Question 1

Consider the following two statements: "I am thinking about a tree that no one is thinking of" and "I am thinking that there's a tree that nobody is thinking of."
A) The second is self contradictory but the first is not.
B) The first is self contradictory but the second is not.
C) Neither is self contradictory.
D) Both are self contradictory because they mean the same thing.

Accepted Answer

The first statement is self-contradictory because if you are thinking about a tree, then it cannot be true that no one is thinking of it. The second statement is not self-contradictory because it is possible to think that there exists a tree that nobody is currently thinking of.

Question 2

According to Berkeley, placing your cold left hand and your warm right hand in a lukewarm bucket of water proves that
A) water can be both hot and cold simultaneously.
B) water cannot be both hot and cold simultaneously.
C) the warmth and cold I feel are in the water.
D) the warmth and cold I feel are not in the water.

Accepted Answer

Berkeley would argue that the warmth and cold are not properties of the water itself, but rather perceptions in the mind of the person feeling the water. This example illustrates his idealist philosophy, which holds that the existence of objects and their characteristics are dependent on being perceived.

Question 3

Descartes method of doubt is designed to reveal,
A) what we believe.
B) what we know.
C) what we fear.
D) what we hope.

Accepted Answer

Descartes' method of doubt is a systematic process designed to establish what can be known for certain. He sought to doubt all of his beliefs in order to determine which beliefs were absolutely indubitable, thereby laying a foundation for genuine knowledge.

Question 4

The Cartesian Circle consists in the fact that Descartes
A) proves the existence of his mind by using logic and uses logic to prove the existence of his mind.
B) proves the existence of God by using clear and distinct ideas, and uses clear and distinct ideas to prove the existence of God.
C) uses sense experience to prove that we have knowledge of the external world and uses the external world to prove that our sense experience is true.
D) uses dreams to prove that we can't trust our senses and uses our senses to prove that we are dreaming.

Accepted Answer

The Cartesian Circle is a potential circular reasoning in René Descartes' argument, where he argues that we can trust our clear and distinct ideas because God exists and is not a deceiver, but then he proves God's existence using those very clear and distinct ideas.

Question 5

Which of the following is the best example of sense-data?
A) a thought.
B) a mind.
C) a patch of color.
D) a ball of string.

Accepted Answer

Sense-data refers to the immediate, raw contents of perceptual experience, such as colors, sounds, and textures, before they are interpreted by the mind. A patch of color is a direct sensory experience and thus the best example of sense-data among the given options.

Question 6

Which ideas resemble their causes?
A) ideas of primary qualities.
B) ideas of secondary qualities.
C) ideas of mathematical qualities.
D) ideas of formal qualities.

Accepted Answer

Ideas of primary qualities resemble their causes because primary qualities, such as shape, size, and motion, are thought to exist in the objects themselves and are perceived similarly by all observers.

Question 7

To say that you know that there is life on other planets necessarily implies that you believe there is life on other planets, that you have reasons to back up your belief, and that:
A) life on other planets is perhaps vastly different from what we are used to.
B) you can trust your senses when you see extraterrestrial life forms.
C) you have experienced life on other planets personally.
D) there is, in fact, life on other planets.

Accepted Answer

To claim knowledge of life on other planets implies an assertion that such life actually exists, beyond just belief or reasons; it's a claim about reality, not just personal experience or speculation.

Question 8

In the correspondence theory of truth, the proposition "There is a cat on the mat" is true only if:
A) I think there is a cat on the mat.
B) it is reasonable to think that there is a cat on the mat.
C) there is a cat on the mat.
D) everyone in the room believes that there is a cat on the mat.

Accepted Answer

The correspondence theory of truth holds that a statement is true if it corresponds to a fact or reality. Therefore, the proposition "There is a cat on the mat" is true only if there actually is a cat on the mat, regardless of what anyone believes or thinks.

Question 9

After noting that we sometimes have been deceived by our senses, Descartes argues that sense experience cannot serve as the basis for knowledge because:
A) sense experience is never accurate.
B) the concept of doubt is derived from sense experience.
C) science depends on sense experience.
D) we cannot be certain that our sense experience is accurate.

Accepted Answer

Descartes argues that because we cannot be certain that our sense experiences are accurate—given that they have deceived us in the past—we cannot rely on them as a foundation for knowledge. This skepticism about the reliability of the senses is a key part of his method of doubt.

Question 10

Descartes argues that the cogito (I think, therefore I am) can serve as the foundation for our knowledge of the external world because it:
A) provides an indubitable principle on which all other claims of knowledge can be based.
B) is accepted by everyone.
C) is backed by reason.
D) is backed by sense experience.

Accepted Answer

Descartes' cogito argument is foundational because it establishes an indubitable principle (the existence of the self as a thinking entity) upon which all other knowledge claims can be built, emphasizing the role of reason over sense experience.

Question 11

Which of the following is an a priori proposition?
A) All material objects are extended (that is, they take up space).
B) Some material objects have a greater mass than others.
C) All material objects are empirically observable.
D) Some material objects are living creatures.

Accepted Answer

A priori propositions are those that can be known to be true or false independent of empirical observation, relying instead on pure reasoning. The statement that all material objects are extended (take up space) is a conceptual truth that does not require empirical evidence to be validated, fitting the definition of an a priori proposition.

Question 12

In calling the mind a "tabula rasa," Locke wants to emphasize that all knowledge, even knowledge of mathematical truths, is based on solely on:
A) innate ideas.
B) experience.
C) formal training or education.
D) language.

Accepted Answer

Locke's philosophy of empiricism posits that the mind is a "blank slate" or "tabula rasa" at birth, and all knowledge comes from experience through the senses.

