Study Guide for the First Exam
 

HUM 127-0G1

Spring, 2009

On this exam, there will be several types of questions.  One type of question will ask you to give a fairly straightforward answer about some aspect of the texts that we have covered in class.  A second type of question will ask you to explain a quotation from the text.  Again, this will be a passage that we have covered in class.

What is a deductive argument?  What is a valid argument?  What is a sound argument?  Be able to identify whether a sample argument is valid and sound.

What does West see as the current crisis in the U.S.?

Why does West think that philosophy has contemporary relevance? 

To what does the title of West’s book refer?

What are the charges against Socrates?

In what sense does Socrates believe that he might indeed be the wisest person?

What is the heart of Socrates’ philosophical defense? 

Euthyphro defines piety as what is pleasing to the gods.  How does Socrates challenge this definition? 

Euthyphro next defines piety as what all the gods love.  How does Socrates challenge this definition?

What is Descartes methodology?

What does exactly does Descartes doubt?

How does Descartes’ doubting come to an end?

What type of being does Descartes believe himself and other persons to be?

How does Descartes prove the existence of God?  Show the steps of his argumentation.

Offer one criticism of the argumentation of Descartes.