Spring 2010 Philosophy of Human Nature Study Questions

These are the study questions for the course. To contribute your answers, use the discussion tab. I will comment on any posts to the discussion page during the next class.

Return to Human Nature

Study Questions: Use the study questions below to prepare for the final exam in this course.

Implicit Questions: To avoid having to specify lots of obvious study questions, let's say that study questions implicitly include questions about the basics elements of reading. In philosophy, this is usually easy to organize in terms of the topic and arguments. So, while I may not add an explicit question about the topic and argument of a reading, you should assume that you need to know this kind of basic information about everything we read.

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1/12

1. What is philosophy?

2. What are rationales?

3. How would you use rationales and other methods to investigate the question

1/14

1. What is at stake in Euthyphro 10? Is what Socrates is asking of Euthyphro reasonable?

2. How does the Euthyphro have bearing on Socrates upcoming trial?

3. How does Socrates come across in both of these dialogues?

4. How are Logos, Theos, and Mythos related?

1/19

1. Summarize and evaluate Socrates' defense in the Apology? Evaluate.

2. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the image of the philosopher which Plato presents us in the Apology.

4. How does Plato establish his view that ideas are more real than objects?

5. What is Plato's model of enlightenment?

6. Be prepared to explain the Allegory of the Cave and the Divided Line.