Task developed by Aaron Dewhurst, Knox Grammar School, 2013
National da Vinci
Decathlon
Celebrating the Academic Gifts
of Youth - Years 9/10
Philosophy
Session 5
‘All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions’
Leonardo da Vinci.
Team Number
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2013 Nationals | Philosophy Challenge | Years 9 & 10
Task developed by Aaron Dewhurst, Knox Grammar School, 2013
Section 1: Fields of Philosophy
Below are 15 statements/questions that relate to the various branches of Philosophy.
Correctly identify whether each statement relates to logic, aesthetics, epistemology, or
metaphysics.
1. Aristotle called ‘substances’ ‘protai ousiai’ or “primary beings.”
2. The theory of pure beauty had four aspects: its freedom from concepts, its
objectivity, the disinterest of the spectator, and its ‘obligatoriness’
3. Are there limits to what we can know?
4. Is it possible that we do not know nearly as much as we think we do?
5. Traditionally concerned with the first cause of things
6. Non-empirical/a priori knowledge is possible independently of, or prior to,
any experience
7. That “aptness,” “partiality,” and “non-cognitivism” characterise art
appreciation, rather than “truth,” “universality,” and “knowledge.”
8. The being of objects of various special sorts, such as souls and material
bodies
9. The study of the extent and scope of knowledge
10. An argument is seen as a collection of ‘truth-bearers’
11. The theory of beauty, or more broadly as that together with the philosophy
of art
12. A proposition is something which can be expressed by a declarative
sentence, and which purports to describe a fact or a state of affairs
13. As we try to acquire knowledge, then, we are trying to increase our stock of
true beliefs
14. The main debate in this branch concerns social and political matters, and the
seemingly inevitable partiality of different points of view
15. The nature of knowledge; what does it mean to say that someone knows, or
fails to know, something?
Resources:
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/metaphysics/
http://www.iep.utm.edu/
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2013 Nationals | Philosophy Challenge | Years 9 & 10
Task developed by Aaron Dewhurst, Knox Grammar School, 2013
Section 2: The Study of Philosophy
CIRCLE THE LETTER of the most appropriate answer from the multiple-choice options below.
1. Socrates is known for his axiom:
a. I think, therefore I am
b. The unexamined life is not worth living
c. To err is human
d. Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.
2. Which of the following branches of philosophy does not involve questions related to values?
a. Moral
b. Metaphysics
c. Social
d. Political
3. Aristotle is known for his belief that:
a. Knowledge is a prerequisite for wisdom
b. The unexamined life is not worth living
c. There are three things necessary for the salvation of man: to know what he ought to
believe; to know what he ought to desire; and to know what he ought to do
d. All men by nature desire knowledge
4. In philosophy, an argument is:
a. A factual disagreement between people.
b. Giving reasons for a belief
c. A shouting match
d. Any verbal attempt to persuade
5. For an argument to succeed with a rational person:
a. The premises must be acceptable
b. The conclusion must be acceptable
c. The conclusions must be logically supported by the premises
d. The premises must be acceptable and must logically support the conclusion.
6. Existentialism and phenomenology are traditions within analytic philosophy
a. True
b. False
7. A philosopher, in the original sense of the word, is:
a. Someone who studies the stars and planets
b. A person primarily interested in the truth about moral matters
c. A lover and pursuer of wisdom, regardless of the subject matter
d. A clever and astute arguer
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2013 Nationals | Philosophy Challenge | Years 9 & 10
Task developed by Aaron Dewhurst, Knox Grammar School, 2013
Section 3: Logic
CIRCLE THE LETTER of the most appropriate answer from the multiple-choice options below.
