Introduction to Philosophy
Fall 2011
Test 1 Answers
1. An argument, as philosophers use this term, is:
a. a contentious debate, leading to physical violence.
b. an irrational contest, leading to a victor.
c. a polite dispute, leading to tea and crumpets.
d. a group of statements, leading to a conclusion.
e. all of the above.
2. Which of the following is not an example of a philosophical question?
a. How many desks
are in this classroom?
b.
Are minds distinct from bodies?
c.
What is the nature of morality?
d.
Do desks exist independently of our thoughts about them?
e.
Do human beings have a free will?
3. The kinds of questions philosophy studies É
a. are too hard to be answered.
b. never have true or false answers.
c. cannot be answered solely by appealing to sense experience.
d. cannot be answered solely by appealing to reasoning.
e. can be answered only by really smart people.
4. The premises of an argument are É
a. the reason or evidence offered for believing the conclusion.
b. the point the argument is trying to establish.
c. always true.
d. probably true.
e. supposed to be valid.
5. The study of philosophy includes the
study of all of the following except:
a. ontology.
b. value theory.
c. epistemology.
d. reason or logic.
e. recreational pharmacology.
6. An inductive
argument
purports to show that É
a. if the premises are all true, the conclusion is probably
true.
b. all of the premises are true, whether or not the conclusion
is true.
c. either the premises are probably true or the conclusion is
certainly false.
d. if the premises are all true, the conclusion must be true.
e. all of the premises are true, and so is the conclusion.
7. In a reductio ad absurdum:
a. you begin by assuming the opposite of what you want to prove
in order to show that this assumption must be false.
b. you begin by assuming the opposite of what you want to prove
in order to show that this assumption must be true.
c. either the premises are probably true or the conclusion is
certainly false.
d. all of the premises are true, but not the conclusion.
e. none of the above describe a reductio ad adsurdum argument.
8. The conclusion of an argument is:
a. the last statement.
b. when everybody is too tired to continue.
c. the evidence or reasoning presented.
d. the statement that the premises attempt to support.
e. none of the above.
9. Consider the following argument:
All college teachers are full of
themselves.
Baldner
is a college teacher.
Therefore,
Baldner is full of himself.
This
argument is É
a. an inductive argument.
b. an argument youÕd better not make in class if you want a
good grade.
c. a (deductively) invalid argument.
d. a (deductively) valid argument.
e. an a priori argument.
10.
The term "validity," as used in
philosophy is/means:
a.
Truth.
b.
Reasonableness.
c.
Probability.
d.
A formal property of statements.
e. A formal property or arguments.
11.
Which of the following (kinds of) arguments for the existence of God is not an a
posteriori
argument?
a.
The argument from Design.
b. The
Cosmological Argument.
c. The Ontological
Argument.
d.
All of the above are a posteriori.
e.
None of the above is a posteriori.
12. An a priori argument for the existence of God É
a. is not based on anything known by sense experience.
b. is based upon something known by sense experience.
c. is based only on things we learned in a previous life.
d. is based only on things we learned in the afterlife.
e. is such that exactly two of a-d above are true.
13.
An argument
by analogy:
a. is an inductive argument.
b. is used by William Paley.
c. reasons from known similarities to probable similarities.
d. is an a posteriori argument.
e. is such that all of the above are true.
14.
An a
posteriori argument
for the existence of God É
a. is not based on anything known by sense experience.
b. is based upon something known by sense experience.
c. is based only on things we learned in a previous life.
d. is based only on things we learned in the afterlife.
e. is such that exactly two of a-d above are true.
15.
In a deductively
valid argument
É
a. all of the premises are true, whether or not the conclusion
is true.
b. if the premises are all true, the conclusion is probably
true.
c. either the premises are probably true or the conclusion is
certainly false.
d. if the premises are all true, the conclusion must be true.
e. all of the premises are true, and so is the conclusion.
16. Which of the following statements is false?
a.
The ontological argument is the only entirely a priori argument for the existence of God.
b. The
cosmological argument is the only entirely a
priori argument for the existence of God.
c.
The teleological argument is often called the argument from design.
d.
The cosmological argument has at least one premise based upon observation.
e.
The teleological argument has at least one premise based upon observation.
17.
For Anselm, which of the following is not a Ògreatness-makingÓ property?
a. existence.
b. knowledge.
c. powerfulness.
d. moral goodness.
e. physical size.
18. Which of the following best
characterizes AnselmÕs
conception of God?
a. no one can conceive of anything greater than God.
b. only Òthe foolÓ (i.e., the atheist) cannot conceive of God.
c. only Òthe foolÓ can conceive of anything greater than God.
d.
God is the biggest thing we can imagine.
e.
God exists in AnselmÕs understanding, but nowhere else.
19.
Anselm's "Ontological"
Argument
concerning the existence of God argues that É
a.
even though God probably does exist, he might not have.
b. even though God probably doesnÕt exist, he might have.
c. it is impossible that God not actually exist.
d. even though God doesnÕt exist in reality, he does exist in
the understanding.
e.
God exists on GaunilloÕs greatest conceivable island.
20.
According to Anselm É
a. existence is a Òperfection,Ó i.e., a Ògreatness making
property.Ó
b. non-existent things (if they can be thought of at all) exist
in the understanding.
c. a being than which none greater can be conceived exists in
the understanding.
d. all of the above are true.
e. exactly two of the above are true.
21.
According to GaunilloÕs criticism of AnselmÕs argument,
a. if Anselm proves the existence of God, he also proves the
existence of the greatest island.
b.
Anselm mistakenly assumes the existence of the greatest conceivable island.
c. Anslem mistakenly denies the existence of the greatest
conceivable island.
d.
