BA Philosophy and Ethics 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is epistemology primarily concerned with?
- The nature of beauty and aesthetics
- The nature of knowledge and justification (Correct answer)
- The structure of political systems
- The origins of language
Correct answer: The nature of knowledge and justification
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that investigates the nature, sources, scope, and limits of knowledge and justified belief.
Question 2: Which philosopher wrote 'Critique of Pure Reason'?
- John Locke
- David Hume
- Immanuel Kant (Correct answer)
- René Descartes
Correct answer: Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant published 'Critique of Pure Reason' in 1781, in which he argued that space, time, and causality are forms imposed by the mind on experience.
Question 3: The philosophical position that reality is fundamentally mental or spiritual in nature is called:
- Materialism
- Dualism
- Empiricism
- Idealism (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Idealism
Idealism holds that reality is mentally constructed or immaterial, with prominent proponents including George Berkeley and G.W.F. Hegel.
Question 4: Socrates' method of philosophical inquiry through systematic questioning to expose contradictions is called:
- Empiricism
- The Socratic Method (Correct answer)
- Deductive Reasoning
- Pragmatism
Correct answer: The Socratic Method
The Socratic Method involves asking a series of questions to help a person examine their beliefs and arrive at a clearer understanding of truth.
Question 5: Which branch of philosophy deals with questions of right and wrong, good and evil, and moral obligations?
- Metaphysics
- Epistemology
- Ethics (Correct answer)
- Aesthetics
Correct answer: Ethics
Ethics (or moral philosophy) is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of moral judgment, values, and principles guiding human conduct.
Question 6: René Descartes' famous philosophical statement 'I think, therefore I am' is expressed in Latin as:
- Cogito ergo sum (Correct answer)
- Carpe diem
- Ad hominem
- A priori
Correct answer: Cogito ergo sum
'Cogito ergo sum' is Descartes' foundational claim that the very act of doubting proves the existence of the thinking self.
Question 7: Which philosopher is associated with the 'Allegory of the Cave,' illustrating the difference between appearance and reality?
- Aristotle
- Plato (Correct answer)
- Socrates
- Epicurus
Correct answer: Plato
Plato's Allegory of the Cave, found in 'The Republic,' uses prisoners in a cave watching shadows to illustrate how most people mistake appearances for true reality.
BA Philosophy and Ethics 1
What is epistemology primarily concerned with?