BGS, BSGS Bachelor of General Studies Philosophy and Ethics 3

Question 1

In philosophy, a 'valid' argument is one in which:

Accepted Answer

If the premises are true, the conclusion must be true

Answer

All premises are true

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The conclusion is necessarily true

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The argument is persuasive to most people

Question 2

David Hume's 'problem of induction' challenges the philosophical basis for:

Accepted Answer

Scientific inference from past observations to future events

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Deductive reasoning

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Moral absolutism

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The existence of the external world

Question 3

The 'social contract' theory of political philosophy, associated with Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau, argues that governmental authority is derived from:

Accepted Answer

The consent and agreement of the governed

Answer

Divine right of rulers

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Natural aristocracy and hereditary lineage

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Military strength and conquest

Question 4

Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of the 'will to power' primarily refers to:

Accepted Answer

A fundamental drive to grow, create, and overcome obstacles

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A desire for political domination over others

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The belief in an all-powerful God

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A theory of evolutionary survival of the fittest

Question 5

The philosophical position known as 'empiricism' maintains that knowledge primarily comes from:

Accepted Answer

Sensory experience and observation

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Pure reason and innate ideas

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Divine revelation

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Social consensus and tradition

Question 6

Applied ethics differs from normative ethics primarily in that applied ethics:

Accepted Answer

Focuses on specific controversial moral issues like bioethics and environmental ethics

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Develops abstract moral theories without real-world application

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Studies the history of ethical thought

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Examines the nature of moral language and concepts

Question 7

Thomas Kuhn's concept of a 'paradigm shift' in the philosophy of science refers to:

Accepted Answer

A revolutionary change in the fundamental assumptions guiding a scientific field

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Gradual, continuous accumulation of scientific knowledge

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The shift from qualitative to quantitative research methods

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The replacement of older scientists by younger ones in academia