Philosophy 101 Final Exam - Questions With
Comprehensive Solutions
What is philosophy? Right Ans - The love of wisdom
What are the basic components of an argument? Right Ans - A claim backed
by reasons
What are the official charges against Socrates? Right Ans - corrupting the
youth and not believing in the Gods of the city but in new, spiritual matters -
impiety
What are the original/old charges against Socrates? Right Ans - studying
things above the sky and below the Earth & making the weaker argument the
stronger
What did Oracle tell Socrates' friend Chaerephon? Right Ans - Socrates is
the wisest of all men
Explain the gadfly simile Right Ans - Socrates is similar to a gadfly whose
intent is to anger and annoy others, just as the people of Athens believe of
Socrates constant questioning
What is Meno's Paradox? Right Ans - If you know what you are looking for,
you don't need to look for it ; if you don't know what you are looking for, you
can't look for it ; therefore inquiry is either unnecessary or impossible
Can virtue be taught? Right Ans - No, it is given by the gods
Explain Plato's answer to Meno's Paradox. Right Ans - The theory of
recollection, what appears to be learning something new is really just
recollecting something already known. We already have the knowledge within
our souls.
What is Laelius' remedy for his grief of Scipio's death? Why isn't he overcome
with emotion at the loss of his dear friend? Right Ans - Laelius doesn't
know what the afterlife consists of - if it is heaven then Scipio will be there, he
also believes Scipio already lived his best life.
, Why is friendship "only possible between good men"? And what does Laelius
mean by "good"? Right Ans - In order to be a good person, you must be a
good friend which means being trustworthy. "good" according to Laelius
means ethical/virtuous
"Never ask your friends for anything that is not right, and never do anything
for them yourself unless it is right" What does this mean and why does Cicero
keep brining it up? Right Ans - It's the number one rule of friendship which
means to never ask a wrongful thing of a friend and only as friends to do what
is honorable.
Why does the narrator in Ellison's Invisible Man nearly kill the blond man?
Right Ans - We assume it is because he was being racist and insulted him
Why does the narrator in Ellison's invisible man not kill the blond man?
Right Ans - The narrator believes that the blond man doesn't see him for who
he really is - he only sees a black man
According to Descartes, what is the problem of sleep? Why does he say "As I
think about this more carefully, I realize that there is never any reliable way of
distinguishing being awake from being asleep." Right Ans - The problem
with sleep is when we are dreaming we don't realize we are actually asleep, so
we don't actually know when we are sleeping
What does Descartes conclude about the "realness" of material studies?
Right Ans - They cannot be doubted - they are unable to disprove because 2 +
2 will always be 4 and a triangle will always have 3 sides
What does Descartes conclude about the :realness" of immaterial studies?
Right Ans - They are able to be doubted and disproven
Explain: "But, I reply, if God's goodness would stop him from letting me be
deceived all the time, you would expect it to stop him from allowing me to be
deceived even occasionally, yet clearly I sometimes AM deceived" Right
Ans - If God is so good, why would he create things that are unexplainable or
hard to believe
Comprehensive Solutions
What is philosophy? Right Ans - The love of wisdom
What are the basic components of an argument? Right Ans - A claim backed
by reasons
What are the official charges against Socrates? Right Ans - corrupting the
youth and not believing in the Gods of the city but in new, spiritual matters -
impiety
What are the original/old charges against Socrates? Right Ans - studying
things above the sky and below the Earth & making the weaker argument the
stronger
What did Oracle tell Socrates' friend Chaerephon? Right Ans - Socrates is
the wisest of all men
Explain the gadfly simile Right Ans - Socrates is similar to a gadfly whose
intent is to anger and annoy others, just as the people of Athens believe of
Socrates constant questioning
What is Meno's Paradox? Right Ans - If you know what you are looking for,
you don't need to look for it ; if you don't know what you are looking for, you
can't look for it ; therefore inquiry is either unnecessary or impossible
Can virtue be taught? Right Ans - No, it is given by the gods
Explain Plato's answer to Meno's Paradox. Right Ans - The theory of
recollection, what appears to be learning something new is really just
recollecting something already known. We already have the knowledge within
our souls.
What is Laelius' remedy for his grief of Scipio's death? Why isn't he overcome
with emotion at the loss of his dear friend? Right Ans - Laelius doesn't
know what the afterlife consists of - if it is heaven then Scipio will be there, he
also believes Scipio already lived his best life.
, Why is friendship "only possible between good men"? And what does Laelius
mean by "good"? Right Ans - In order to be a good person, you must be a
good friend which means being trustworthy. "good" according to Laelius
means ethical/virtuous
"Never ask your friends for anything that is not right, and never do anything
for them yourself unless it is right" What does this mean and why does Cicero
keep brining it up? Right Ans - It's the number one rule of friendship which
means to never ask a wrongful thing of a friend and only as friends to do what
is honorable.
Why does the narrator in Ellison's Invisible Man nearly kill the blond man?
Right Ans - We assume it is because he was being racist and insulted him
Why does the narrator in Ellison's invisible man not kill the blond man?
Right Ans - The narrator believes that the blond man doesn't see him for who
he really is - he only sees a black man
According to Descartes, what is the problem of sleep? Why does he say "As I
think about this more carefully, I realize that there is never any reliable way of
distinguishing being awake from being asleep." Right Ans - The problem
with sleep is when we are dreaming we don't realize we are actually asleep, so
we don't actually know when we are sleeping
What does Descartes conclude about the "realness" of material studies?
Right Ans - They cannot be doubted - they are unable to disprove because 2 +
2 will always be 4 and a triangle will always have 3 sides
What does Descartes conclude about the :realness" of immaterial studies?
Right Ans - They are able to be doubted and disproven
Explain: "But, I reply, if God's goodness would stop him from letting me be
deceived all the time, you would expect it to stop him from allowing me to be
deceived even occasionally, yet clearly I sometimes AM deceived" Right
Ans - If God is so good, why would he create things that are unexplainable or
hard to believe