Question 13

"The particular bulk, number, figure, and motion of the parts of fire or snow are really in them, whether anyone's senses perceive them or not; and therefore they may be called real qualities, because they really exist in those bodies. But light, heat, whiteness, or coldness, are no more really in them than sickness or pain is in manna bread." In this passage Locke locates the distinction between primary and secondary qualities in the difference between:
A) the parts of bodies that we cannot sense and the parts that we can sense.
B) qualities of bodies that exist independently of sensation and qualities that rely on sensation.
C) the power to perceive things in our own bodies and the power to perceive things in other bodies.
D) those qualities that no one ever perceives and those qualities that we always perceive.

Accepted Answer

Locke's distinction between primary and secondary qualities hinges on the idea that primary qualities (like bulk, number, figure, and motion) exist independently of our perception, while secondary qualities (like color, sound, taste, and temperature) depend on our sensory experience and the observer's perception.

Question 14

In his critique of Locke, Berkeley notes that primary qualities (e.g., solidity, extension, motion/rest) cannot legitimately be distinguished from secondary qualities (e.g., colors, scents, sounds) because:
A) primary qualities exist in the mind of God, whereas secondary qualities exist only in human minds.
B) primary qualities depend for their existence as much on minds as do secondary qualities.
C) neither primary nor secondary qualities exist in any mind (finite or infinite).
D) primary qualities of things are known a posteriori, whereas secondary qualities are known a priori.

Accepted Answer

Berkeley argued that all qualities depend on perception and thus exist in the mind. He claimed that there is no meaningful distinction between primary and secondary qualities in terms of their existence outside of perception.

Question 15

Berkeley suggests that his theory prevents the skeptic from denying the existence of God, because in Berkeley's philosophy, God is needed to explain:
A) the cause of our sensations.
B) the difference between primary and secondary qualities.
C) the existence of material objects.
D) the existence of material properties.

Accepted Answer

Berkeley's idealism posits that objects only exist as perceptions in our minds, and God is necessary to explain the cause of these perceptions or sensations, ensuring their consistency and continuity.

Question 16

In order to avoid Hume's conclusion that we cannot know that every event has a cause, Kant argues that we can know that all events, even those in the future, will have causes because:
A) our belief that future events will have causes is guaranteed by God.
B) our belief that future events will have causes is recognized by every culture.
C) we can experience something as an event only if our minds bring it under the category of cause.
D) we can experience causation just like we can experience color.

Accepted Answer

Kant argues that causality is a necessary condition for our experience of events; it's not derived from experience but rather shapes our experience. According to him, we perceive events as caused because our minds apply the category of causality to our sensory inputs, making it a precondition for experiencing anything as an event.

Question 17

According to the "problem of induction" identified by Hume, we cannot use induction to show that the future will resemble the past because
A) generalizations based on past experiences are flawed.
B) induction assumes that the future will resemble the past.
C) the world is constantly changing.
D) change is an illusion.

Accepted Answer

The "problem of induction" as identified by Hume centers on the circular reasoning involved in using induction to justify itself. Induction relies on the assumption that the future will resemble the past, but this assumption cannot be proven through induction without presupposing its own validity, thus creating a circular argument.

Question 18

Cognitive cultural relativists claim that truth is socially constructed by each culture.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive cultural relativism posits that what is considered true or real is largely determined by the cultural context, suggesting that different cultures may construct different understandings of truth.

Question 19

According to Berkeley, we can never bridge the gap between appearance and reality.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Berkeley, we can never bridge...

Question 20

Cognitive subjectivists claim that truth is objective and independent of any one's beliefs.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive subjectivists argue that truth is subjective and dependent on individuals' beliefs or perceptions, contrasting with the notion that truth is objective and independent of personal beliefs.

Quiz 7: The Problem of Skepticism and Knowledge

Consider the following two statements: "I am thinking about a tree that no one is thinking of" and "I am thinking that there's a tree that nobody is thinking of."

According to Berkeley, placing your cold left hand and your warm right hand in a lukewarm bucket of water proves that

Descartes method of doubt is designed to reveal,

The Cartesian Circle consists in the fact that Descartes

Which of the following is the best example of sense-data?

Which ideas resemble their causes?

To say that you know that there is life on other planets necessarily implies that you believe there is life on other planets, that you have reasons to back up your belief, and that:

In the correspondence theory of truth, the proposition "There is a cat on the mat" is true only if:

After noting that we sometimes have been deceived by our senses, Descartes argues that sense experience cannot serve as the basis for knowledge because:

Descartes argues that the cogito (I think, therefore I am) can serve as the foundation for our knowledge of the external world because it:

Which of the following is an a priori proposition?

In calling the mind a "tabula rasa," Locke wants to emphasize that all knowledge, even knowledge of mathematical truths, is based on solely on:

In his critique of Locke, Berkeley notes that primary qualities (e.g., solidity, extension, motion/rest) cannot legitimately be distinguished from secondary qualities (e.g., colors, scents, sounds) because:

Berkeley suggests that his theory prevents the skeptic from denying the existence of God, because in Berkeley's philosophy, God is needed to explain:

In order to avoid Hume's conclusion that we cannot know that every event has a cause, Kant argues that we can know that all events, even those in the future, will have causes because:

According to the "problem of induction" identified by Hume, we cannot use induction to show that the future will resemble the past because

Cognitive cultural relativists claim that truth is socially constructed by each culture.

According to Berkeley, we can never bridge the gap between appearance and reality.

Cognitive subjectivists claim that truth is objective and independent of any one's beliefs.