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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Wilson distinguish between?

2. What is the relationship between politicians and intellectuals, in Wilson's account?

3. What force did John Locke believe in, in Wilson's account?

4. How many cells comprise the brain?

5. When was Condorcet born?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way does Wilson distinguish between evolutionary progress and consilience?

2. How would you describe Condorcet's influence on Wilson's idea of consilience?

3. How does consilience aim to resolve political problems?

4. How would you describe Rene Descartes' influence on Wilson's idea of consilience?

5. How did Wilson arrive at his theory of consilience?

6. How would you describe John Locke's influence on Wilson's idea of consilience?

7. How is knowledge accepted as settled, or final?

8. How does the modern theory of dreams explain something like the presence and significance of snakes in dreams, in Wilson's account?

9. What ancient sources does Wilson trace consilience back to?

10. How would you describe Rousseau's influence on Wilson's idea of consilience?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

European and American birth rates are relatively low compared to many developing countries. How do you reconcile this with Wilson's arguments about evolution, and how the expansion of power over territory allows the dissemination of genes? Has America's influence been genetic? How would you characterize its influence, and reconcile its influence with its low birth rates?

Essay Topic 2

Is consilience a project for government planners or for university budgets? Is Wilson advocating a role for consilience in government or in education?

Essay Topic 3

What is the difference between consilience and wisdom?

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