Philosophy quiz chapter 6

What is the Hellenistic age?

The period from the death of Alexander the Great (323 BCE) to the rise of the Roman Empire (~31–30 BCE), marked by the spread of Greek culture, language, and scientific/philosophical advancements.

What does Stoicism share in common with Epicureanism?

Both focus on achieving happiness (eudaimonia) and guiding how individuals should live, emphasizing inner peace and freedom from distress rather than external wealth or power.

How do you characterize Pyrrhonian skepticism?

It is a form of radical skepticism that suspends judgment on all matters, arguing that certainty is impossible and promoting tranquility through doubt.

Explain the notion of God in Neoplatonism.

God (the One) is an impersonal, ultimate source of all reality, similar to Plato’s Form of the Good, and can be reached through inward reflection and union.

What is St. Augustine’s main contribution to Western thinking as a theologian?

He integrated Platonic and Neoplatonic philosophy into Christianity and provided a philosophical foundation for belief in a nonmaterial God and creation ex nihilo.

Can you summarize the main point of Augustine’s Confessions (section 6.1)?

It emphasizes personal spiritual struggle, self-reflection, and the journey toward faith, showing how inner experience leads to knowledge of God.

Why do humans stand upright according to Aquinas?

Because humans are rational beings, and their upright posture reflects their higher purpose of seeking knowledge and contemplating truth.

What is St. Thomas Aquinas’ main contribution to Christian theology?

He combined Aristotelian philosophy with Christianity, arguing that faith and reason are compatible and that some truths can be known through reason while others require faith.

Can you summarize the main point of Aquinas’ Summa Theologica excerpt?

Humans can know God indirectly through reason and the natural world, but full understanding of divine truths requires faith.

What is Sextus’s Asterisk?

A collection of skeptical arguments (including the Ten Tropes) used to challenge the possibility of certain knowledge.