Sign in or 
Share this
study guide
Study Guide For Mid term
Phil. 230
Fall '09
Nozick Chapter One:
1. Why is life, or living, not the kind of topic philosophers typically investigate?
2. What is one (or more) difference between a portrait and a theory? Why are philosophical meditations not the presentation of a theory?
3. How can a philosophical portrait be composed of theoretical pieces, but not itself be a theory? Can you think of something else that is composed of elements of type X, but which is not itself an X?
4. Which three types of theoretical pieces does Nozick mention?
5. On page 12, what role does Nozick specify for the understanding we gain from examining life? Why would this be valuable for us?
6. How does time differentiate a snapshot and a portrait?
7. What is the difference between a 'synchronic representation' and a 'diachronic representation'?
8. Why is a portrait a deeper representation of a person or a life than anything a photo - or set of photos - can achieve?
9. On page 14, how does Nozick explain the way in which examination of life creates life's significance? By implication, what is the significance of an unexamined life?
10. On page 15, how is self-examination linked with individuality?
Euthyphro
1.Why is Euthyphro at the court house (Porch of the King Archon)? Why is Socrates at the court house?
2.What is Socrates asking for when he asks for the one 'form' (or appearance) of all pious deeds?
3. What is a Platonic Form? How do we come to know them? How do they explain the world we experience?
4. What criticisms of Platonic Forms are given by Aristotle and Wittgenstein?
5.What is Euthyphro's first definition of piety?What is found deficient in the first definition?
6. What is Euthyphro's second definition of piety? What is found deficient in the second definition of piety?
7.What statement does Euthyphro agree to which sets up the refutation of the second definition?
8. What is Euthyphro's third definition of piety? How is it different from the second definition? What is found deficient in the third definition?
9. What important distinction does Socrates ask Euthyphro for in examining the third definition?
10. How is the distinction above related to the distinction between subjective and objective properties?
11. If, instead, Euthyphro had said 'something is pious because it's loved by the gods', how would he face a version of the objection to Divine Command theories of ethics?
12. What is Socrates' philosophical method and how do we see it exhibited in the dialogue?
13. What, if anything, can Euthyphro have gained through his discussion with Socrates? Can this be generalized to explain what is gained by living an examined life?
Plato: Apology
Audio: Apology
(Oh no! There is a terrible throat clearing incident at the start! I swear I don't do that often, I was just getting ready to speak...UGH!)
18. Name and describe Socrates' philosophical method.
19. Who said "The unexamined life is not worth living."?
20. How was Socrates lead to his definition of wisdom? (as described in
Apology). Explain how his definition actually followed from his experiences.
21. Why were the poets, politicians and artisans not as wise as
Socrates? (apology
22. How does Socrates' story starting at the Oracle at Delphi provide a
defense against the Unofficial (old) charges? Explain how the elements of the story provide a direct defense to each of the charges.
23. Explain the difference between the Official Charges and Unofficial Charges against Socrates. Which does he fear most and why? How is Socrates’ approach to the Official Charges different from his approach to the Unofficial Charges?
24. What argument does Socrates give that death is not to be feared? Are you convinced? Which of the two possible theories of death do you think is most likely to be true? On that theory, do you think it would ever be rational to fear your own death?
25. How does Socrates argument refute Meletus' claim that Socrates is an atheist?
26. Do you agree with Socrates' reasoning in refuting the Official
Charge of corrupting the young?
27. All things considered, would you have convicted Socrates? Explain the reasons you consider on both sides and why you find one side more convincing.
28. How does Socrates serve as a model for The Examined Life? What, if
anything, is shown to be desireable about such a life by Socrates?
Audio: Apology
(Oh no! There is a terrible throat clearing incident at the start! I swear I don't do that often, I was just getting ready to speak...UGH!)
18. Name and describe Socrates' philosophical method.
19. Who said "The unexamined life is not worth living."?
20. How was Socrates lead to his definition of wisdom? (as described in
Apology). Explain how his definition actually followed from his experiences.
21. Why were the poets, politicians and artisans not as wise as
Socrates? (apology
22. How does Socrates' story starting at the Oracle at Delphi provide a
defense against the Unofficial (old) charges? Explain how the elements of the story provide a direct defense to each of the charges.
23. Explain the difference between the Official Charges and Unofficial Charges against Socrates. Which does he fear most and why? How is Socrates’ approach to the Official Charges different from his approach to the Unofficial Charges?
24. What argument does Socrates give that death is not to be feared? Are you convinced? Which of the two possible theories of death do you think is most likely to be true? On that theory, do you think it would ever be rational to fear your own death?
25. How does Socrates argument refute Meletus' claim that Socrates is an atheist?
26. Do you agree with Socrates' reasoning in refuting the Official
Charge of corrupting the young?
27. All things considered, would you have convicted Socrates? Explain the reasons you consider on both sides and why you find one side more convincing.
28. How does Socrates serve as a model for The Examined Life? What, if
anything, is shown to be desireable about such a life by Socrates?
Allegory of the Cave
Audio:Allegory Study Guide Audio
10. What is the symbolic meaning of the shackles, shadows, and sun in
the Allegory of the Cave?
11. What claims about knowledge is Plato expressing in the allegory with these symbols?
12. What message would you choose to express by using the same story structure and symbols? Your message could be about politics, family, personal triumph and struggle, etc. But define your re-interpretation of the symbols that Plato uses.
Audio:Allegory Study Guide Audio
10. What is the symbolic meaning of the shackles, shadows, and sun in
the Allegory of the Cave?
