MH Master of Humanities 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which philosophical movement argued that meaning is constructed through language and that texts have no fixed, author-intended meaning?
- Existentialism
- Structuralism
- Deconstruction (Correct answer)
- Phenomenology
Correct answer: Deconstruction
Deconstruction, developed by Jacques Derrida, holds that texts are unstable and meaning is deferred rather than fixed by authorial intent.
Question 2: In historiography, what does the term 'historiography' itself most precisely refer to?
- The recording of historical events as they happen
- The study of how history has been written and interpreted (Correct answer)
- The use of archaeology to reconstruct the past
- The chronological listing of dates and events
Correct answer: The study of how history has been written and interpreted
Historiography is the study of the methods, assumptions, and interpretations historians use—essentially the history of historical writing.
Question 3: Which rhetorical device involves attributing human qualities to non-human entities?
- Synecdoche
- Metonymy
- Personification (Correct answer)
- Anaphora
Correct answer: Personification
Personification is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human subjects.
Question 4: What does 'hermeneutics' primarily study in the humanities?
- The evolution of languages over time
- The theory and methodology of text interpretation (Correct answer)
- The social impact of artistic movements
- The psychological basis of human creativity
Correct answer: The theory and methodology of text interpretation
Hermeneutics is the branch of knowledge concerned with the theory and practice of interpretation, especially of literary and biblical texts.
Question 5: The Frankfurt School is best known for developing which critical framework?
- Positivism
- Critical Theory (Correct answer)
- Pragmatism
- Logical Empiricism
Correct answer: Critical Theory
The Frankfurt School scholars, including Adorno, Horkheimer, and Marcuse, developed Critical Theory, which applies Marxist analysis to culture and society.
Question 6: Which element distinguishes an 'unreliable narrator' in literary fiction?
- The narrator speaks in third-person omniscient voice
- The narrator's credibility is compromised by bias, limited knowledge, or dishonesty (Correct answer)
- The narrator is a minor character who observes but does not participate
- The narrator switches perspective between chapters
Correct answer: The narrator's credibility is compromised by bias, limited knowledge, or dishonesty
An unreliable narrator is one whose account is skewed by personal bias, psychological instability, or deliberate deception, causing readers to question the narrative.
Question 7: In ethics, the principle of 'categorical imperative' was developed by which philosopher?
- John Stuart Mill
- Immanuel Kant (Correct answer)
- David Hume
- Jeremy Bentham
Correct answer: Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant formulated the categorical imperative, a universal moral law stating one should act only according to principles that could be universalized.
MH Master of Humanities 2
Which philosophical movement argued that meaning is constructed through language and that texts have no fixed, author-intended meaning?