human knowledge comes from reason
E) The discipline that investigates the correct principles of formal reasoning

Question 28

The philosophical notion of "natural law" has its origins in:

A) the atomist ideas of Lucretius.
B) Anaximander's cosmological theories.
C) the Socratic Dialogues.
D) Christian theological writings.
E) the Stoic doctrine of logos.

Question 29

Richard Rorty attributes the "anti-democratic" strain in Heidegger to his:

A) doctrine of Man.
B) concept of Reason.
C) idea of History.
D) taking Philosophy too seriously.
E) contempt for Christianity.

Question 30

According to Marcus Aurelius, a Roman Stoic:

A) the universe should be regarded as an intelligent, living being.
B) all things are fundamentally composed of atoms.
C) there are four fundamental substances: earth, air, fire, and water.
D) philosophers should study cosmology, rather than the nature of man.
E) philosophers should study the nature of man, rather than cosmology.

Question 31

According to empiricism:

A) all knowledge is gained by the exercise of reason.
B) all knowledge is obtained through the senses
C) we are born with innate knowledge.
D) sensory perceptions cannot be trusted.
E) learning is really a process of remembering what we already know.

Question 32

Plato was sentenced to death by a jury of Athenian citizens.

Question 33

Socrates carried out his discussions in a school that survived for centuries afterward.

Question 34

What is the Socratic Method?

A) A technique of probing questions
B) The study of the order of the world
C) A norm in accordance with which the universe has been created
D) The theory that human knowledge comes from the five senses
E) The constant repetition of negative judgments by white people

Question 35

Heidegger's experiences with Nazism and anti-Semitism did not include:

A) deleting references to Husserl from later editions of his books.
B) defending his views on grounds of academic freedom.
C) addressing a Nazi rally.
D) enforcing anti-Jewish regulations at the university.
E) praising Hitler in public forums.

Question 36

Epistemology is the study of:

A) the human mind.
B) sense perception.
C) knowledge and belief.
D) logic and mathematics.
E) the nature and organization of the universe.

Question 37

The author suggests that an authentic African-American philosophy would have to be:

A) founded upon the writings of African philosophers.
B) an exploration of the philosophical implications of the African-American experience.
C) written and read only by African-Americans.
D) written in American universities.
E) written from an objective point of view.

Question 38

Locke, Berkeley, and Hume were all:

A) Stoics.
B) atomists.
C) Milesian Cosmologists.
D) British Empiricists.
E) Continental Rationalists.

Question 39

According to Rorty, if we look for the "essence" of Heidegger's works too avidly we will:

A) overlook the delights of his prose.
B) read him as he did not wish to be read.
C) fall into a kind of "fundamentalism."
D) be forced to deny his similarities with Hitler.
E) None of the above

Question 40

His experiences with the "double-consciousness" of black South Africans has led the author to question whether philosophy is really:

A) rational.
B) objective.
C) empirical.
D) universal.
E) logical.

Question 41

According to the Stoics, everything in creation contains a spark of logos.

Question 42

Socrates realized we learn a great deal about the natural sciences by simply studying ourselves.

Question 43

The Socratic Method requires that everyone involved be willing to admit his ignorance.

Question 44

Rationalists claim all human knowledge is derived from reason.

Question 45

The British Empiricists thought philosophers ought to study the way in which we know things, rather than what we know.

Question 46

Socrates holds that no one can teach anyone else the real truth.

Question 47

Socrates believes there are principles of thought and action that ought to be followed by all people everywhere.

Question 48

The Stoics claim that the natural order of the world can be explained by the existence of a power of reason called logos.

Question 49

The British Empiricists and Continental Rationalists thought philosophers could combine the study of human nature and the study of cosmology into a single philosophical project.

Question 50

The Milesians believed that natural events ought to be explained by appeal to natural forces, rather than the actions of the gods.

Question 51

Marcus Aurelius believed that the human soul and everything else in the universe) was composed of atoms.

Question 52

Socrates' idea that the structure of language mirrors the structure of reality is still important in modern philosophy.

Question 53

According to Thales, the first act of true wisdom is to admit that you are ignorant.

Question 54

In the passage from the Republic, Socrates uses the Socratic Method to provide us with a correct definition of "justice."

Question 55

Plato founded the Academy, a school in Athens where philosophy, science, and mathematics were studied.

Question 56

The Milesians founded some of their views upon the Socratic Dialogues.

Question 57

Thrasymachus claims that justice can exist even under a despot, or absolute ruler.

Question 58

The two great themes of western philosophy are the study of the cosmos and the study of the human condition.

Question 59

Stoic philosophers held that the same principle governs the organization of the universe, and the organization of human society.

Question 60

Socrates lived to the ripe old age of 70 before his execution.

Question 61

Like psychology, epistemology is primarily a descriptive discipline.

Question 62

Heidegger mourns the loss of "roots," which he attributed to both Christianity and modern science.

Question 63

When we say a philosophical view is "rational," we mean it is not founded upon untested assumptions.

Question 64

Logic investigates correct principles of formal reasoning, .

Question 65

The German philosopher Hegel infamously described Africa as a "land of childhood."

Question 66

Marcus Aurelius introduced and defended an early version of chaos theory.

Question 67

According to the author, an authentic African-American philosophy cannot exist in American universities.

Question 68

Richard Rorty considers Heidegger "an egomaniacal, anti-Semitic redneck."

Question 69

The author questions whether objectivity is a requirement of good philosophy.

Question 70

When a philosopher says a view is "universal," he or she means that it is true for everyone, everywhere and always.

Question 71

The author urges us to develop "second-sight."

Question 72

Heidegger appears to argue that the Holocaust and mechanized agriculture are on the same moral plane.

Question 73

Heidegger apologized late in life for joining the Nazi Party.

Question 74

W.E.B. Du Bois believed that the chief problem of the 20th century was the problem of the color-line.

Question 75

Empiricism is the theory that all human knowledge comes from the senses.

Question 76

Natural Law is not rational.