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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, according to Spinoza, is scripture intended to promote?

2. What method do all the fields of study--science, discipline, art and music--use in common?

3. At what age does Plato advocate taking children from their parents to avoid learning bad habits?

4. What does Spinoza suggest the aim of Biblical language is meant to do?

5. Significantly, who gets ignored in Bacon's utopia?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens because of Spinoza's questions about Judeo-Christian beliefs?

2. Why is Aristotle's philosophy often criticized as dry and uninteresting?

3. Contrast Aristotle's Lyceum with Plato's Academy.

4. What is Voltaire's reaction to Rousseau's suggestion that men were responsible for the deaths in the Lisbon earthquake?

5. Explain Aristotle's definition of God.

6. Describe Voltaire's The Essay on Morals.

7. Describe the mathematical form of Spinoza's approach to his philosophy.

8. What is Voltaire's reaction to Voltaire's desire to be a professional writer?

9. Describe Aristotle's idea of what a man's goal in life should be.

10. How does Voltaire research his writing?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay on skepticism. Define the term and give examples of ideas philosophers might be skeptical about. Approach this subject objectively showing how skepticism does not only apply to religion but science as well. Use the disagreement over teaching Darwinism in our schools to show skepticism on both sides of the issue.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay on aesthetics, the theory of beauty and art. Include your assessment of why aesthetics is such an important part of philosophy. Discuss the various ways of looking at beauty and art from the study of THE STORY OF PHILOSOPHY.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay on philosopher-kings. Include in your essay the way proponents of philosopher-kings probably saw themselves as able to govern justly. Explain why the theory that sounds well never worked well in reality.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 781 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample