Deck 7: Relativism, Truth, and Reality

Question 1

A conceptual scheme is

A) a method of evaluating a theory.
B) a type of moral principle.
C) a way of understanding reality.
D) a form of argument.

Answer 1

a way of understanding reality.

Question 2

The view that truth is constructed by society implies

A) there are no universal truths like e = mc².
B) Social reformers (those who criticize socially accepted practices) are always wrong.
C) Society is infallible.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.

Answer 2

All of the above.

Question 3

"I create my own reality" is an example of

A) subjectivism.
B) social constructivism.
C) conceptual relativism.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.

Answer 3

subjectivism.

Question 4

"If enough people believe it, it will become true for everybody" is an example of

A) subjectivism.
B) social constructivism.
C) conceptual relativism.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.

Question 5

"Those who accept different theories live in different worlds" is an example of

A) subjectivism.
B) social constructivism.
C) conceptual relativism.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.

Question 6

Can an individual make a statement true simply by believing it to be true? Why or why not?

Question 7

Can a society make a statement true simply by believing it to be true? Why or why not?

Question 8

Can a statement be true in one conceptual scheme and false in another? Why or why not?

Question 9

Consider this statement: No universal generalizations are true. Can this statement be true? Why or why not?

Question 10

Is it reasonable to believe that everything we experience (including the people we meet) is a creation of our own minds? Why or why not?

Question 11

Everything is relative.

Question 12

It's logically impossible for everything to be relative.

Question 13

If a claim's truth implies its falsity, it cannot possibly be true.

Question 14

An individual can make a statement true simply by believing it to be true.

Question 15

If the majority of people in a society believe that something is true, then it is true.

Question 16

Relativism always promotes tolerance.

Question 17

If truth is relative, then the same statement can be both true and false.

Question 18

Each person belongs to only one society.

Question 19

If all observation were theory laden, we would never observe anything new.

Question 20

There is an external reality that is independent of our representation of it.

Question 21

The world can accurately be represented in only one way.

Question 22

Solipsism is the view that you are the only person that exists.