Question 1

Kierkegaard says, "Thus I always reason from certainty, not toward uncertainty, whether I move in the sphere of palpable sensible fact or in the realm of thought."

Accepted Answer

Kierkegaard often emphasized the importance of subjective experience and the leap of faith, suggesting that true understanding comes from embracing uncertainty, rather than reasoning from a place of certainty to uncertainty.

Question 2

Kierkegaard says, "But between the God and his works there is an absolute relationship; God is not a name but a concept. Is this perhaps the reason that his essentia involvit existentiam [essence involves existence]?"

Accepted Answer

Kierkegaard is suggesting that God is not simply a name, but rather a concept that is intricately intertwined with existence. This is why he asserts that God's essence involves existence.

Question 3

Kierkegaard says, "What then is the Unknown? It is the limit to which the Reason repeatedly comes."

Accepted Answer

Kierkegaard believed that the Unknown is the limit of Reason and that it cannot be fully understood or grasped through logical thinking.

Question 4

Kierkegaard argues that although we think our proofs get close to proving God's existence, the final step is always a leap of faith.

Accepted Answer

Kierkegaard's philosophy emphasizes the importance of individual subjective experience in matters of faith and belief. He argues that faith cannot be justified by reason or objective evidence alone, and that a leap of faith is necessary to fully embrace and experience God.

Question 5

Do you agree with Kierkegaard when he says, "For if God does not exist it would of course be impossible to prove it"?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Do you agree with Kierkegaard when he...

Question 6

What does Kierkegaard mean when he says, "But if when I speak of proving God's existence I mean that I propose to prove that the Unknown, which exists, is God, then I express myself unfortunately. For in that case I do not prove anything, least of all an existence, but merely develop the content of a conception"?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What does Kierkegaard mean when he says,...

Question 7

Why does Kierkegaard say, "But between the God and his works there is an absolute relationship; God is not a name but a concept"? Do you agree with Kierkegaard?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why does Kierkegaard say, "But between the...

Question 8

Explain what Kierkegaard means by the following statement: "What then is the Unknown? It is the limit to which the Reason repeatedly comes."

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain what Kierkegaard means by the following...

Question 9

Explain Kierkegaard's claim that although we think our proofs get close to proving God's existence, the final step is always a leap of faith. Do you agree with Kierkegaard? Explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain Kierkegaard's claim that although we think...

Question 10

Lammenranta says, "the real question is not whether Descartes's reasoning is circular, but whether it is ________________; whether there is anything wrong with it."
A) anachronistically suspect
B) diabolically evil
C) viciously circular
D) enigmatically puzzling

Accepted Answer

The sentence mentions circular reasoning, so it is a clue that the missing word describes the type of circular reasoning. "Viciously" is a negative word and implies that there is something wrong with the reasoning. "Anachronistically suspect" and "diabolically evil" are extreme and not directly related to the concept of circular reasoning. "Enigmatically puzzling" might be a possibility, but it does not convey the negative connotation of something being wrong or flawed.

Question 11

According to Lammenranta, "The _______________ is often understood as a form of formal or logical circularity, in which the conclusion appears as one of the premises."
A) Cartesian Circle
B) Descartes Triangle
C) Medieval Method
D) Ancient Oracle

Accepted Answer

Lammenranta is referring to the concept of the Cartesian Circle, which involves a circular argument in which the conclusion is already assumed in one of the premises.

Question 12

For Lammenranta, "When Descartes attempts to prove the existence and veracity of God, he starts from premises that are ________________ for him."
A) true and certain
B) valid and heuristic
C) codified and normative
D) clear and distinct

Accepted Answer

Lammenranta specifically mentions Descartes' use of the phrase "clear and distinct" in his premises, which suggests he deems them to be the most reliable and certain starting points.

Question 13

Lammenranta tells us that "Descartes says in one passage that without knowledge of ________________ he does not see how he can ever be certain of anything."
A) mathematics
B) non-deceiving God
C) my own thoughts
D) physical objects

Accepted Answer

In the context of Descartes' philosophy, he argues that the only way to achieve certain knowledge is through clear and distinct ideas. One of the ways he argues for the existence of clear and distinct ideas is through the existence of a non-deceiving God who has provided us with a faculty of intuition that allows us to recognize clear and distinct ideas. Therefore, without knowledge of a non-deceiving God, Descartes cannot be certain of anything.

Question 14

Lammenranta says of Descartes's arguments, "These passages entail that clear and distinct perception is not sufficient for knowledge or certainty. One must know in addition that God exists and is ..."
A) not a deceiver.
B) eternal and perfect.
C) omnipotent and omniscient.
D) not composed of physical substance.

