POLI-201 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
WITH DETAILED SOLUTIONS,
UPDATED 2026, GRADED A+,
GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Political Philosophy, Rights, and Literature
Q: President Holland's four main justifications for "A School of Zion" (BYU):
1. "Our theology" emphasizes increasing intelligence.
2. A place of gathering.
3. To sift, prioritize, and integrate knowledge.
4. Test of the true church. ANSWER ✔✔
Note: These principles suggest that a religious university shouldn't just replicate
secular learning, but should harmonize spiritual and academic truths into a unified
whole.
Q: "Equality by default" vs. substantial equality: ANSWER "You are no
better than me" vs. "You are just as good as me" ✔✔
Definition: "Equality by default" (a term often associated with Pierre Manent) is a
skeptical stance that denies any hierarchy of values, whereas substantial equality
recognizes the inherent, equal dignity of all human beings.
Q: How does equality by default thwart true education? ANSWER Dismisses
the need to search for truth ✔✔
Note: If "equality by default" means all opinions are equally valid regardless of
evidence or reason, then the strenuous pursuit of objective truth becomes viewed as
unnecessary or even offensive.
Q: How are scientism and moral relativism obstacles to political philosophy?
ANSWER Scientism is truncating knowledge, separating it from life—
,knowledge as a means without an end. Meanwhile, the classical reasoning
form sees what is with the help of Great works, using the mind with purpose.
✔✔
Context: Scientism limits "truth" only to what can be measured in a lab, while
moral relativism claims there is no objective "good." Political philosophy requires
both reason and a sense of purpose to determine how we ought to live together.
Q: What are the three main stages or meanings of "the rights of man?" 1.
Moderate liberalism in a Christian moral context. 2. The ideological subversion
of liberalism. 3. Extreme liberalism in which rights proliferate, detached from
nature. ANSWER ✔✔
Note: This progression tracks how rights moved from being grounded in "Natural
Law" (Stage 1) to becoming purely individualistic demands that ignore biological
or social realities (Stage 3).
Q: Central figures (including gods) in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey: * Achilles:
The greatest Greek warrior; his rage is the theme of the Iliad.
Agamemnon: Leader of the Greek forces.
Odysseus: The cunning hero of the Odyssey trying to return home.
Hector: The noble Trojan prince and rival to Achilles.
Telemachus: The son of Odysseus.
Zeus: King of the gods; remains somewhat neutral or судьба-focused.
Poseidon: God of the sea; the primary antagonist of Odysseus. ANSWER
✔✔
What was the idea of virtuous manhood? How did Achilles exemplify it? What
were its limitations? -ANSWER✔✔Virtue as courage, only being as great as the
achievements you accomplish. Much more subjective; Achilles is a virtuous man
to Cretans, but a monster to the Trojans.
, What was the tragic conflict at the heart of Sophocles's Antigone? What is the
question it raised that lies at the heart of political philosophy? -ANSWER✔✔State
vs the Higher Good. Creon believes the laws of man the laws of the land are the
most important because it keeps order and prevents uprisings, but Antigone
believes the laws of the gods and the laws of family are most important because we
meet with our family when we die and are ultimately judged by Gods.
What was the view of justice represented in the Athenians' dialogue with the
Milesians? -ANSWER✔✔Justice is only in question between equals in power,
while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.
Basic plot of Aristophanes's "The Clouds" -ANSWER✔✔Strepsiades wants his
son Pheidippides to go to school but ends up going to school and failing
Characters in Aristophanes's "The Clouds." -ANSWER✔✔Strepsiades
Pheidippides
Socrates
The Chorus of Clouds
Unjust Argument
Just Argument
Socrates's critique of the poets -ANSWER✔✔They say fine things but often times
they don't know the meaning
Does Socrates possess knowledge only of his own ignorance, or does he claim to
know something more positive or substantial? -ANSWER✔✔
WITH DETAILED SOLUTIONS,
UPDATED 2026, GRADED A+,
GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Political Philosophy, Rights, and Literature
Q: President Holland's four main justifications for "A School of Zion" (BYU):
1. "Our theology" emphasizes increasing intelligence.
2. A place of gathering.
3. To sift, prioritize, and integrate knowledge.
4. Test of the true church. ANSWER ✔✔
Note: These principles suggest that a religious university shouldn't just replicate
secular learning, but should harmonize spiritual and academic truths into a unified
whole.
Q: "Equality by default" vs. substantial equality: ANSWER "You are no
better than me" vs. "You are just as good as me" ✔✔
Definition: "Equality by default" (a term often associated with Pierre Manent) is a
skeptical stance that denies any hierarchy of values, whereas substantial equality
recognizes the inherent, equal dignity of all human beings.
Q: How does equality by default thwart true education? ANSWER Dismisses
the need to search for truth ✔✔
Note: If "equality by default" means all opinions are equally valid regardless of
evidence or reason, then the strenuous pursuit of objective truth becomes viewed as
unnecessary or even offensive.
Q: How are scientism and moral relativism obstacles to political philosophy?
ANSWER Scientism is truncating knowledge, separating it from life—
,knowledge as a means without an end. Meanwhile, the classical reasoning
form sees what is with the help of Great works, using the mind with purpose.
✔✔
Context: Scientism limits "truth" only to what can be measured in a lab, while
moral relativism claims there is no objective "good." Political philosophy requires
both reason and a sense of purpose to determine how we ought to live together.
Q: What are the three main stages or meanings of "the rights of man?" 1.
Moderate liberalism in a Christian moral context. 2. The ideological subversion
of liberalism. 3. Extreme liberalism in which rights proliferate, detached from
nature. ANSWER ✔✔
Note: This progression tracks how rights moved from being grounded in "Natural
Law" (Stage 1) to becoming purely individualistic demands that ignore biological
or social realities (Stage 3).
Q: Central figures (including gods) in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey: * Achilles:
The greatest Greek warrior; his rage is the theme of the Iliad.
Agamemnon: Leader of the Greek forces.
Odysseus: The cunning hero of the Odyssey trying to return home.
Hector: The noble Trojan prince and rival to Achilles.
Telemachus: The son of Odysseus.
Zeus: King of the gods; remains somewhat neutral or судьба-focused.
Poseidon: God of the sea; the primary antagonist of Odysseus. ANSWER
✔✔
What was the idea of virtuous manhood? How did Achilles exemplify it? What
were its limitations? -ANSWER✔✔Virtue as courage, only being as great as the
achievements you accomplish. Much more subjective; Achilles is a virtuous man
to Cretans, but a monster to the Trojans.
, What was the tragic conflict at the heart of Sophocles's Antigone? What is the
question it raised that lies at the heart of political philosophy? -ANSWER✔✔State
vs the Higher Good. Creon believes the laws of man the laws of the land are the
most important because it keeps order and prevents uprisings, but Antigone
believes the laws of the gods and the laws of family are most important because we
meet with our family when we die and are ultimately judged by Gods.
What was the view of justice represented in the Athenians' dialogue with the
Milesians? -ANSWER✔✔Justice is only in question between equals in power,
while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.
Basic plot of Aristophanes's "The Clouds" -ANSWER✔✔Strepsiades wants his
son Pheidippides to go to school but ends up going to school and failing
Characters in Aristophanes's "The Clouds." -ANSWER✔✔Strepsiades
Pheidippides
Socrates
The Chorus of Clouds
Unjust Argument
Just Argument
Socrates's critique of the poets -ANSWER✔✔They say fine things but often times
they don't know the meaning
Does Socrates possess knowledge only of his own ignorance, or does he claim to
know something more positive or substantial? -ANSWER✔✔
