Question 1

The statement "The cat is on the mat" is true no matter what conventions guide our use and interpretation of the words "cat," "is," "on" and "mat."

Accepted Answer

The truth of the statement "The cat is on the mat" depends on the meanings of the words and the actual situation being described. If the conventions guiding our use and interpretation of these words change, or if the actual situation does not match the statement (e.g., there is no cat on the mat), then the statement would not be true.

Question 2

Leibniz agrees with Locke that the senses are a sufficient source for all knowledge.

Accepted Answer

Leibniz did not agree with Locke that the senses were a sufficient source for all knowledge. Instead, he argued that there were innate ideas that were a priori and necessary for reasoning, and that these ideas were not derived from the senses.

Question 3

If a statement (such as,"There is no airport in Tulsa")is 'contingently false',I can imagine that,under different circumstances,the statement could be true.

Accepted Answer

This is because a contingent statement is one that is true or false depending on the facts or circumstances. Therefore, if the circumstances were to change and an airport was built in Tulsa, the statement that there is no airport in Tulsa would become false.

Question 4

If two people disagree about whether the statement "Life is meaningful" is true,their disagreement is factual,or empirical,in nature.

Accepted Answer

The statement "Life is meaningful" is subjective and not able to be proven or disproven through empirical evidence. Therefore, the disagreement is not factual or empirical but rather philosophical or personal.

Question 5

According to William James,the fact that theory was more useful or promising was irrelevant to its truth.

Accepted Answer

William James, a pragmatist philosopher, believed that the usefulness or practical consequences of a theory were integral to its truth.

Question 6

Today,the term science tends to be limited to those questions that can and must be answered by reference to experience and extrapolations from experience.

Accepted Answer

Science is based on empirical evidence and observations from experience, thus limiting it to questions that can be answered within this framework.

Question 7

Tautologies like "Boys will be boys" seem to be true,even though they don't tell us anything about the world.

Accepted Answer

Tautologies are statements that are true by definition, regardless of the truth value of their components. "Boys will be boys" is a tautology because it defines what it means to be a boy, but it doesn't provide any new information about boys or the world around us.

Question 8

Were Descartes to have accepted the coherence theory of truth he would have to have given up his quest for certain knowledge.

Accepted Answer

The coherence theory of truth suggests that truth arises from the coherence and consistency of a set of beliefs. If Descartes had accepted this theory, he would have to give up his quest for certain knowledge because the coherence theory provides for degrees of probabilities in truth, rather than absolute certainty. Descartes' famous phrase "I think, therefore I am" was an attempt to establish a foundation of certain knowledge, which would be incompatible with the coherence theory of truth.

Question 9

One problem with the correspondence theory of truth is that it seems only to fit mathematical statements or statements in logic.

Accepted Answer

While the correspondence theory of truth may be particularly applicable to mathematical and logical statements, it is not limited to them. It can also be applied to empirical claims and moral judgments, for example. However, there are other theories of truth that may be more suitable for certain types of statements, such as deflationary or coherence theories.

Question 10

Epistemology means the theory of knowledge.

Accepted Answer

Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that focuses on the nature of knowledge, justification, and belief. Therefore, it can be defined as the theory of knowledge.

Question 11

If the linguistic determinism of Edward Sapir and Benjamin Whorf is correct,then even people who speak different languages share a basic understanding of the world.

Accepted Answer

The linguistic determinism of Edward Sapir and Benjamin Whorf posits that language shapes our perception of the world and that different languages lead to different patterns of thought. Therefore, if their theory is correct, people who speak different languages would not necessarily share a basic understanding of the world.

Question 12

Philosophers and scientists agree that if a statement is true,then it corresponds to the facts.

Accepted Answer

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Question 13

The Principle of Universal Causality states that "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction."

Accepted Answer

The Principle of Universal Causality actually states that "Every event has a cause and an effect". The phrase "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction" is known as Newton's Third Law of Motion, which is a different concept altogether.

Question 14

Descartes and Spinoza are rationalists.

Accepted Answer

Both Descartes and Spinoza are considered to be rationalists, as they emphasize the importance of reasoning and intuition over sensory experience in understanding the world.

Question 15

To call something a "sunset" is to see it in the light of a certain false astronomical theory.

Accepted Answer

The term "sunset" implies that the sun is actually moving below the horizon, when in reality it is the rotation of the earth that causes the sun to appear to set. This is a false astronomical theory, and therefore calling it a "sunset" is seeing it in the light of this theory.

Question 16

David Hume concluded his philosophical investigations into the nature of knowledge only after proving the most basic principles of our everyday knowledge.

Accepted Answer

David Hume is known for his skepticism about the possibility of proving the most basic principles of our everyday knowledge, arguing that such beliefs are more a matter of habit or custom than of rational proof.

Question 17

If you accept the "two world assumption" you are vulnerable to skepticism.

Accepted Answer

The "two world assumption" refers to the existence of a physical world and a non-physical world (such as a spiritual or metaphysical realm). If you accept this assumption, it opens up the possibility for skepticism about the nature of reality and what can truly be known.

Question 18

If the ontological argument is successful,then the statement "God exists" is contingently true.

Accepted Answer

The ontological argument aims to prove the necessary existence of God, not the contingent existence of God. Therefore, if the ontological argument is successful, the statement "God exists" would be necessarily true, not contingently true.

Question 19

Until recently,most philosophers have believed that if there is an answer to any philosophical question (or any other question of knowledge),it is either an empirical truth based on experience or an a priori truth that is both necessary and a product of reason.

Accepted Answer

This statement accurately reflects the traditional views of most philosophers, who have generally believed that knowledge can be derived from either empirical evidence or a priori reasoning.

Question 20

Rationality depends on coherence within our reasons and beliefs.

Accepted Answer

Rationality requires that our reasons and beliefs are logically consistent and coherent with each other. In order to make sensible decisions and judgments, it is important that our beliefs and reasoning are aligned and make sense together. Incoherent or contradictory beliefs can lead to irrational behavior or judgments.

Quiz 5: The Search for Truth