Anselm mistakenly assumes that God exists in the understanding.
e.
Anselm mistakenly denies that God exists in the understanding.
22.
Cosmological
arguments such
as the first two of Aquinas's five ways:
a. argue that design in nature demonstrates the existence of a
divine designer.
b. argue that God is all good.
c. argue that God is part of the cosmos (i.e., of the
universe).
d. argue that the cosmos has no cause.
e. argue that something had to cause the cosmos.
23. Aquinas simply pre-supposes that É
a. the universe has an infinitely long past history.
b. the universe could not have had an infinitely long past
history.
c. everything that exists is part of an infinite series of
dependent beings.
d. only the existence of God could explain how the universe
could have had an infinitely long past history.
e. some things can cause themselves to exist.
24.
Aquinas argues (i.e. reasons) that É
a. nothing can be the cause of itself.
b. nothing can change itself.
c. there must be a Òuncaused causer.Ó
d. all of the above.
e. none of the above.
25. Clark argues (i.e. reasons)
thatÉ
a. the universe has an infinitely long past history.
b. the universe could not have had an infinitely long past
history.
c. everything that exists is part of an infinite series of
dependent beings..
d. only the existence of God could explain the existence of an
infinite series of prior events.
e. some things can cause themselves to exist.
26.
Teleological
arguments, such as PaleyÕs, argue that
É
a.
GodÕs existence follows logically from the very concept of a supremely perfect
being.
b. the only explanation for the beginning of the universe is
that it was created by God.
c. the only explanation for the structure and complexity of the
world is that it was designed or created that way.
d.
God designed animals to be incapable of suffering.
e. evil is the result of human free will.
27.
Paley argues for the existence of God by comparing living
organisms to É
a. spirits.
b. artifacts like watches.
c. automobiles.
d. college professors.
e.
God.
28.
According to Paley, we need the existence of
God in order to explain É
a. the origins of the cosmos.
b. the goodness of human beings.
c. the apparent order or design of the universe.
d. the beauty of great works of art.
e. why Baldner is such an awesome teacher.
29.
If the theory
of evolution is
true, É
a. the existence of God is impossible.
b.
God cannot be both all-good and all-powerful.
c.
God cannot be the ultimate cause of the apparent order and design of the
universe.
d.
God must have evolved from the cosmos.
e. none of the above must be true.
30.
In a fair betÉ.
a. the odds are in your favor.
b. the odds are against you.
c. unity is the same as infinity.
d. average winnings over time should be equal to average
losses.
e. cheating is impossible.
31.
When Pascal says that Òthe finite is annihilated in the face
of the infinite,Ó
what he means is thatÉ
a. unlike us, God has infinite money to bet with.
b. adding or subtracting an infinite number from a finite
number is the same as adding or subtracting a finite number from it.
c. adding or subtracting a finite number from an infinite
number is the same as adding or subtracting zero from it.
d. no finite mind can really conceive of the infinite.
e. because the after life is infinite, and we have only finite
earthly lives, there is nothing we can do to merit eternal reward.
32.
Pascal believes that É
a. we can
prove that God
exists.
b. it is probable that God exists.
c. it is irrational to believe (or act like we
believe) in the existence of God.
d. it is rational to believe (or act like we believe) in the existence of God.
e.
God likes
to gamble.
33.
A theodicy is an É
a. argument for the existence of God.
b. argument against the existence of God.
c. explanation of human freedom.
d. explanation of how (apparent) evil is consistent with the
existence of God.
e. explanation of why human beings commit sins.
34. According to the problem of evil:
a. the existence of evil is only apparent, but not real.
b. itÕs a good bet that God isnÕt evil.
c. the existence of evil provides evidence against existence of
God.
d. the non-existence of evil provides evidence for the
existence of God.
e. itÕs more rational to believe in God than to believe in
evil.
35.
According to B.C.
Johnson, if we
really believed that God allows bad things to happen Òin order to create moral
urgency,Ó then É
a. we ought to encourage human beings to act likewise.
b. we ought to ask God to act otherwise.
c. we ought to be grateful for human suffering.
d. we donÕt really believe in free will.
e. we are confusing moral evil and natural evil.
36.
JohnsonÕs Òconclusive
objectionÓ
against attempted rebuttals to the problem of evil is that É
a. they deny the existence of evil in the world.
b. they deny that God is all powerful.
c. they deny that God is all good.
d. they are compatible with existence of an all-good God.
e. they are compatible with the existence of an all-evil God.
37. According to Swinburne É
a. moral evil is the inevitable result of human free-will.
b. natural evil is the inevitable result of GodÕs incompetence.
c. natural evil proves that God cannot be all-good.
d. moral evil is caused by actions of animals.
e. the goodness of God proves that animals donÕt suffer.
38.
According to Swineburne, natural evil É
a. is caused by animals.
b. is not the result of human free will.
c. proves the non-existence of God.
d. is the inevitable result of GodÕs free will.
e. is the inevitable result of human beingsÕ free will.
39.
According to Swineburne, God allows animals to suffer because É
a. it helps them achieve things more worthwhile than simply
experiencing pleasure.
b. he likes to watch their suffering.
c. animal suffering isnÕt as important as human suffering.
d. human beings like to watch animals suffering.
e. they deserve it for using their free will to choose evil.
40.
Which of the following is (obviously) true?
(DonÕt
think too hard, just go for it!)
a.
Everybody doesnÕt like something, but nobody doesnÕt like
Sara Lee.
b.
Winston tastes good, like a cigarette should.
c.
Hmm-mmm Good. Hmm-mmm Good. ThatÕs what CampbellÕs soup is, Hmm-mmm
Good.
d.
Maxwell House coffee is good to the last drop.
e. This is the
last question on this test.