Deck 12: The Philosophy and Science of Human Nature

Question 1

Which of the following claims asserts that humans have a nature?

A) nominalist
B) social constructionist
C) realist
D) fundamentalist

Answer 1

C

Question 2

According to the text, humans have how many natures?

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) none

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following is an evolved nature that supplies all the sturdy foundations and scaffolding?

A) Darwinian
B) Durkheimian
C) Sartresque
D) Rousseau

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The monomorphic constant underlying all is known as:

A) fundamentalism
B) central tendency
C) genetic determinism
D) social construction

Question 5

According to Marx, what is the essential feature that distinguishes humans from every other species?

A) intelligence
B) ability to adapt to the environment
C) evolutionary experience
D) ability to consciously create an environment

Question 6

Malleability is:

A) part of the definition of what human nature is
B) the ability to adapt to environmental changes
C) one of the most important features that uniquely allows humans to consciously create environments
D) a and b only

Question 7

A genome:

A) is the chemical archive of millions of years of evolutionary wisdom accumulated through the process of gene-culture co-evolution
B) is the chemical archive of millions of years of evolutionary wisdom accumulated through the process of natural selection
C) is the physical archive of millions of years of evolutionary wisdom accumulated through the process of gene-culture co-evolution
D) is the physical archive of millions of years of evolutionary wisdom accumulated through the process of natural selection

Question 8

According to the text, the ultimate goal of all living things is:

A) happiness
B) survival
C) reproductive success
D) to acquire knowledge

Question 9

According to the text, which of the following constitutes a fully integrated reciprocal feedback system?

A) nature and nurture
B) realism and nominalism
C) biology and social constructionism
D) central tendency and essentialism

Question 10

Research indicates that hominid cranial capacity ________ from Homo erectus to modern Homo sapiens, indicating a rapid increase for intelligence.

A) decreased
B) increased
C) stayed the same
D) doubled

Question 11

Changes in brain morphology are thought be influenced by:

A) living in large social groups
B) living in small social groups
C) ecological challenges to food procurement
D) a and c only

Question 12

Unconstrained visionaries:

A) assert that humans have an innate nature
B) view civilization and society as good
C) deny that humans have an innate nature
D) believe that there are few solutions available in the social world

Question 13

According to the text, unconstrained visionaries are the most hostile to the idea of an innate human nature.

Question 14

Natural selection induces genetic variance rather than reacting to it.

Question 15

Rousseau, Locke, and Marx are often considered to be the "holy trinity" of sociology.