HU2700: Study Questions for First Exam
I. Define, Explain, Describe, Identify
agnosticism
analysis
(of an argument)
Anselm, St.
antecedent
Apology
Aquinas,
St. Thomas
argument
assertion
atheism
autonomy
categorical statement
cave, parable of the
conclusion
consequent
Cosmological
Argument
Crito
deductive
Design Argument
disjunctive
statement
epistemology
ethics
Euthyphro
evaluation (of an
argument)
evil, problem of
faith
fallacy
Flew, Antony
holiness
hypothetical
statement
inductive
invalid
invisible gardener,
parable of the
Kant, Immanuel
logic
metaphysics
Mitchell, Basil
negation (of an
assertion)
Paley, William
Plato
pre-Socratics
premise
Republic
Socrates
sound
Stranger, parable
of the
theism
"unexamined life"
unsound argument
utterance
valid
II. Discussion
1. What is the main point of Plato's "Myth of the Cave"? What do the cave, the
prisoners, the chains that constrain their movements, the fire, and the sun each
represent? What is Plato saying about true knowledge and the conditions under
which most people live their lives?
2. According to John Searle, "The scientist will ask, ‘What is the cause of
cancer?' The philosopher will ask, ‘What's a cause? What is it for something to
be a cause?'" What is Searle saying about the difference between scientific and
philosophical questions?
3. What are the three main divisions of philosophy? For each, state three
philosophical problems that arise in that area of philosophy? Explain your
answers.
4. In Plato's dialogue Euthyphro, Euthyphro answers Socrates's question ‘What is
holiness?' by saying that holiness is what is loved by the gods. Why does
Socrates regard Euthyphro's response to his question as inadequate? What
arguments does he use to show that Euthyphro’s answer is unsatisfactory?
5. In Apology, Socrates says "the unexamined life is not worth living." What
exactly did he mean by this? What would Socrates say is necessary for living a
worthwhile life?
6. What are the differences between deductive and inductive arguments? Give an
example of each. Why must we judge intentions in order to discern whether an
argument is deductive or inductive?
7. Can a valid argument be unsound? If so, give a clear example. Can an invalid
argument be sound? If so, give a clear example. Explain your answers.
8. Can a valid argument have a false conclusion? If so, give a clear example. Can
an invalid argument have a true conclusion? If so, give a clear example.
Explain your answers.
9. Can an argument in which all premises and the conclusion are true be
unsound? If so, give a clear example. Can an argument in which every premise
and the conclusion are false be valid? If so, give a clear example. Explain your
answers.
10. Can a “good” inductive argument have a false conclusion? Why or why not?
11. Explain why, according to Saint Anselm, it would be possible to conceive of a
being greater than God if God did not exist in reality? Give the relevant parts
of Anselm’s argument. Be specific.
12. Explain why, according to Saint Thomas Aquinas, it is not possible for a line
of efficient causes to go back to infinity? Give the relevant parts of his
argument. Be specific.
13. State William Paley's Design Argument for the existence of God in premiseconclusion form. Is the argument deductive or inductive? Explain
14. State the "problem of evil" argument against the existence of God in premiseconclusion form. Explain the “free will defense” of theism against that
argument. How exactly is that defense intended to refute the argument? Be
specific.
15. What is the point of Antony Flew’s parable of the invisible gardener? What
point is he trying to make about religious utterances? What does this have to
do with religious (Christian) faith? Be specific.
16. What is the point of Basil Mitchell’s parable of the Stranger? What point is he
trying to make about religious utterances? Where specifically does he disagree
with Flew? What does this have to do with religious (Christian) faith? Be
specific.