Fall 2011 Wisdom Mid-term

Dr. Mark Alfino Philosophy Fall 2011 Wisdom Midterm Exam

Version A

Answer 8 out of 10 of the following questions in the space indicated. You must answer questions marked with an asterisk (*).

1. Distinguish the following terms: sophia, phronesis, episteme. Which term comes closest to the ordinary meaning of wisdom? Why is it hard to confine wisdom to one of these terms? (2 paragraphs)

2. How does wisdom involve a perspective shift according to Aquinas? Briefly assess his claim. (1 paragraph)

3. *Does Socrates have knowledge of wisdom or not? Explain his view and show why it is not easy to say. (2 paragraphs)

4. According to Osbeck, how is wisdom a kind of “making” for Aristotle? (1 paragraph)

5. Identify and brief define the five criteria in Baltes’ “Berlin Wisdom Paradigm. (5 sentences, list ok)

6. How does Aristotle figure out what happiness is? (2-3 sentences)

7. From the Clayton and Birren article, what would you say are the major theoretical claims of life span psychology regarding wisdom? (1 paragraph)

8. *Explain and briefly assess Laura Carstensen’s “time horizon” theory. How did she arrive at it? What insights, if any, might it hold about wisdom? (2 paragraphs)

9. What does it mean to “operationalize” a concept like wisdom? How does Baltes’ research do this? (1 paragraph)

10. *What is SOC theory and how does it relate to wisdom, according to Baltes and Freund? (1 paragraph)