1. If you didn’t set your alarm, you’ll be late
You aren’t late
Therefore,
(a) You did set your alarm
(b) You’re late
(c) You didn’t set your alarm
(d) None of these validly follow
2. No parliament that suppresses information is democratic
Some parliaments conform to political pressure and suppress information
Therefore,
(a) Some parliaments, that conform to political pressure, aren’t democratic
(b) No parliaments, that conform to political pressure, are democratic
(c) Some parliaments, that conform to political pressure, are democratic
(d) None of these validly follow
3. Anyone who doesn’t wear sunscreen is likely to get sunburnt
No one who is likely to get sunburnt is a good dermatologist
Therefore,
(a) Everyone who doesn’t wear sunscreen is a good dermatologist
(b) People who don’t wear sunscreen are not good dermatologist
(c) All good dermatologist don’t wear sunscreen
(d) None of these validly follow
4. If you didn’t set your alarm, you’ll be late
You set your alarm
Therefore,
(a) You aren’t late
(b) You arrive on time
(c) You are late
(d) None of these validly follow
5. If there’s knowledge, then either some things are known without proof or we can prove every
premise by previous arguments infinitely.
We can’t prove every premise by previous arguments infinitely.
There’s knowledge
Therefore,
(a) Some things are known without proof
(b) Everything that’s known is provable
(c) There’s no knowledge
(d) None of these validly follows.
6. No altruistic person is reluctant to make donations
Some masochists aren’t reluctant to make donations
(a) Some masochists aren’t altruistic
(b) All masochists are altruistic
(c) Some masochists are altruistic
(d) None of these validly follows.
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2013 Nationals | Philosophy Challenge | Years 9 & 10
Task developed by Aaron Dewhurst, Knox Grammar School, 2013
Section 3b: Logic – Euler Diagrams
Draw Euler Diagrams for each of the following and then decide whether the statement is valid
or invalid.
Question 1
All blue things are desirable.
All blue things make you feel good.
All things that make you feel good make you
healthier.
-------------------------------------------------------All blue things make you healthier.
Valid/Invalid
Question 2
All nuddawaddings have pinkleton.
Barry does not have pinkleton.
-------------------Barry is not a nuddawadding.
Valid/Invalid
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2013 Nationals | Philosophy Challenge | Years 9 & 10
Task developed by Aaron Dewhurst, Knox Grammar School, 2013
Section 4: Logical Fallacies
CIRCLE THE LETTER of the most appropriate answer from the multiple-choice options
below.
1. If in an argument you change your premise from “a historian wouldn’t…” to “a real
historian wouldn’t…”, the logical fallacy committed is known as:
a. No true Scotsman
b. Genetic
c. The Texas sharpshooter
d. Bandwagon
2. If you appeal to popularity or the fact that many people do something as an attempted
form of validation, this is known as:
a. No true Scotsman
b. Bandwagon
c. Anecdotal
d. Appeal to authority
3. If you use a double meaning or confusing language to mislead or represent the truth, this
is known as:
a. Bandwagon
b. Innuendo
c. No true Scotsman
d. Ambiguity
4. Lord Plunkten declares that the distance between the sun and the earth is decreasing due to
a vortex behind the sun and therefore climate change is false. He asserts that because no
one can prove him wrong, his claim is therefore a valid one. This is known as:
a. Ambiguity
b. The gambler’s fallacy
c. Burden of proof
d. Special pleading
5. Jill identified that Anthony had committed a logical fallacy, but instead of addressing the
substance of her claim, Anthony accused Jill of committing a fallacy earlier on in the
conversation. This is known as:
a. The burden of proof
b. Logical fallacy
c. Tu quoque
d. No true Scotsman
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2013 Nationals | Philosophy Challenge | Years 9 & 10
Task developed by Aaron Dewhurst, Knox Grammar School, 2013
Section 4b: Logical Fallacies
Identify the logical fallacy being used here and explain how it is a flawed argument.
1. Senator Ted Miles drew a picture of a fish and a human and with effusive disdain asked
Richard if he really thought we were stupid enough to believe that a fish somehow turned
into a human through just, like, random things happening over time.
Logical Fallacy: _________________________
2. After Jill presents an eloquent and compelling case for a more equitable taxation system,
Anthony asks the audience whether we should believe anything from a woman who isn't
married, was once arrested, and comes from Adelaide.
Logical Fallacy: _________________________
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