Question 1

Pretend that you are Berkeley.Give a convincing argument for the thesis that all the objects of experience are mind-dependent.

Accepted Answer

As Berkeley, I would argue that all objects of experience are mind-dependent because they only exist as perceptions in the mind. According to my philosophy of subjective idealism, the material world is nothing more than a collection of ideas and perceptions.

I would point out that we can never truly know if objects exist independently of our perception of them. We only ever experience objects through our senses, and therefore, our perception of them is inherently subjective.

Furthermore, I would argue that the very nature of perception implies a dependence on the mind. Objects only exist as they are perceived, and different minds may perceive the same object in different ways. This suggests that the existence of the object is contingent upon the perceiving mind.

Additionally, I would emphasize that the concept of an object existing independently of any mind is inherently contradictory. How can something exist without being perceived or thought of in some way?

In conclusion, I would argue that all objects of experience are mind-dependent because they only exist as perceptions in the mind. This perspective challenges the traditional notion of an objective, material world and instead asserts that reality is fundamentally shaped by the perceptions and experiences of individual minds.

Question 2

According to Friedrich Nietzsche,a fact is

Accepted Answer

A)   something that can be scientifically proven.
B)   something that can be demonstrated through rational a priori proofs.
C)   an objective feature of the world that is independent of our theories.
D)   nothing more than an interpretation of reality. D

Question 3

There were no women philosophers prior to the nineteenth century.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 4

A universal belief falsifier is

Accepted Answer

A)   an argument against religious belief.
B)   a possible state of affairs that would prevent us from distinguishing true beliefs from false ones.
C)   someone who enjoys destroying other people's beliefs.
D)   a method for identifying which of our beliefs are false,so that we will end up with only true beliefs.

Question 5

Kant tried to form a compromise between rationalism and empiricism.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Give a detailed account of why Plato thinks that there is a kind of knowledge that is not acquired from experience.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Give a detailed account of why Plato...

Question 7

According to Berkeley,the word "apple" refers to

Accepted Answer

A)   nothing more than a collection of experiences in our minds.
B)   a material object.
C)   a substance underlying what is experienced.
D)   nothing,since reality does not exist.

Question 8

John Dewey had an influence on theories of education.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Using examples,discuss the difference between a priori knowledge and a posteriori knowledge.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Using examples,discuss the difference between a priori...

Question 10

The text referred to Kant's position as "constructivism" because

Accepted Answer

A)   it was not negative and destructive like previous theories.
B)   he tried to construct a bridge between scientific knowledge and religious knowledge.
C)   he believed all knowledge was constructed out of the innate ideas in the mind.
D)   he claimed that the mind forms its objects out of the raw data of experience.

Question 11

The pragmatists thought that the "pragmatic" and the "theoretical" were complete opposites.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

John Locke's two categories of simple ideas are

Accepted Answer

A)   mathematical and ethical ideas.
B)   innate and complex ideas.
C)   atoms and force.
D)   sensation and reflection.

Question 13

In your reading from Plato's dialogue Phaedo,Socrates discusses

Accepted Answer

A)   the relationship between philosophy and the religious beliefs of his day.
B)   the method for forming a truly good society and appointing its leaders.
C)   how we can have knowledge of perfect justice,beauty,goodness,and equality.
D)   why it is impossible to harm a truly good person.

Question 14

What does Nietzsche mean by "the death of God"? How is this notion related to his epistemology?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What does Nietzsche mean by "the death...

Question 15

Which two philosophers argued that women could fill leadership roles and make contributions to society?

Accepted Answer

A)   Plato and John Stuart Mill
B)   Aristotle and John Stuart Mill
C)   Plato and Thomas Aquinas
D)   Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas

Question 16

Plato believed that arriving at knowledge is a process of recollection.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Discuss the relationship between the positions of feminist epistemology and epistemological relativism.What are some reasons for thinking that they are compatible? What are some reasons for thinking that they are in tension?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss the relationship between the positions of...

Question 18

The adjective "empirical" refers to

Accepted Answer

A)   knowledge that is based on a definition.
B)   a claim for which no support is provided.
C)   anything that is based on experience.
D)   a logically necessary truth.

Question 19

Hume's test for evaluating the worth of a book was to ask: Does it contain either

Accepted Answer

A)   mathematical reasoning or experimental reasoning about matters of fact?
B)   morally uplifting advice or conclusions based on the author's experiences?
C)   facts based on common opinion or the testimony of authorities?
D)   clear and distinct ideas or fruitful ideas that provoke the imagination?

Question 20

John Locke,Bishop Berkeley,and David Hume are all empiricists.In what ways is Hume's position a more radical empiricism than theirs? What sorts of considerations lead him to disagree with his fellow empiricists?

Accepted Answer

The answer of John Locke,Bishop Berkeley,and David Hume are all...

Exam 3: The Search For Knowledge

Pretend that you are Berkeley.Give a convincing argument for the thesis that all the objects of experience are mind-dependent.

According to Friedrich Nietzsche,a fact is

There were no women philosophers prior to the nineteenth century.

A universal belief falsifier is

Kant tried to form a compromise between rationalism and empiricism.

Give a detailed account of why Plato thinks that there is a kind of knowledge that is not acquired from experience.

According to Berkeley,the word "apple" refers to

John Dewey had an influence on theories of education.

Using examples,discuss the difference between a priori knowledge and a posteriori knowledge.

The text referred to Kant's position as "constructivism" because

The pragmatists thought that the "pragmatic" and the "theoretical" were complete opposites.

John Locke's two categories of simple ideas are

In your reading from Plato's dialogue Phaedo,Socrates discusses

What does Nietzsche mean by "the death of God"? How is this notion related to his epistemology?

Which two philosophers argued that women could fill leadership roles and make contributions to society?

Plato believed that arriving at knowledge is a process of recollection.

Discuss the relationship between the positions of feminist epistemology and epistemological relativism.What are some reasons for thinking that they are compatible? What are some reasons for thinking that they are in tension?

The adjective "empirical" refers to

Hume's test for evaluating the worth of a book was to ask: Does it contain either

John Locke,Bishop Berkeley,and David Hume are all empiricists.In what ways is Hume's position a more radical empiricism than theirs? What sorts of considerations lead him to disagree with his fellow empiricists?