MA Philosophy 2

Question 1

David Hume's problem of induction challenges the justification of inductive reasoning primarily because:

Accepted Answer

Past regularities cannot logically guarantee future ones without circular reasoning

Answer

Hume showed that justifying induction by appealing to its past success is circular, since that appeal is itself inductive, leaving no non-circular logical basis for inductive inference.

Question 2

In Aristotle's ethics, eudaimonia is best translated and understood as:

Accepted Answer

Flourishing or living and faring well in accordance with virtue

Answer

Aristotle defines eudaimonia as activity of the soul in accordance with virtue, constituting human flourishing rather than mere subjective pleasure.

Question 3

Which of the following philosophers is most associated with the development of pragmatism as an American philosophical tradition?

Accepted Answer

William James and John Dewey

Answer

William James and John Dewey, building on Charles Peirce's work, are the central figures of classical American pragmatism, emphasizing truth as what works in practice.

Question 4

The 'trolley problem,' introduced by Philippa Foot and extended by Judith Jarvis Thomson, is primarily designed to test intuitions about:

Accepted Answer

Whether there is a morally significant difference between doing harm and allowing harm

Answer

The trolley problem probes whether actively causing a death (e.g., redirecting a trolley) is morally equivalent to allowing deaths to occur, testing distinctions central to consequentialism and deontology.

Question 5

Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of the 'will to power' is best understood as:

Accepted Answer

A fundamental drive for self-mastery, creative expression, and overcoming resistance

Answer

Nietzsche's will to power refers primarily to an affirmative drive for self-overcoming, creative achievement, and the expansion of one's capacities, not merely political power over others.

MA - Master of Arts Practice Test

MA - Master of Arts Practice Test

MA Philosophy 2