PHL 301 Practice Exam 1 Fall 2011

September 23, 2011

This isnt as long as the actual exam, which will have ve additional questions, but I
hope it gives you the avor.
A. Aristotle B. Plato C. Confucius D. Kant E. Laozi F. Mill
1. Without acquaintance with propriety, its impossible to establish ones character.
2. . . . the function of man is an activity of soul which follows or implies a rational
principle. . . .
3. . . . the greatest thing a man can do is to converse about virtue every day. . . .
4. Therefore the sage manages aairs without acting, and teaches without speech.
5. But up to what point and to what extent a man must deviate before he becomes
blameworthy it is not easy to determine by reasoning, any more than anything
else that is perceived by the senses; such things depend on particular facts, and
the decision rests with perception.
6. Consider a case of conict, in which the person who has willpower resists his
desires and the person who is weak of will gives in to them. A person in such a
situation seems to be at war with himself.
7. Happiness, then, is something nal and self-sucient, and is the end of action.
8. . . . the human charioteer drives his in a pair; and one of them is noble and of
noble breed, and the other is ignoble and of ignoble breed; and the driving of
them of necessity gives a great deal of trouble to him.
9. Accomplish great things while they are small.
10. It is better to be a human being dissatised than a pig satised.
11. Isnt it pleasant to learn and to apply what youve learned? Isnt it delightful to
have friends coming from far away? Isnt he a person of complete virtue who
doesnt get angry that others dont recognize him?
12. . . . there is not one knowledge or science of the past, another of the present, a
third of what is likely to be best and what will be best in the future; but that of
all three there is one science only. . . .
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13. Nothing can possibly be conceived in the world, or even out of it, which can be
called good, without qualication, except a good will.
14. Since there are evidently more than one end, and we choose some of these (e.g.
wealth, utes, and in general instruments) for the sake of something else, clearly
not all ends are nal ends; but the chief good is evidently something nal.
15. . . . anger at times goes to war with desire, as though they were two distinct
things.
16. Renounce sagacity, discard wisdom, people will prot a hundredfold.
17. So act as to treat humanity, whether in thine own person or in that of any other,
in every case as an end withal, never as means only.
18. The value of the Way depends on man; the value of man doesnt depend on the
Way.
19. There is therefore but one categorical imperative, namely, this: Act only on that
maximwhereby thou canst at the same time will that it should become a universal
law.
20. What is that common quality, which is the same in all these cases, and which is
called courage?
21. What the superior person seeks is in himself. What the inferior person seeks is
in others.
22. When you know something, to maintain that you know it; when you dont know
something, to admit that you dont know it this is knowledge.
23. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness,
pain, and the privation of pleasure.
24. The nameless uncarved wood has no desires.
25. Confucius thinks of li as
(a) adherence to traditional social rules
(b) obedience to authority
(c) respect for others
(d) righteousness
(e) a virtue that cannot be captured by rules
26. Platos early and middle theories of virtue agree about whether
(a) there is one virtue or many
(b) weakness of will is possible
(c) there are parts of the soul
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(d) virtue is knowledge
(e) virtue is possible
27. A virtue, for Aristotle,
(a) is a kind of knowledge
(b) requires overcoming desire
(c) requires a triumph of reason
(d) constrains a drive or emotion
(e) rests on self-knowledge
28. The one thread of Confuciuss doctrine is to
(a) be true to the principles of our nature
(b) exercise benevolence toward others
(c) show respect for propriety
(d) practice sincerity
(e) a and b
29. Without knowledge, Confucius says, virtues
(a) are limited to the virtues of the self
(b) are limited to lial piety
(c) are limited to fraternal submission
(d) depend on reciprocity
(e) turn into their opposites
30. Plato infers from the possibility of weakness of will that
(a) inner conict is possible
(b) there are dierent parts of the soul
(c) the virtues are distinct
(d) virtue is not knowledge
(e) all of the above
31. The theory of knowledge is known as
(a) metaphysics
(b) epistemology
(c) ethics
(d) philosophy
(e) dialectic
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32. Socrates tends to attack denitions by arguing that they are
