INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Professor David
Christopher Lane, Ph.D.
DIRECTIONS: Answer all of the
following questions fully and comprehensively and be sure to put your word
document or PDF file attached on your own website. Also be sure to use
pertinent quotes to support your answers. Send a direct to your website (and/or
test) to your professor. Plagiarism is not tolerated so please be sure that it is your own work and that
you fully cite your sources when necessary.
1. Your name: Maria Sandoval
1. Your name: Maria Sandoval
Essay
1: According to the reading, The Socratic Quest, Socrates was brought to
trial under two charges. The charges were the following: “…one that he did not
believe in the gods recognized by the State, the other that he had corrupted
the Athenian youth by his teachings” (pg. 2). One can read in The Apology of Socrates how Socrates
tries to defend himself and present his arguments about the accusations for
which he was brought to trial for. Even though he tries to convince the jury
that he has done nothing wrong, he is found guilty and sentenced to death. Now,
the real reason behind his sentence to death goes beyond the accusations
presented at the moment of trial. Throughout his apology, or defense, Socrates
said the following: “…that in which they said that you ought to be on your
guard lest you should be deceived by me, as being eloquent in speech…I am not
by any means eloquent, this seemed to me the most shameless thing in them [the
accusations], unless indeed they call him eloquent who speaks the truth” (pg.
29). In here and throughout ‘The Apologia’, Socrates’ defense during trial, he
repeats many times that he is not doing anything wrong, and that he is simply
speaking the truth. I believe that the main reason why he was sentenced to
death was because the people of Athena did not want to hear the truth about
things. They found Socrates’ teachings uncomfortable because they represented a
change in the way of thinking and doing things. Socrates was different; his
teaching style was also different. Perhaps, if Socrates would of comply with
the accusers and stop his teachings instead of saying that he was doing nothing
wrong and that he was only speaking the truth, then maybe, and only maybe then,
he might of have a chance to change his destiny and not being sentenced to
death. However, Socrates decided to keep explaining to the jury how he is just
trying to expose and teach the truth to the people of Athena. So, according to
the jury, “Socrates…acts un-justly in corrupting the youth, and in not
believing in those gods in whom the city believes, but in other strange divinities”
(pg. 36). Therefore, he was found guilty and sentenced to death.
Essay
2: The main reason why there is a conflict between science and religion is
due to outdated ideas and misunderstanding about who we are and what makes us
humans. Religion tries to define the unknown and give meaning to what can’t be
understood. On the other hand, science tries to unravel the same complexities
through a series of procedures and experiments. One gives the unknown power and
divinity, while the other seeks to unravel the very essence of the unknown.
The two schools of thought are destined to battle one another. Science
tries to understand the self and the world around us by using math, logic and
experimentation. While religion tries to explain the world through time tested
traditions and practices. In The Great Mystery, it reads the
following: "unlike the notion that we are beings of light, the idea
that we are just the body gives us a deep sense of entrapment." For
many, just the thought of having someone question the beliefs and ideas passed
down from one generation to another can be very upsetting. The film, Mysterium
Tremendum: If Wonder Has a Form, What is the Matter?, mentions that when
people are asked about how they feel about the idea that we are just a body or
material it seems like it is a bit depressing to think about the human being as
something so insignificant rather than a great being of light. This is what I
believe to be the main reason for disagreement between science and religion.
Beyond the scientific facts about the human body, there is an unknown factor
that is present at all times. This unknown factor is the question about what
happens to our soul after we die. Because there is never a solid answer to this
question, the conflict itself between science and religion is just a matter of
interpretation.
5. Describe Socrates’ method for understanding another person’s truth claims. Why was it so effective and why did it get him into so much trouble?
Socrates’ method for understanding another
person’s truth claims is simply identifying the logic in the statements being
said by the people of Athena. This was an effective method but it got him into
trouble because the ‘judges’ at his trial wanted to hear him say he was wrong
and sorry for “corrupting the youth”. However, because he stated the following:
“…that in which they said that you ought to be on your guard lest you should be
deceived by me, as being eloquent in speech…I am not by any means eloquent,
this seemed to me the most shameless thing in them [the accusations], unless
indeed they call him eloquent who speaks the truth” (pg. 29). Here, Socrates
stated that the claims of calling him eloquent were false because he was simply
stating his opinion and being honest. This is a clear method of identifying the
logic in a statement, which in turn, got him sentenced to death because that is
not what the authority of Athena wanted to hear.
