PHIL MIDTERM

1. Socrates’ Objection to Knowledge as Perception

Which of the following best explains Socrates’ objection to the idea that knowledge is perception in the Theaetetus?
A. He believes perception always gives true knowledge.
✅ B. He argues perception can be unreliable and misleading.
C. He says knowledge depends only on emotion, not senses.
D. He rejects the existence of knowledge altogether.

2. Knowledge as “True Opinion with an Account”

What does Socrates mean by defining knowledge as “true opinion with an account”?
A. Having a correct belief that requires no justification.
✅ B. Having a true belief supported by explanation or reasoning.
C. Knowing something only through sense experience.
D. Believing whatever society agrees is true.

3. William James – Living vs. Dead Option

In The Will to Believe, what makes an option “living”?
✅ A. Both hypotheses feel real or possible to the person.
B. The option is based on scientific evidence.
C. One or both hypotheses are irrelevant or outdated.
D. The decision can be postponed indefinitely.

4. William James – Pascal’s Wager

Why does William James find Pascal’s Wager unconvincing?
A. Because it denies free will.
B. Because it lacks logical structure.
✅ C. Because belief cannot be chosen out of self-interest or fear.
D. Because it rejects the existence of God.

5. Descartes – Perfect Knowledge

What kind of knowledge is Descartes searching for in the Meditations?
A. Knowledge gained through faith.
B. Knowledge from sensory experience.
✅ C. Knowledge that is absolutely certain and beyond doubt.
D. Knowledge taught by tradition and authority.

6. Descartes – “I Think, Therefore I Am”

How does Descartes arrive at “I think, therefore I am”?
A. By proving that the senses always tell the truth.
✅ B. By realizing that even if deceived, he must exist to be deceived.
C. By trusting divine revelation above reason.
D. By accepting that all reality is an illusion.

7. Susan Brison – Self as Narrative Construction

According to Susan Brison, why is the self a “narrative construction”?
✅ A. Because identity is built through the stories we tell about our lives.
B. Because the self is entirely determined by biology.
C. Because memory cannot influence who we are.
D. Because language has no role in forming the self.

8. Sally Haslanger – Social Construction of Concepts

What does Sally Haslanger mean when she says a concept is “socially constructed”?
A. It was created through natural evolution.
✅ B. It was shaped by social practices, norms, and beliefs.
C. It exists independently of society.
D. It cannot be changed or challenged.

9. Patricia Hill Collins – Structural Domain of Power

What is the role of the structural domain in racial segregation?
✅ A. It maintains inequality through institutions and policies.
B. It expresses individual prejudice only.
C. It operates solely through interpersonal behavior.
D. It eliminates structural racism through reform.

10. Iris Marion Young – Reality of Social Groups

Why does Iris Marion Young describe social groups as “real”?
✅ A. Because they reflect actual social patterns and power relations.
B. Because they are purely imagined communities.
C. Because everyone chooses their group identity freely.
D. Because groups are biologically determined.

11. Socrates’ Midwife Analogy

In the Theaetetus, what does Socrates compare himself to when describing his role in philosophy?
✅ A. A midwife helping others give birth to their ideas.
B. A judge deciding who is right or wrong.
C. A doctor curing ignorance.
D. A prophet revealing hidden truths.

12. William James – Scientific vs. Moral Questions

Why does William James distinguish between scientific and moral questions?
A. Because science should not exist without religion.
✅ B. Because moral choices often require belief before full evidence is available.
C. Because scientific knowledge depends on faith.
D. Because both should be treated with the same methods of proof.

13. Descartes – Evil Spirit Thought Experiment

What is the purpose of Descartes’ “evil spirit” thought experiment?
✅ A. To test how far doubt can go and find something indubitable.
B. To prove the existence of God through reason.
C. To demonstrate the reliability of the senses.
D. To argue that deception is impossible.

14. Susan Brison – Trauma and the Self

According to Susan Brison, why do trauma survivors often feel like a different person afterward?
✅ A. Trauma disrupts their sense of self and makes life feel disconnected.
B. They are biologically changed by trauma.
C. Trauma erases all memory of the past.
D. Trauma permanently destroys language.

15. Sally Haslanger – Social Meaning of Objects

Using Haslanger’s theory, why does a graduation cap have meaning?
✅ A. Society assigns it symbolic value, not its physical form.
B. It naturally represents success due to its color.
C. It’s universally understood without social context.
D. It has inherent educational power.

16. Patricia Hill Collins – Hegemonic Domain of Power

How does the hegemonic domain of power maintain inequality?
✅ A. By shaping beliefs and norms through media, education, and culture.
B. By using direct physical force and laws.
C. By eliminating racial differences through diversity.
D. By promoting individual freedom and neutrality.