Question 1

Descartes says, "for it is not in my power to conceive a God without _________, that is a being supremely perfect, and yet devoid of an absolute perfection, as I am free to imagine a horse with or without wings."
A) spirit
B) thought
C) existence
D) reverence

Accepted Answer

Descartes is arguing that when he thinks of God, he cannot imagine Him without the attribute of existence, as this would contradict the concept of a supremely perfect being. He uses the example of a horse, which he can imagine with or without wings because the attribute of having wings is not essential to the concept of a horse.

Question 2

Descartes says that, "this necessity is sufficient, as soon as I discover that existence is a __________, to cause me to infer the existence of this first and sovereign being."
A) perfection
B) phantasm
C) tribulation
D) relationship

Accepted Answer

Descartes believed that the concept of perfection was necessary for the existence of a first and sovereign being, as only a perfect being could be responsible for causing humans to have the idea of perfection in the first place.

Question 3

Descartes says, "And although the right conception of this truth has cost me much close thinking, nevertheless at present I feel not only as assured of it as of what I deem most certain, but I remark further that the certitude of all other truths is so absolutely dependent on it that without this knowledge it is impossible ever to know anything perfectly." What is Descartes referring to in the italicized phrase?
A) The belief in the power of thought.
B) The knowledge that God exists.
C) The truths of mathematics.
D) The objects of sense perceptions.

Accepted Answer

Descartes is referring to the knowledge that God exists, which he believes is the foundation for all other knowledge and certainty. Without the knowledge of God's existence, Descartes argues that we cannot be certain of anything else, including the truths of mathematics or the objects of sense perceptions.

Question 4

According to Descartes, "Will it be said that perhaps I am dreaming (an objection I lately myself raised), or that all the thoughts of which I am now conscious have no more truth than the reveries of my dreams? But although, in truth, I should be dreaming, the rule still holds that all which is clearly presented to my intellect is ..."
A) patently uncertain.
B) clouded in mist.
C) indisputably true.
D) subject to doubt.

Accepted Answer

Descartes asserts that even if he is dreaming, he cannot doubt the clarity of his thoughts and therefore they must be indisputably true.

Question 5

Descartes says, "I can demonstrate diverse properties of the triangle, all of which are assuredly true since I clearly conceive them: and they are therefore something; and I have already fully shown the truth of the principle, that whatever is clearly and distinctly known is true."

Accepted Answer

Descartes argues that he can demonstrate properties of a triangle that are clearly and distinctly known, and therefore true. He also asserts the principle that whatever is clearly and distinctly known is true. Therefore, his argument is that the properties of the triangle he demonstrates are true.

Question 6

Descartes says, "when I think of it more attentively, it appears that the extent can no more be separated from the perfection of God, than the idea of a mountain from that of a valley, or the equality of its three angles to two right angles."

Accepted Answer

Descartes actually uses the example of the idea of a mountain and a valley to illustrate the inseparability of certain ideas, but he does not link this directly to the extent and perfection of God in the quote provided. His discussions on God's perfection and existence are more abstract and do not directly use this analogy.

Question 7

Descartes says, "for it is not in my power to conceive a God without spirit, that is a being supremely perfect, and yet devoid of an absolute perfection, as I am free to imagine a horse with or without wings."

Accepted Answer

Descartes actually argues for the inherent existence of God as a supremely perfect being, suggesting that the concept of God inherently includes perfection. The quote misrepresents his views by suggesting a comparison between the necessity of God's attributes and the arbitrary attributes of a horse.

Question 8

Descartes says that, "this necessity is sufficient, as soon as I discover that existence is a relationship, to cause me to infer the existence of this first and sovereign being."

Accepted Answer

Descartes actually argues for the existence of a sovereign being (God) through the idea of perfection and existence being inherently linked in the concept of a supremely perfect being, rather than existence being merely a relationship. His famous statement, "I think, therefore I am," focuses on the certainty of one's own existence as a thinking entity, and from there, he moves to argue for the existence of God based on the clear and distinct ideas he believes are placed in us by such a being.

Question 9

Descartes says, "And although the right conception of this truth has cost me much close thinking, nevertheless at present I feel not only as assured of it as of what I deem most certain, but I remark further that the certitude of all other truths is so absolutely dependent on it that without this knowledge it is impossible ever to know anything perfectly." In the italicized phrase,
Descartes is referring to the belief in the power of thought.

Accepted Answer

Descartes is referring to the foundational truth "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am"), which asserts the certainty of one's own existence as a thinking being.

Question 10

According to Descartes, "Will it be said that perhaps I am dreaming (an objection I lately myself raised), or that all the thoughts of which I am now conscious have no more truth than the reveries of my dreams? But although, in truth, I should be dreaming, the rule still holds that all which is clearly presented to my intellect is indisputably true."

Accepted Answer

Descartes argues that even if he is dreaming, what is clearly presented to his intellect is still indisputably true.

Question 11

Descartes relies on two criteria which he calls "clear and distinct ideas." First, explain what Descartes means by these criteria; second, explain why you agree or disagree with Descartes that the two criteria are adequate for his arguments for the existence of God.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Descartes relies on two criteria which he...

