PHIL1301 Prelim Coverage

I.

Short-answer questions: Of the 9 questions given, you are only going to answer 4 of them.
However be sure to answer the first question (letter a), and after which you can choose 3
more from the remaining questions.

a) Platos metaphysics: Give at least three characteristics of Platos World of Being (Ideas/Pure
Forms) and Word of Becoming (Shadows/the Sensible World). Explain these characteristics as
much as you can. For Plato, which one is the perfect world, and which is the imperfect world?
How was Plato influenced by Heraclituss and Parmenidess metaphysical ideas? Explain.
b) Platos metaphysics: Explain Platos answer to this question: What is really real? Do you think
that he is correct? For what reason? Are you inclined to believe with Plato that there is a higher,
intelligible, non-material reality beyond this physical or material world? Explain.
c) Platos epistemology: Why recollection, according to Plato, and not sensation or senseexperiences in attaining certainty of knowledge or truth? How did he explain his epistemology
that our knowledge of things is innate? Do you think that there is grain of truth (or perhaps its
the whole truth) to what he contends? Explain.
d) Platos Chariot Analogy: Describe an experience in your life in which reason prevailed over
passion and appetite. How was reason able to prevail? Did you gain increased wisdom from such
an experience? In what way?
e) Socratic philosophy: Socrates posed this challenge to his fellow citizens: are you not ashamed
of heaping up the greatest amount of money and honor and reputation, and caring so little
about wisdom and truth and the greatest improvement of the soul? Explain the point of
Socrates in this statement. Do you think that this challenge is still relevant today? For what
reasons?
f) Socratic & Platonic philosophy: Socrates and Plato believe that the self is not the body but the
soul. If it is, how would you describe your self? Enumerate at least three characteristics of who
you are and explain. Do you believe that the self is immortal, like what Socrates and Plato
believe? Why?
g) The Branches of Philosophy: Although the branches of philosophy are interdependent (logic,
metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics, ethics and social-political philosophy), how would you
rank each of them if asked: Which is the most relevant, mid-relevant, and which one is the least
relevant? Explain your reasons.
h) The Pre-Socratics: Of the pre-Socratics that we have surveyed (Thales, Anaximander,
Democritus, Xenophanes, Pythagoras, Heraclitus and Parmenides), choose two philosophers
which you think make sense in their metaphysics. Describe their ideas first, and then explain
why you think they are relevant or sensible.
i) The Relevance of Philosophy: Enlightenment is one clear message in Platos Myth of the
Cave. What does this mean to you as far as studying philosophy is concerned, and what does it
mean to be a lover of wisdom? Answer this question by pointing out at least three key points
why the class is relevant in almost all aspects in life either personally, socially or even globally.

II.

Review the fallacy notes, particularly the exercise portion of the file.

III.

Guide questions for the multiple-choice portion of the test:

1) Know the meanings of the branches of philosophy:

a. Logic
d. Ethics
b. General Metaphysics/Ontology
e. Aesthetics
c. Special Metaphysics/Theodicy
f. Social-political philosophy
2) Know the metaphysical ideas of the following pre-Socratics:
a. Thales
e. Xenophanes
b. Anaximander
f. Heraclitus
c. Pythagoras
g. Parmenides
d. Democritus
3) Know the meanings of the following schools of thoughts:
a. Monism
g. Skepticism
b. Dualism
h. Ethical subjectivism
c. Pluralism
i. Cultural relativism
d. Nihilism
j. Moral universalism
e. Rationalism
k. Materialism
f. Empiricism
l. Idealism
4) Compare and contrast Socrates and the Sophists.
5) Contrast mythos from logos.
6) Contrast argumentation from debate/rhetoric.
7) Contrast logic from fallacy.
8) Contrast deduction from induction.
9) Contrast Platos World of Being (Pure Forms) from World of Becoming (Shadows).
10) Familiarize these types of syllogism: categorical, hypothetical/conditional and disjunctive.
11) The etymological definition of philosophy.
12) The father of philosophy, and reason why he is considered as such.
13) The father of ethics, and reason why he is considered as such.
14) The charges against Socrates.
15) What makes Plato great?
16) Platos three parts of the soul and its characteristics.
17) The key points in Platos Euthyphro.