6. Why is the conflict between science and religion (according to the required reading) a linguistic conundrum? Be sure to back up your answer with pertinent details from the readings/films.
The conflict between science and religion
is a linguistic conundrum because everything is a matter of interpretation. According
the film Mysterium Tremendum: If Wonder Has a Form, What is the Matter?,
“the idea that we are light gives us a deep sense of liberation…however…when a
philosopher or friend tells us that we are just material and just a body… the
idea that we are just a body gives us a deep sense of entrapment”. Many people
try to use science to explain certain things that religion cannot explain, and
vice versa, some people try to use religion for certain things that science
cannot explain. Since there is no concrete answers to certain things in life,
like what happens after we die, and if we have a soul what happens to our soul
in the afterlife, that if, there is an afterlife at all, people have different
interpretations for these unexplainable things. Therefore, the conflict between
science and religion is a linguistic conundrum because everything is a matter
of interpretation.
7. Who
do you think won the Einstein-Bohr debate? Back up your answer. You are free to
do further research on this topic as well.
I do not think there was ever a winner for
the Einstein-Bohr debate. Even after reading numerous articles about each point
of view regarding quantum mechanics, I think they were both right to a certain
extent. I think we, as human beings, still have a long way to go to be able to
come to a complete understanding of what quantum mechanics really is. Perhaps,
there might be something in the future that connects both Einstein’s and Bohr’s
ideas and fills in the gap that Einstein tried to do when he talked about the
spooky action at a distance.
8. Why
is understanding physics elemental in doing philosophy well?
Understanding physics help to one to better
understand and grasps the concepts in philosophy. Physics contains in it very hard to understand
concepts. Everything from quantum mechanics to time dilation is included in the
field. The ideas that physics subscribes to can sometimes be very strange and
even question our concept of reality. By understanding these concepts one’s
view changes drastically, and with it the understanding of the physical world.
With different concepts changing our judgment and understanding, one cannot
live without thinking philosophically. By understanding physics one can have a
better understanding of philosophy.
9. What
is string theory? How can such radical ideas potentially alter our own
philosophical outlooks on life in general?
String theory is a theory in physics that
states that the universe in which we currently reside is not the only one that
exists. Rather there are countless other universes that create a multiversity.
These other universe exists like strings next to ours and the vibration or
moving of one can cause ripples in the others. The idea that we are not alone
in the universe is one that frightens a great number of people. Let alone the belief that there is more than
one universe that can exist. Our
philosophical outlook on life would change drastically. No more can we believe
that we are the only beings.
10. Why is the theory of evolution considered to be the cornerstone of modern biology? How does a deep understanding of natural selection help in understanding human behavior?
The theory of evolution is considered to be
the cornerstone of modern biology because it gives life a starting point. A
deep understanding of natural selection help in understanding human behavior
because natural selection explains how Homo sapiens came to be and how we, as
human beings, came to be.
11.What is the evolutionary reason behind why we ask why?
The evolutionary reason behind why we ask
why? Is that we need to be able to have a starting point for everything. Asking
why? Is a way to be able to come up with explanations for things in life, and
without this question we, as human beings, would not be able to move forward in
life and thus evolve as we grow in understanding and knowledge about the world.
12.How does Plato’s allegory of the cave relate to our current understanding of science?
Plato’s allegory of the cave relates to our
current understanding of science because even though science presents a lot of
evidence about different topics, there is still some people who refuse to
accept these concepts. One can say that these individuals are blinded by what
they have been presented for so long that they consider it to be the only truth
about things in life just like in Plato’s allegory of the cave. In this
anecdote, an individual who freed himself from the darkness of the cave and
went to the outside world and realized that what he believed for so long was
nothing compared to the real truth about things. Then he tried to explain to
the other two individuals, who were still tied and trap in the cave, that what
they believed in was not the truth and reality of things, but they were too
blind to be convinced and were not able to free themselves of the darkness of
the cave.