Accepted Answer

Lammenranta specifically mentions Descartes's argument that one must know not only clear and distinct perception but also that God is not a deceiver in order to have knowledge or certainty. Therefore, choice A is the best option.

Question 15

Lammenranta claims that "Descartes attempts to validate reason in terms of ..."
A) mathematics.
B) reason itself.
C) God's benevolence.
D) sensations.

Accepted Answer

Descartes attempts to validate reason in terms of reason itself by using the cogito ergo sum argument.

Question 16

Lammenranta asserts that "Descartes says that clear and distinct perception can provide knowledge only if it is perfectly reliable. Thus, he cannot know the premises of his argument for the truth of clear and distinct perceptions unless clear and distinct perceptions are _______, because these premises are themselves based on clear and distinct perception."
A) certain
B) valid
C) true
D) deducible

Accepted Answer

Descartes' philosophy hinges on the idea that clear and distinct perceptions must be true for them to provide knowledge, as they form the basis of his argument for their reliability.

Question 17

Lammenranta asserts that "because Descartes's proof presupposes that reason is ________, it is hard to see how he could remove these doubts by it."
A) reliable
B) ambiguous
C) innate
D) physical

Accepted Answer

Lammenranta argues that Descartes's argument for the existence of God relies on the assumption that reason is reliable. However, if one is doubting the reliability of their own faculties, it is unclear how the proof of the existence of God could serve to remove those doubts.

Question 18

For Lammenranta, "The problem is not whether knowledge is possible. It is whether ..."
A) God exists.
B) certainty exists.
C) truth abides.
D) we in fact have it.

Accepted Answer

Lammenranta addresses the issue of whether we actually possess knowledge, rather than questioning the possibility of knowledge itself.

Question 19

Lammenranta says, "the real question is not whether Descartes's reasoning is circular, but whether it is viciously circular; whether there is anything wrong with it."

Accepted Answer

Lammenranta is suggesting that whether Descartes's reasoning is circular or not is not ultimately important, but rather whether it is logically flawed or harmful.

Question 20

According to Lammenranta, "The Descartes Triangle is often understood as a form of formal or logical circularity, in which the conclusion appears as one of the premises."

Accepted Answer

Lammenranta does not discuss "The Descartes Triangle" in terms of formal or logical circularity. The statement seems to misrepresent discussions around Descartes' method of doubt and the circularity criticism, which is often related to his argument for the existence of God and the reliability of clear and distinct perceptions, not a "Descartes Triangle."

Quiz 4: Plato the Beginning of Everything

Kierkegaard says, "Thus I always reason from certainty, not toward uncertainty, whether I move in the sphere of palpable sensible fact or in the realm of thought."

Kierkegaard says, "But between the God and his works there is an absolute relationship; God is not a name but a concept. Is this perhaps the reason that his essentia involvit existentiam [essence involves existence]?"

Kierkegaard says, "What then is the Unknown? It is the limit to which the Reason repeatedly comes."

Kierkegaard argues that although we think our proofs get close to proving God's existence, the final step is always a leap of faith.

Do you agree with Kierkegaard when he says, "For if God does not exist it would of course be impossible to prove it"?

Why does Kierkegaard say, "But between the God and his works there is an absolute relationship; God is not a name but a concept"? Do you agree with Kierkegaard?

Explain what Kierkegaard means by the following statement: "What then is the Unknown? It is the limit to which the Reason repeatedly comes."

Explain Kierkegaard's claim that although we think our proofs get close to proving God's existence, the final step is always a leap of faith. Do you agree with Kierkegaard? Explain your answer.

Lammenranta says, "the real question is not whether Descartes's reasoning is circular, but whether it is ________________; whether there is anything wrong with it."

According to Lammenranta, "The _______________ is often understood as a form of formal or logical circularity, in which the conclusion appears as one of the premises."

For Lammenranta, "When Descartes attempts to prove the existence and veracity of God, he starts from premises that are ________________ for him."

Lammenranta tells us that "Descartes says in one passage that without knowledge of ________________ he does not see how he can ever be certain of anything."

Lammenranta says of Descartes's arguments, "These passages entail that clear and distinct perception is not sufficient for knowledge or certainty. One must know in addition that God exists and is ..."

Lammenranta claims that "Descartes attempts to validate reason in terms of ..."

Lammenranta asserts that "because Descartes's proof presupposes that reason is ________, it is hard to see how he could remove these doubts by it."

For Lammenranta, "The problem is not whether knowledge is possible. It is whether ..."

Lammenranta says, "the real question is not whether Descartes's reasoning is circular, but whether it is viciously circular; whether there is anything wrong with it."

According to Lammenranta, "The Descartes Triangle is often understood as a form of formal or logical circularity, in which the conclusion appears as one of the premises."