Question 1

In the creation story of the Boshongo people, Bumba completes creation.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 2

One of Bumba's sons creates the first plant.

Accepted Answer

In the creation myth of the Kuba people from Central Africa, Bumba's son, Chonganda, is credited with creating the first plant.

Question 3

In the creation story from the Upanishads, there were originally two creator gods.

Accepted Answer

The Upanishads primarily focus on philosophical concepts and the nature of reality, rather than detailed creation stories with multiple creator gods. They emphasize the idea of a single, ultimate reality or Brahman.

Question 4

The creation story from the Upanishads claims that humans were created to worship the gods.

Accepted Answer

The Upanishads focus on philosophical concepts and the nature of reality, rather than specific creation stories or the idea that humans were created to worship gods.

Question 5

Most scholars now believe that there are two creation stories found in Bereshith/Genesis.

Accepted Answer

The Book of Genesis contains two distinct creation narratives: Genesis 1:1-2:3 and Genesis 2:4-25, which differ in style, order, and details.

Question 6

In the first creation story found in the Bible, male and female humans are created at the same time.

Accepted Answer

In Genesis 1:27, it states that God created man and woman simultaneously in His image, unlike the second account in Genesis 2 where Adam is created before Eve.

Question 7

In the Cherokee creation story, humans arrive on the scene after the animals and plants.

Accepted Answer

In the Cherokee creation story, animals and plants were created before humans, who came later as part of the creation narrative.

Question 8

The Cherokee creation story claims that animals originally lived in the sea.

Accepted Answer

The Cherokee creation story describes animals living in the sky or on a floating island before the earth was created, not in the sea.

Question 9

According to Hawking, in its initial state the earth was covered with ice.

Accepted Answer

Stephen Hawking did not propose that the Earth was initially covered with ice. His work primarily focused on black holes and cosmology, not the early state of the Earth.

Question 10

Hawking claims that space-time was finite but had no boundary.

Accepted Answer

Stephen Hawking, along with James Hartle, proposed the "no-boundary proposal," suggesting that the universe is finite but without boundaries, similar to the surface of a sphere.

Question 11

Darwin claims that humans evolved from apes.

Accepted Answer

Darwin proposed that humans and apes share a common ancestor, not that humans evolved directly from apes.

Question 12

According to Darwin, belief in the theory of evolution is compatible with belief in a Creator.

Accepted Answer

Darwin suggested that the theory of evolution through natural selection does not necessarily exclude the possibility of a Creator, as he mentioned in the conclusion of "On the Origin of Species" that life could have been "breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one."

Question 13

Diamond tries to explain the biological origins of human life.

Accepted Answer

Diamond's work primarily focuses on geography, history, and the development of human societies, not the biological origins of human life.

Question 14

According to Diamond, New Guineans are probably more intelligent that Westerners.

Accepted Answer

Jared Diamond, in his book "Guns, Germs, and Steel," suggests that New Guineans might be more intelligent than Westerners due to the different challenges they face in their environment, which may require more problem-solving skills and adaptability.

Question 15

Plato's "Myth of the Cave" is excerpted from The Phaedo.

Accepted Answer

The "Myth of the Cave," also known as the "Allegory of the Cave," is found in Plato's work "The Republic," not "The Phaedo."

Question 16

According to Plato, there are two levels of reality.

Accepted Answer

Plato proposed the Theory of Forms, which suggests that there are two levels of reality: the physical world and the world of forms or ideas, with the latter being the true reality.

Question 17

According to the Tao Te Ching, the sage gets things done by doing nothing.

Accepted Answer

The Tao Te Ching, a foundational text of Taoism, emphasizes the concept of "wu wei," which means "non-action" or "effortless action," suggesting that the sage achieves goals by aligning with the natural flow of the universe rather than through forceful effort.

Question 18

Like Plato's Form of the Good, the Tao can be understood through the process of reason.

Accepted Answer

Plato's Form of the Good is understood through reason and philosophical inquiry, while the Tao in Taoism is often seen as beyond rational understanding and is grasped through intuition and living in harmony with nature.

Question 19

Wang Chung can be correctly classified as an idealist.

Accepted Answer

Wang Chung, a Chinese philosopher from the Han Dynasty, is known for his rationalist and naturalist views, which contrast with idealism.

Question 20

According to Wang Chung, the spontaneous movement of nature is devoid of intention.

Accepted Answer

Wang Chung, a Chinese philosopher, believed that natural phenomena occur spontaneously and without any intentional purpose or design.

Quiz 2: Creation and Reality