Question 12

What is the difference between "existence" and "essence"? How do these concepts function in Descartes's argument?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the difference between "existence" and...

Question 13

In his arguments for the existence of God, why does Descartes claim that existence is a perfection?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In his arguments for the existence of...

Question 14

Descartes says, "And although the right conception of this truth has cost me much close thinking, nevertheless at present I feel not only as assured of it as of what I deem most certain, but I remark further that the certitude of all other truths is so absolutely dependent on it that without this knowledge it is impossible ever to know anything perfectly." What is Descartes's point here?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Descartes says, "And although the right conception...

Question 15

Conway says, "In God there is neither ________ nor ________, nor composition, nor division of parts."
A) thought; mind
B) deduction; induction
C) energy; matter
D) time; change

Accepted Answer

The statement by Conway suggests that God is beyond the limitations of time and change, and also not composed of separate parts or elements. None of the other options mentioned in the question relate to this concept.

Question 16

Conway says, "Seeing then that in him there is no time, nor any mutability, hence it is that in him there can exist no new knowledge or Will, but his knowledge and Will are ..."
A) eternal.
B) effervescent.
C) ineffable.
D) redundant.

Accepted Answer

Since Conway is stating that there is no time or mutability in God, it follows that his knowledge and Will are also unchanging and eternal.

Question 17

Conway says, "Likewise, in God there can exist no passion, which to speak properly comes from his creatures: For every passion is something ..."
A) emotional.
B) temporal.
C) spiritual.
D) material.

Accepted Answer

Conway argues that God cannot have passions because passions are temporal and come from His creatures. God, being timeless and unchanging, cannot experience anything temporal or changing, including passions. Thus, option B, which says passions are temporal, is the most appropriate answer.

Question 18

For Conway, "Hence it follows by natural consequence, that times from the creation are __________, and without all number, which no created intellect can conceive."
A) multiplied
B) simple
C) infinite
D) compound

Accepted Answer

Conway is stating that time from the creation is infinite, which means it goes on without end. Thus, the best choice is C.

Question 19

Conway says, "let us suppose the duration of this world to be 600,000 years, or any other number of years, as great as can be by any reason conceived. Now, I demand whether it could be that the world was created before this time? If they deny it, they limit the power of God to a certain number of years; if they affirm it, they allow time to be before all time, which is a manifest ..."
A) contradiction.
B) destiny.
C) tautology.
D) truth.

Accepted Answer

Conway is presenting a paradox - if one denies that the world could have been created before a certain amount of time, they are limiting the power of God, but if they affirm it, they are admitting the possibility of time existing before all time, which is a contradiction.

Question 20

Conway says, "Yet that indifference of acting, or not acting, can by no means be said to be in God; because this were an __________, and would make God like corruptible creatures; for this indifference of Will is the foundation of all change and corruptibility in creatures; so that there would be no evil in creatures if they were not changeable."
A) insult
B) indecision
C) imperfection
D) inception

Accepted Answer

Conway is discussing the concept of an "indifference of Will" in God, which would imply that God can be indecisive or imperfect like creatures. Therefore, the best choice is C) imperfection.

Quiz 4: Plato the Beginning of Everything

Descartes says, "for it is not in my power to conceive a God without _________, that is a being supremely perfect, and yet devoid of an absolute perfection, as I am free to imagine a horse with or without wings."

Descartes says that, "this necessity is sufficient, as soon as I discover that existence is a __________, to cause me to infer the existence of this first and sovereign being."

Descartes says, "I can demonstrate diverse properties of the triangle, all of which are assuredly true since I clearly conceive them: and they are therefore something; and I have already fully shown the truth of the principle, that whatever is clearly and distinctly known is true."

Descartes says, "when I think of it more attentively, it appears that the extent can no more be separated from the perfection of God, than the idea of a mountain from that of a valley, or the equality of its three angles to two right angles."

Descartes says, "for it is not in my power to conceive a God without spirit, that is a being supremely perfect, and yet devoid of an absolute perfection, as I am free to imagine a horse with or without wings."

Descartes says that, "this necessity is sufficient, as soon as I discover that existence is a relationship, to cause me to infer the existence of this first and sovereign being."

Descartes relies on two criteria which he calls "clear and distinct ideas." First, explain what Descartes means by these criteria; second, explain why you agree or disagree with Descartes that the two criteria are adequate for his arguments for the existence of God.

What is the difference between "existence" and "essence"? How do these concepts function in Descartes's argument?

In his arguments for the existence of God, why does Descartes claim that existence is a perfection?

Conway says, "In God there is neither nor , nor composition, nor division of parts."

Conway says, "Seeing then that in him there is no time, nor any mutability, hence it is that in him there can exist no new knowledge or Will, but his knowledge and Will are ..."

Conway says, "Likewise, in God there can exist no passion, which to speak properly comes from his creatures: For every passion is something ..."

For Conway, "Hence it follows by natural consequence, that times from the creation are __________, and without all number, which no created intellect can conceive."