Question 1

In "A Dialogue with Death," Death praises Nachiketas for following the path of pleasure.

Accepted Answer

In "A Dialogue with Death," Death praises Nachiketas for choosing the path of knowledge and wisdom over the path of pleasure.

Question 2

According to the teachings of Hinduism, the soul dies when the body dies.

Accepted Answer

In Hinduism, the soul (Atman) is considered eternal and does not die when the body dies; it is believed to be reborn in a new body through the process of reincarnation.

Question 3

According to Locke, being the same substance is necessary for being the same person.

Accepted Answer

Locke argues that personal identity is based on continuity of consciousness, not on being the same substance.

Question 4

Locke claims that having the same body is crucial to being the same man.

Accepted Answer

Locke argues that personal identity is tied to consciousness and memory, but he also acknowledges that the same body is important for the identity of the same "man" or human being.

Question 5

Buddhists generally deny the existence of a fixed self-identity or soul.

Accepted Answer

Buddhists believe in the concept of Anatta, which means "non-self" or "no-soul," rejecting the idea of a permanent, unchanging self.

Question 6

In the "Questions of King Milinda on the Self," Nagasena rejects the doctrine of reincarnation.

Accepted Answer

Nagasena does not reject reincarnation; instead, he explains it using the analogy of a chariot, emphasizing the concept of no-self (anatta) and the continuity of consciousness without a permanent self.

Question 7

Hume's views on the self have more in common with Buddhist views than with Hindu views.

Accepted Answer

Hume's view of the self as a bundle of perceptions aligns with the Buddhist concept of anatta (no-self), which denies a permanent, unchanging self, unlike Hinduism, which often posits an eternal soul (atman).

Question 8

Hume denies the existence of a fixed, enduring self.

Accepted Answer

David Hume argued that the self is nothing but a bundle of perceptions, lacking a permanent, unchanging essence.

Question 9

Unlike Hume, Schopenhauer defends the doctrine of reincarnation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Unlike Hume, Schopenhauer defends the doctrine of...

Question 10

According to Schopenhauer, the will to live is impersonal.

Accepted Answer

Schopenhauer's philosophy posits that the "will to live" is a fundamental, impersonal force that drives all living beings, not tied to individual desires or consciousness.

Question 11

According to Socrates/Plato, a true philosopher welcomes death.

Accepted Answer

Socrates, as depicted by Plato, believed that a true philosopher practices dying and that death is the ultimate separation of the soul from the body, which allows the soul to attain true knowledge and wisdom.

Question 12

Plato believes that the soul and body have many characteristics in common.

Accepted Answer

Plato believed that the soul and body are distinct entities, with the soul being immortal and the body being mortal.

Question 13

Descartes argues that the soul and body never interact with each other.

Accepted Answer

Descartes argued that the soul and body do interact with each other, famously proposing the pineal gland as the site of this interaction.

Question 14

Descartes can be correctly classified as a dualist.

Accepted Answer

Descartes is known for his dualist philosophy, which posits the existence of two distinct substances: mind (res cogitans) and body (res extensa).

Question 15

Parfit claims that the Bundle Theory of the self is more defensible than the Ego Theory of the self.

Accepted Answer

Parfit argues that the Bundle Theory, which views the self as a collection of experiences and perceptions without a core essence, is more defensible because it aligns better with empirical evidence and avoids metaphysical assumptions inherent in the Ego Theory, which posits a central, unchanging self.

Question 16

Parfit argues that the findings of modern science are irrelevant to the question of self-identity.

Accepted Answer

Parfit's work, particularly in "Reasons and Persons," suggests that modern science, including psychology and neuroscience, can inform and challenge traditional notions of self-identity.

Question 17

Foucault claims that the body is the prison of the soul.

Accepted Answer

Foucault did not claim that the body is the prison of the soul; rather, he explored how societal institutions, like prisons, discipline and regulate bodies and behaviors.

Question 18

Foucault does not believe that knowledge can be divorced from power.

Accepted Answer

Foucault argued that knowledge and power are intertwined, with power shaping what is accepted as knowledge and knowledge reinforcing power structures.

Question 19

According to Sheets-Johnstone, women inspire male sexual desire simply by existing.

Accepted Answer

Sheets-Johnstone argues that the mere presence of women can evoke sexual desire in men, as part of her exploration of the dynamics of sexual attraction and gender relations.

Question 20

Sheets-Johnstone claims that a person's sex life is totally determined by social and cultural influences.

Accepted Answer

Sheets-Johnstone acknowledges the role of social and cultural influences but also emphasizes the biological and evolutionary aspects of human sexuality.

Quiz 1: Self, Mind, and Body