Ultimate Questions: Thinking about Philosophy Fourth Edition Nils Ch. Rauhut Coastal Carolina University Test Bank 33 Chapter One Test Item File SHORT ANSWER 1. What are three methods of explaining the world around us? ANSWER: mythology, religion, and philosophy 2. Both science and philosophy use _____________ to explain the universe. ANSWER: reason 3. The field of philosophy which investigates questions of existence and free will is ____________ ANSWER: metaphysics. 4. The question “What is the meaning of life?” is a good example of a _________ ANSWER : philosophical question 5. studies how we distinguish good arguments from bad ones. ANSWER: Logic ESSAY QUESTIONS 6. Identify the differences between science and philosophy and describe how they inform each other. 7. Explain how philosophy is related to both mythology and religion. 8. Give some examples of philosophical and scientific questions. What is the difference between them. 9. Select one of the five branches of philosophy and identify the main philosophical questions it raises. 10. What are the major subfields of philosophy? 34 Chapter Two SHORT ANSWER 1. Define logical consistency and logical inconsistency. ANSWER: Logical consistency exists when all claims are true at the same time. Logical inconsistency is when not all claims are true at the same time, creating contradictions. 2. What we can conceive of in our minds as possible is __________ possibility. ANSWER: logical 3. In order to create a definition, __________ must be stated for the correct application of the term. ANSWER: necessary and sufficient terms 4. Describe the basic differences between a deductive and inductive argument. ANSWER: Deductive arguments require validity, or the logical relationship between the premise and the conclusion. Inductive arguments have conclusions that are established only to some degree of probability. 5. Write an argument schema that employs a disjunctive syllogism. ARGUMENT: 1. Either p or q. 2. Not q. Therefore: P. 6. The principle that the simplest solution to a question is normally the right one is called ______________ ANSWER: Ockham’s Razor ESSAY QUESTIONS 7. What are the most important logical tools in answering philosophical questions? 8. Give some examples of inductive and deductive arguments and explain the key differences between these two types of arguments. 9. Describe with the help of an example how several necessary conditions can be jointly sufficient for a correct definition of a term. 10. Is Ockham’s Razor a sound philosophical principle? Write a response that evaluates this principle. 11. Discuss why philosophers seek to avoid contradictions in crafting a logical argument.