11. What claims about knowledge is Plato expressing in the allegory with these symbols?
12. What message would you choose to express by using the same story structure and symbols? Your message could be about politics, family, personal triumph and struggle, etc. But define your re-interpretation of the symbols that Plato uses.
13.What does the pain of ascent represent? What 'turn' in mankind does the turning of the unshackled prisoner represent? What is the significance of the fact that the escaped prisoner goes back into the cave? What is the significance of the bad reception the returning prisoner gets from those that are still shackled?
Myth of Sisyphus
Audio:Myth of Sisyphus
13. Why was Sisyphus banished by the Gods?
14. How is Sisyphus' condition supposed to resemble the human condition? Do you believe that the two are indeed analogous?
15. What does the moment of Sisyphus' becoming 'conscious' represent?
How does this relate to real life and the meaning of life? In other words, what real personal activity do you think Camus is referring to?
16. Overall, what is Camus saying about the meaning of life? How could you more completely actualize his meaning in your life?
17. How do you interpret the meaning of the question "What is the
meaning of life." Explain the difference between a Transcendentalist and Subjectivist approach to meaning, and how each is represented by the Allegory Of The Cave and Myth of Sisyphus respectively. How would you answer the question: What is the meaning of life? Which of the readings is your answer more similar to? Which most different from?
Myth of Sisyphus
Audio:Myth of Sisyphus
13. Why was Sisyphus banished by the Gods?
14. How is Sisyphus' condition supposed to resemble the human condition? Do you believe that the two are indeed analogous?
15. What does the moment of Sisyphus' becoming 'conscious' represent?
How does this relate to real life and the meaning of life? In other words, what real personal activity do you think Camus is referring to?
16. Overall, what is Camus saying about the meaning of life? How could you more completely actualize his meaning in your life?
17. How do you interpret the meaning of the question "What is the
meaning of life." Explain the difference between a Transcendentalist and Subjectivist approach to meaning, and how each is represented by the Allegory Of The Cave and Myth of Sisyphus respectively. How would you answer the question: What is the meaning of life? Which of the readings is your answer more similar to? Which most different from?
1. Explain the different transformations of the spirit, and what each represents.
2. How does each stage represent a growth in the strength of the human will?
2. How does each stage represent a growth in the strength of the human will?
3. What does the Great Dragon represent? How are both the camel and lion, but not the child, essentially dependent on the Great Dragon? What message is Nietzsche giving us here?
Chapter 8: Emotion
11. What are the three components of emotion according to Nozick?
12. What point is Nozick making with his example of pride on pg. 88?
13. What are the three ways in which an emotion can be 'defective
or
inappropriate'? Do you agree with Nozick's claims?
14. When is an emotion 'fitting'?
15. What is The Spock Problem? What do you think of this thought
experiment?
16. What conclusion does Nozick draw from the Spock Problem?
17. In which specific ways is a life without emotion a poorer life than a life with emotion? How does the concept of value work in Nozick's explanations?
18. How do you interpret Nozick's final remark that 'intense and fitting emotions make us more'?
11. What are the three components of emotion according to Nozick?
12. What point is Nozick making with his example of pride on pg. 88?
13. What are the three ways in which an emotion can be 'defective
or
inappropriate'? Do you agree with Nozick's claims?
14. When is an emotion 'fitting'?
15. What is The Spock Problem? What do you think of this thought
experiment?
16. What conclusion does Nozick draw from the Spock Problem?
17. In which specific ways is a life without emotion a poorer life than a life with emotion? How does the concept of value work in Nozick's explanations?
18. How do you interpret Nozick's final remark that 'intense and fitting emotions make us more'?
Chapter 9: Love's Bond
1. What is Nozicks's general definition of Love?
2. Does Nozick require that your well being be tied to every
preference
of the beloved?
3. What is the difference between infatuation and love?
4. What is a 'We' according to Nozick?
5. How does being in a We effect the individual I's that constiute the We?
6. How does Love involve risk? Do you think that Love is worth the risk? Why?
7. Why does Love limit autonomy according to Nozick? Do you agree?
8. What are the two different ways that the I can relate to the We
according Nozick? Do you think that one is prefereable to the other?
9. How does Nozick define being loved 'for yourself'? How is this
different from being loved for 'your characteristics'?
10. Why is Nozick against the idea of 'trading up'?
Chapter 10: Happiness
19. How does the examples of upward and downward sloping curves to show that we care about more than the total amount of happiness our lives contain?
20. What Nozick's definition of pleasure? (pg. 103)
21. What is The Experience Machine? Explain why you would or would not get into the machine.
22. What does your answer to The Experience Machine thought experiment show about how you define Happiness?
23. What conclusion does Nozick draw from The Experience Machine? Do you agree with his conclusion?
24. Define the three types of Happiness emotion discussed by Nozick.
25. How would you summarize Nozick's discussion of the 3rd form of Happiness?
Nagel: The Absurd
1. What are the three reasons/arguments often given for explaining why life is absurd?
2. Why does Nagel say that each of these is inadequate?
3. Why is the sense that life is absurd slightly different from the sense that is meaningless?
4. What are the two points of view that clash, and create the absurdity of life according to Nagel?
5. Why do these two points of view inevitably clash?
6. Why is this clash unavoidable?
7. Why does the attempt to overcome absurdity subjectively or objectively fail according to Nagel?
8. What role does 'arbitrariness' play in Nagel's argument?
arete |
Latest page update: made by arete
, Sep 9 2009, 8:31 PM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by arete
8 words added 49 words deleted view changes - complete history) |
|
Keyword tags:
None
More Info: links to this page
|
There are no threads for this page.
Be the first to start a new thread.
