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Study Guide for the First Quiz (PHL 230 0H1)
The quiz will be given at the beginning of class on
September 8th, at 11:00. You will have between 15-20 minutes to
complete the quiz. In general, all quizzes will be composed of a series of short
answer questions from which you must choose 5 to answer. This study guide is
split into two parts. First, some hints on studying for these quizzes in
general, and second, a brief review of the content that will be covered in the
first quiz.
General Study Tips (as it were).
- First,
every quiz focuses specifically on the readings. Thus, all questions will be
drawn from and will ask you about the specific readings for that period of
the course. Clearly, then, one necessary component of study is to read the
material and to read it closely and carefully (multiple times is my
recommendation).
- Second,
while you are reading the material you should take notes. In particular, you
should make note of major concepts, themes, ideas, positions, and –most
importantly—arguments that are presented in the readings. There will often
be some questions that will ask you to summarize or paraphrase arguments
from the readings –should a good study tool is to practice such summaries.
- Third,
the “reading questions” provided at the beginning of the semester bear a
striking similarity to the types of questions that will appear on the
quizzes. So, being able to answer these questions –in a few
sentences—will also provide you with practice for taking the quizzes.
(Being able to provide longer, more detailed and nuanced responses to these
types of questions –which you can practice in your journals—will also
aid you in taking the final exam.)
- Fourth,
often the quizzes will focus on one philosopher; however, there may be
periods where more than one philosopher or philosopher’s works are covered
in the quiz. As a result, you can expect some questions that will ask you to
contrast and compare the ideas of two philosophers about a particular
concept or subject matter. So, it is a good idea to practice working out
short comparisons and contrasts between the philosophers on various matters
(e.g. Parmenides vs. Heraclitus on the status of the logos and/or
change; Plato vs. Aristotle on the nature of form or its relative position
in rational explanation (logos), etc.).
- Fifth,
unless the quiz question specifically asks you to “list” or “provide a
single word response” to one of the questions, you should be prepared to
write in complete legible sentences. And, so, of course, practice
doing this.
- Finally,
it is always a good idea to ask as many questions as you can about the
material in order to enhance your understanding, and to offer up your own
theories for how the material should be understood –this is always a good
way to learn anything.
The following material will be covered on the first
quiz.
- The
Pre-Socratics: The Milesians (Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes).
- Know
the basic “theory” or explanation that they offer to explain the
origin of the world (their cosmogony);
- Know
what are the threads that tie them together (aside from the fact that they
all worked in the city of Miletus);
- Know
the basic question(s) that motivated their thought –what were they
trying to account for in their work.
- The
Pre-Socratics: Heraclitus.
- Know
the basic outlines of Heraclitus’ conception of the world;
- Know
the particular conception of logos at work in Heraclitus –how
this differs from the Milesians, on the one hand, and Parmenides/Zeno on
the other.
- Know
the particular question(s) that motivated his thought –what he was
trying to account for in his work.
- The
Pre-Socratics: The Eleatics
- Know
the basic outlines of the Eleatic conception of the world;
- Know
the basic argument(s) provided in Parmenides “prose-poem” –in
particular the “three ways of approach” and the problem of non-being.
- Know
the basic “paradoxes” that Zeno uses to defend the Eleatic conception
of the world –and how they were supposed to do this.
- Know
the particular conception of logos at work in the Eleatic
philosophy –how this differs from Heraclitus in particular.
- Know
the particular question(s) that motivated Eleatic philosophy –what they
were trying to account for in their work.
- Socrates:
Euthyphro.
- Know
the basic characters and them of the dialogue;
- Know
the primary arguments undertaken in the dialogue (the various definitions
of piety and the Socratic analysis of these definitions).
- Know
the point of the dialogue –what was accomplished (if anything).
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