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Epistemology

Total questions: 30

Worksheet time: 15mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is rationalism?

a)

Reason is the foundation of knowledge - we create knowledge in our minds

b)

Sense data is the foundation of knowledge - we create knowledge from the data we gather from our senses

c)

The practice of questioning the reliability of our knowledge

d)

a view of the proper structure of one's knowledge or justified beliefs

2.

What is empiricism?

a)

Reason is the foundation of knowledge, we create knowledge in our mind

b)

sense data is the foundation of knowledge - we create knowledge from the data we gather from our senses

c)

a view of the proper structure of one's knowledge or justified beliefs

d)

a practice questioning the reliability of our knowledge

3.

What is skepticism

a)

the interpretation of sensory information, how we construct reality

b)

sense data is the foundation of knowledge

c)

the practice of questioning the reliability of our knowledge

d)

reason is the foundation of knowledge

4.

What is a priori

a)

knowledge that comes after sense data. Depends on evidence including science and aspects of personal knowledge

b)

knowledge that precedes sense data, derived from our ability to reason. is independent from experience

c)

the interpretation of sensory information, how we construct reality

d)

belief in the life cycle, reincarnation

5.

what is a posteriori

a)

knowledge that comes after sense data. Knowledge that depends on evidence, including science and aspects of personal knowledge

b)

knowledge that precedes sense data, derived from our ability to reason. Independent from experience.

c)

practice of questioning the reliability of our knowledge

d)

reason is the foundation of knowledge, we create knowledge in our minds

6.

What are the most important ideas in Cartesian Philosophy?

a)

Innate ideas

b)

Adventitious ideas

c)

Factitious ideas

d)

All ideas are the same

7.

We can doubt about our deductive reason because of...

a)

Impossibility to distinguish dream and reality

b)

Fallacy of the senses

c)

Evil Genius

d)

All of them

8.

The idea of God is ...

a)

Factitious idea

b)

Innate idea

c)

Adventitious idea

d)

None is right

9.

Descartes was a

a)

Empiricist

b)

Rationalist

c)

Sceptic

d)

Materialist

10.

Descartes believed the issues sourrounding knowledge was: (tick all that apply)

a)

That it is all based on sense experience

b)

It is based on questionable foundations

c)

It is all wrong

d)

There was a large amount of falsehoods he accepted as true in his childhood

11.

Descartes is known as the father of

a)

Modern Science

b)

Modern Maths

c)

Modern Philosophy

d)

Modern Knowledge

12.

Descartes was a

a)

Empiricist

b)

Rationalist

c)

Sceptic

d)

Materialist

13.

Descartes believed the issues sourrounding knowledge was: (tick all that apply)

a)

That it is all based on sense experience

b)

It is based on questionable foundations

c)

It is all wrong

d)

There was a large amount of falsehoods he accepted as true in his childhood

14.

Descartes refused to accept any knowledge claim as true, unless it was certain to the point of being beyond doubt. This is also known as:

a)

Descartes Method of Doubt

b)

Descartes Meditations

c)

Descartes Cogito

15.

What are the aims of Descartes method of doubt? (tick all that apply)

a)

To establish a foundation for knowledge that couldn't be doubted

b)

To defeat the sceptics

c)

To prove the existence of God

d)

To avoid believing things that are not completely certain and indubitable.

16.

Descartes begins Meditations by presenting three arguments that support scepticism. These are sometimes referred to as:

a)

The three ways of doubt

b)

The three waves of doubt

c)

The three tides of doubt

d)

The three caves of doubt

17.

In what order are Descartes three sceptical arguments presented in Meditation 1?

a)

1) Dreaming 2) Illusion 3) Evil Demon

b)

1) Evil Demon 2) Dreaming 3) Illusion

c)

1) Illusion 2) Dreaming 3) Evil Demon

d)

1) Dreaming 2) Evil Demon 3) Illusion

18.

Descartes says that many of his beliefs are based on his sense experience and he has, in the past been deceived by his senses. This is also known as the:

a)

Argument from dreaming

b)

Argument from illusion

c)

The evil demon argument

19.

Descartes doubts whether he knows if he is awake. He begins by explaining that he has no way of knowing if he is really seated on front of the fireplace or if he is really lying asleep in bed. This is known as the:

a)

Argument from illusion

b)

Dreaming argument

c)

Evil Demon argument

20.

What is meant by a priori knowledge?

a)

knowledge gained from the senses

b)

knowledge gained from reason alone

c)

knowledge gained from both the senses and reason

d)

knowledge that we cannot know for certain

21.

What is meant by a posteriori knowledge?

a)

Knowledge gained from the senses

b)

Knowledge gained from reason alone

c)

Knowledge that we cannot know for certain

d)

Knowledge that we gain from both reason and the senses

22.

What type of knowledge survives the argument from illusion?

a)

All knowledge from the senses

b)

Knowledge from reason

c)

Knowledge that he cannot know anything for certain

23.

Which of the following survives the argument from dreaming? (tick all that apply)

a)

A posteriori knowledge

b)

Truths of geometry

c)

Truths of quantity

d)

Truths of arithmetic

24.

What is meant by local scepticism?

a)

Doubt about a particular branch of knowledge

b)

Doubt about the local area you live in

c)

Doubt about whether there is a world existing outside our own mind

25.

What is meant by global scepticism?

a)

Doubt about a particular branch of knowledge

b)

Doubt about all the countries that exist

c)

Doubt about whether or not a world exists outside our own mind

26.

Which of the following three arguments leads to global scepticism?

a)

Argument from illusion

b)

Argument from dreaming

c)

Evil demon argument

27.

What conclusions does Descartes reach in his argument from dreaming? (tick all that apply)

a)

Throws doubt on all sense perception

b)

Throws doubt on always believing what our senses tells us.

c)

Allows for the idea that dreams must be constructed from something real

d)

That even the truth of mathematics can be doubted

28.

'Cogito Ergo Sum' is Latin for:

a)

The Method of Doubt

b)

The Whirlpool of Doubt

c)

I Think Therefore I am

d)

The Three Waves

29.

What is significant about the Cogito?

a)

He realises that even if there is an evil demon deceiving him, he is thinking about existing , therefore he exists.

b)

It makes him realises that he will never know anything for certain

c)

He realises that he will never overcome the evil demon argument

30.

What analogy does Descartes use to explain his method of doubt

a)

Wax analogy

b)

Basket of apples analogy

c)

Watchmakers analogy

d)

Evil demon analogy