PhD Doctor of Philosophy Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the PhD Doctor of Philosophy exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📚 PhD Doctor of Philosophy Topics to Study (21)
✍️ Sample PhD Doctor of Philosophy Questions & Answers
1. Substance ontology, dominant in the Aristotelian tradition, holds that the fundamental entities of reality are:
For Aristotle, substances — individual cats, stones, people — are the primary beings, while properties like 'white' or 'running' exist only as attributes of substances.
2. Imre Lakatos introduced the concept of 'research programmes' to show that:
Lakatos argued that scientists protect a theoretical 'hard core' with a 'protective belt' of auxiliary hypotheses, meaning a single anomaly does not immediately refute the core theory.
3. It is attributed to _____ that the proverb "An unexamined life is not worth living" was first said.
The famous dictum 'An unexamined life is not worth living' is a central tenet of Socratic philosophy, attributed to Socrates during his trial as recorded by Plato in the Apology. It encapsulates his belief that critical self-reflection, moral inquiry, and the pursuit of wisdom are essential for a meaningful human existence. Without examining one's beliefs and values, life lacks true purpose and understanding.
4. David Chalmers' 'hard problem of consciousness' concerns explaining why physical processes give rise to:
Chalmers distinguishes easy problems (explaining cognitive functions) from the hard problem of why there is something it is like to be conscious.
5. Intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, refers to the way multiple social categories such as race, gender, and class:
Intersectionality analyzes how overlapping identities create compounded disadvantages not captured by examining each axis of oppression separately.
6. Hannah Arendt's concept of the 'banality of evil,' developed from her reporting on Eichmann's trial, refers to:
Arendt argued that Eichmann exemplified how ordinary people commit great evils through bureaucratic thoughtlessness and failure of independent judgment.