Philosophy Quiz #1

By Nominis Expers

Alright, here's the deal: 12 Multiple-choice questions follow;

Give yourself 4 points right off the bat for being willing to take the quiz...

Give yourself 8 points for every correct answer. If you score 100 the first time through, e-mail me your address and I'll send you a gold star for your forehead.

1. Philosophy is:

• A. Love of knowledge INCORRECT Etymologically, philosophy means "love of wisdom"                      
• B. Abstract thinking, beyond practical concerns                         INCORRECT while it may encompass contemplating principes of a non-material nature, it DOES affect daily life
• C. The skill of assessing concepts and presuppositions CORRECT Yes, this is the best answer. The study of philosophy is the study of the "isms", the systems of thought, the ways of looking at the world that define how we live our lives, make our laws, and establish our values
• D. Pre-Socratic in nature INCORRECT Hey! - no guessing!                                                                

• A. Personally, I currently do not have a philosophy                 INCORRECT We have no choice in whether to have a belief system, but the choice, rather, is what to believe, and how cogent a system we are to have. The choice is not whether to be involved in philosophy, or whether to have a philosophy, but only which philosophy to have.
• B. Real philosophy is only found in an academic environment INCORRECT "Worldviews" bombard us constantly: the news media, politicians, ads, and even the arts: TV shows, novels, plays, music, movies...all ideal vehicles for communicating philosophical premises. Professional philosophers by the thousands have deliberately and effectively used the arts: Sartre, Camus, Beckett, Rand to name but a few.
• C. A "worldview" may be defined as a philsophical belief system. CORRECT The foundational concepts of how people view the world, how we interpret the world around us...how we understand the particulars of art, music, politics, economics, law; all of these things are elements that are inseparably related to our ultimate understanding of life and the world: and that is called a worldview.
• D. Aphorisms in themselves are philosophically untenable. INCORRECT There is nothing wrong with using an aphorism to communicate an idea. Indeed, such a cliche can often lead to instant understanding simply because we've used a familiar phrase to make our point. They can get us into trouble, however, when they float through our heads, unexamined, and pop up in automatic response to questions that deserve more attention. "Unexamined" is the key word here.

• A. That which is logical INCORRECT                                                                        
• B. Study and discourse INCORRECT Not even a good guess!                                                        
• C. Analysis and synthesis INCORRECT Try again!                                                                                
• D. Theories of that which is "beyond the physical". CORRECT Metaphysics is the study of, or expressions of theories of those things that are above or beyond nature or physics; beyond the five senses, the "ultimate reality" of all things.

• A. Morals INCORRECT                                                                      
• B. Ethics INCORRECT                                                                      
• C. The Categorical Imperative INCORRECT I see you've set aside this special time to humiliate yourself by making wild guesses
• D. All of the above are correct. INCORRECT In fact, none of the above are correct (see answer E)            
• E. None of the above are correct. CORRECT Aesthetics is the study of, or expressions of theories of reasoned thought regarding the ideal form, or beauty; it is the philosophy of art.

• A. Arbitrary, therefore optional in informal conversation INCORRECT All meaningful thinking and communication is dependent upon logic for its weight and force. As we shall see, logic is undeniable: In order to attempt to refute it, one has to use it... thereby affirming it. The basic laws of logic are not arbitrary, but necessary.
• B. A "Useless Passion" INCORRECT No, no, no: that's Sartre's evaluation of mankind; Nice, huh?   
• C. Not of primary importance in philosophy INCORRECT In some ways the most fundamental area of philosophy is logic, since philosophy is a rational inquiry and since logic systematically sets forth the laws of thought and argument.
• D. As logic does INCORRECT Who are you, Forrest Gump?                                                        
• E. The study of correct reasoning and valid inferences CORRECT Logic is putting your thoughts in order. It's a way to think so that you come to right conclusions. To learn logic is to learn the rules of clear and correct thinking.                        

• A. Hermeneutics INCORRECT It is unclear why anyone would choose this answer.                
• B. Self-stultification INCORRECT We're guessing again, aren't we?                                        
• C. Ontology INCORRECT I refuse to interpret your wrong answers as a reflection on my ability to communicate.
• D. All of the above INCORRECT I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce.
• E. Epistemology CORRECT Epistemology, from two Greek words: 'episteme' (knowledge) and 'logos' (speech, reasoning). The subject explores the origin, nature, methods and limits of our knowledge; the nature of the interrelation between "mind" and "matter" in the process of perception and knowledge.

• A. The study of ideal conduct. CORRECT Yeah, baby! Ethics is the study of ideal conduct, right and wrong; it attempts to deal with questions of "what ought to be" in regards to our behavior.
• B. A legal fiction. INCORRECT *sigh* ...NO!                                                                        
• C. The thought processes characteristic of an indvidual or group. INCORRECT Nope. You're thinking of 'ethos'.
• D. A matter of personal preference.                 INCORRECT No, but we're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.

• A. Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis INCORRECT You begin to bore me ...I'll try being nicer if you try being smarter.
• B. The life cycle of a single organism INCORRECT No, that's Ontogeny; (biology, not philosophy)                        
• C. Attempts to coordinate the 'real' in light of the 'ideal'. INCORRECT What the heck is that supposed to mean?                              
• D. The study of being CORRECT Ontology is the study of being, of what is; the ultimate reality of and behind 'existence' and 'matter'

• A. The art and science of capturing and keeping office. INCORRECT                                                                     
• B. The study of ideal social organization CORRECT                                                                        
• C. Punishable by fine and imprisonment. INCORRECT Not the best answer!                                                            
• D. Unsusceptable to exact formulation. INCORRECT Huh?                                                                                   

• A. At the root of political thought. CORRECT, but... NOT the best answer ...Take only 2 pts.                                
• B. Expressible in various art forms. CORRECT, but... NOT the best answer...Take only 2 pts.                                
• C. Hypothetical interpretation of the inexactly known. CORRECT, but... NOT the best answer ...Take only 2 pts.                                
• D. All of the Above CORRECT This is the best answer                                                        

• A. Reductio ad absurdum INCORRECT NO! Luckily for you, my powers can only be used for good!    
• B. By necessity, a contradiction INCORRECT Nope.                                                                                
• C. Incorrect use of a term INCORRECT You've gotten your definitions mixed up!                                
• D. A mistake CORRECT A formal fallacy is a mistake in the formulation of an argument, or the use of an implication that is invalid, or does not follow.

12. Socrates said that the unexamined life is:

• A. Normal INCORRECT Although a conscious philosophy is the exception,and most people's worldview is largely unconscious and random, "normal" was not Socrates' assessment of this situation.                
• B. A mystery INCORRECT Indeed, if we are not aware of the hidden premises at work behind our own presuppositions, what is happening in our life may well be a mystery. But that ain't what Socrates said.
• C. Not worth living CORRECT Unless our life and world view is consistent, explicit and logical, a reasoned response to what we find in life, we become victims of the circumstances that are produced as a result of the behavior governed by the unidentified and contradictory ideas at the root of an "unexamined life."
• D. Full of sound and fury INCORRECT "Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." Nice try, but no, that's from Shakespeare. It's this kind of attitude that leads to circumstances that make life not worth living. This is what Atheistic Existentialism is all about...More on that later.
  
  

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