PhB Bachelor of Philosophy Bachelor of Philosophy: The Meaning of Life 4

Question 1

In Stoic philosophy, living according to nature (kata phusin) in the context of meaning primarily refers to living according to:

Accepted Answer

Reason and one's rational nature

Answer

Stoics held that humans are rational beings by nature, so flourishing means living in accordance with reason and virtue.

Question 2

The 'terror management theory' in psychology draws on which philosophical idea to explain human behavior?

Accepted Answer

Mortality salience and the denial of death

Answer

Terror management theory, inspired by Ernest Becker, holds that awareness of mortality drives humans to construct cultural worldviews that buffer death anxiety.

Question 3

Which concept from Kierkegaard describes the leap beyond rational justification required to embrace religious faith as life's ultimate ground?

Accepted Answer

The teleological suspension of the ethical

Answer

In 'Fear and Trembling,' Kierkegaard shows that Abraham's faith required suspending universal ethical norms—a leap no argument can fully justify.

Question 4

A 'cosmic pessimist' like Arthur Schopenhauer would argue that life is meaningful only if we:

Accepted Answer

Deny the will-to-live through asceticism or art

Answer

Schopenhauer held that the blind will-to-live is the source of suffering, and temporary escape through aesthetic contemplation or ascetic denial offers the only reprieve.

Question 5

Derek Parfit's work on personal identity challenges meaning-of-life discussions by arguing that:

Accepted Answer

The separateness of persons is less deep than we think, affecting how we reason about future selves

Answer

Parfit argued that personal identity over time is not what matters; psychological continuity is what grounds our concern for future selves and others.

PhB Bachelor of Philosophy Practice Test

PhB Bachelor of Philosophy Practice Test

PhB Bachelor of Philosophy Bachelor of Philosophy: The Meaning of Life 4