Philosophy Questions

  1. Explain  and critically evaluate Descartes argument from “doubt” that he uses to  try to prove that the body is a different thing from the mind. 
  2. Explain  the Socratic Method of Teaching. How is it used in the “Myth of the  Cave” (see the reading excerpt from Plato at the end of Chapter 2)?
  3. Explain how critical thinking can be used to analyze a philosophical issue, and illustrate with an example. 
  4. Explain the phrase “cogito ergo sum”, and the role it plays in Descartes’ version of Foundationalism. 
  5. Could God have a reason to deceive humanity? Explain Descartes’ answer, and discuss whether you agree or disagree (and why). 
  6. What is deduction and what is induction? How are they different? Give an example of each type of argument. 
  7. Explain  the atomist view of Democritus. What ethical view does Epicurus develop  from this kind of materialist metaphysics? Discuss and critically  evaluate. 
  8. Compare and contrast Plato and Aristotle’s views of reality; how are they similar, and how do they differ? 
  9. Explain and discuss the difference between a priori and a posteriori knowledge. 
  10. Compare and contrast pragmatic theories of truth with the correspondence theory of truth.