(a) unclear
(b) too broad
(c) too narrow
(d) b and c
(e) a, b, and c
33. For Socrates, every virtue amounts to
(a) courage
(b) justice
(c) a mean between extremes
(d) rational activity
(e) knowing what to do and what not to do
34. Platos spirited element
(a) allies itself with reason
(b) is the source of desire
(c) conicts with reason
(d) is reasons source
(e) is the driver of the chariot in Platos metaphor
35. For Plato, virtue requires
(a) subjugating will and desire to reason
(b) each part of the soul to play its proper role
(c) a balance of the soul
(d) rational control
(e) all of the above
36. Which of the following is most likely to be viewed as an intrinsic good?
(a) a pencil
(b) a notebook
(c) a pizza
(d) a hammer
(e) a tire
37. The function of a human being, according to Aristotle, is
(a) to glorify God
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(b) to be self-conscious
(c) to reect on the meaning of life
(d) to act according to rational plans
(e) to have virtue
38. We become good, Aristotle says, by
(a) knowing what to do
(b) doing good things
(c) observing tradition
(d) having a good will
(e) studying philosophy
39. Which of the following is the best translation of ren?
(a) righteousness
(b) justice
(c) virtue
(d) propriety
(e) love
40. Which is NOT a core Confucian virtue?
(a) generosity
(b) sincerity
(c) kindness
(d) seriousness
(e) courage
41. The virtues of the self stem ultimately from
(a) feeling
(b) sincerity
(c) knowledge
(d) the Way
(e) reciprocity
42. An important Daoist virtue:
(a) spontaneity
(b) sincerity
(c) courage
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(d) generosity
(e) reciprocity
43. There is only one categorical imperative, says Kant, because
(a) moral imperatives are universal
(b) there is only one unqualied good
(c) virtues are ultimately one
(d) all virtue rests on knowledge
(e) God sets the moral law
44. If the maxim of my action cannot be a universal law, then my action is
(a) impossible
(b) unjust
(c) immoral, but not unjust
(d) permissible
(e) right
45. Which argument for freedom of speech is NOT consequentialist?
(a) censorship doesnt work
(b) censors make mistakes
(c) censorship impedes the search for truth
(d) censorship violates rights
(e) none of the above
46. Which is not one of Kants applications of the categorical imperative?
(a) suicide
(b) making false promises
(c) stealing
(d) developing talents
(e) charity
47. What is NOT an argument Bentham gives for the principle of utility?
(a) it agrees with common sense
(b) arguments for other views presuppose it
(c) it is implied by the concept of rationality
(d) our ability to resolve conicts shows that we have a measure of value
(e) none of the above
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48. Aristotle and Plato (in the Republic) would disagree about which of the follow-
ing?
(a) virtue is a central concept of ethics
(b) virtues constrain emotions or desires
(c) virtue is knowledge
(d) all virtues are identical
(e) all virtuous people are happy
49. Confucius and Socrates would agree that
(a) virtue is a central concept of ethics
(b) knowledge is a key to virtue
(c) the examined life is better than the unexamined life
(d) obligations to family can take precedence over obligations to others
(e) all of the above
50. In an episode of Buy the Vampire Slayer, Gloricus the demon enters this
world, and threatens to destroy it, by entering the body of an innocent person.
Buy refuses to kill that person, even though his existence endangers the uni-
verse Giles tells him, Shes a hero; shes not like usand then smothers him.
Philosophically, it appears, Buy is a(n) ***** and Giles is a(n) *****.
(a) Aristotelian; Kantian
(b) Kantian; Confucian
(c) Kantian; consequentialist
(d) consequentialist; Platonist
(e) Platonist; consequentialist
1 Answers
1. C
2. A
3. B
4. E
5. A
6. B
7. A
8. B
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9. E
10. F
11. C
12. B
13. D
14. A
15. B
16. E
17. D
18. C
19. D
20. B
21. C
22. C
23. F
24. E
25. A
26. E
27. D
28. E
29. E
30. E
31. B
32. E
33. E
34. A
35. E
36. C
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37. D
38. B
39. C
40. E
41. C
42. A
43. B
44. B
45. D
46. C
47. C
48. E
49. E
50. C
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