13.What is Nietzsche’s myth of eternal recurrence? How could such a concept alter one’s life here and now?
According to the film Nietzsche’s Myth of Eternal Recurrence, the Nietzsche’s myth of
eternal recurrence is the idea that if a demon were to force you to live your
life again and again with every pain and joy in the same series of order, would
you want to die right there and there or comply to what is about to come. This
concept can alter one’s life here and now because it makes you think about how
one has been living life these past years. Are we truly happy about the way we
have been living or do we need a force of action to make this life better? That
question, I believe, is what helps us understand the myth of eternal recurrence
and its effect in people’s lives.
14.What did Darwin and Wallace agree and disagree on when it came to evolution by natural selection? Be sure to elaborate.
One thing that Darwin and Wallace agreed on
was the idea of evolution of Homo sapiens. They both came to an agreement that
natural selection allowed for Homo sapiens to be the last ones to exist, since
it was all part of the survival of the fittest. However, Darwin and Wallace
disagreed on the evolution of the human mind and the development of
consciousness. According to the film The
Darwin-Wallace Debate on the Mind of Man/How Far Does Natural Selection Extend,
it is mentioned how Wallace disagreed with Darwin about the evolution of
the consciousness because for Wallace it was hard to believe that a small
change in a couple of molecules could of created an awareness to the self.
15. What is the “evolutionary” imperative? How does it work?
According to the film, The Evolutionary Imperative: To Be or Not to Be, the evolutionary
imperative is a human dilemma about the huge evolutionary pressure that is
placed upon us to whether continue to our genetic transmission or not. The way
this work is that we ultimately have a choice to continue in this roller-coaster
we call life, however, we have to keep in mind that in the end of our lifetime
we will still die. If our ultimate destiny is to die, then we should make it at
least a ride worthwhile, meaning that we need to continue our genetic transmission
so that it is worth it.
16.Explain the quantum mechanical basis behind photosynthesis.
According to the film The Magical Leaf: The Quantum Mechanics of Photosynthesis, a photon
of sunlight hits a leaf, the photon’s energy is passed down by two electrons within
the leaf’s molecules. This results in the electron being excited causing it to
move to the reaction center not by random hops as it was thought but by
utilizing their quantum mechanical ability to take all available paths at the
same time.
17. How can probability help explain “why bad things happen to good people?”
Probability can be defined as the
likelihood of something happening. Although it may seem like bad things happen
to good people, bad things happen to everybody all the time regardless of how
good or bad they are. However, probability can help explain why it seems like
bad things happen to good people. The
likelihood or chance that something bad will happen to someone who is good
depends on different factors. Through statistics, and probability we can
measure how likely these factors will affect or not affect the situation and making
it possible for bad things to happen to good people.
18. Of the films you have watched so far, which one is your favorite? Why?
My favorite film so far is the Eliminate Materialism: Well God Did It?
The reason why this is my favorite film is because it talks about the reality
that we live in. There are some things that cannot be explained yet, since
science cannot explain it, many turn to the religious concept that God did it.
For me this is very interesting but since I do not believe in God, I am still
intrigued for that rational and scientific explanation for those questions that
have not being answered yet.
19. Of the required readings so far, which one is your favorite? Why?
My favorite reading so far is The Great
Mystery. The reason why is my
favorite film so far is because it talks about the conflict between science and
religion and how we need to feel special about who we are.
EXTRA CREDIT
20. Have you done any extra credit reading? If so, which texts? Give a 100 hundred-word analysis.
21.Have you responded to other students’ essay answers? If so, copy and paste your responses here.
20. Have you done any extra credit reading? If so, which texts? Give a 100 hundred-word analysis.
21.Have you responded to other students’ essay answers? If so, copy and paste your responses here.
Week
1
Hello Kayla! I also agree with what you
said about Socrates being so firm in his beliefs. I believe that if he would of
agreed with the other citizens that accused him on trial, he then, might of not
being sentenced to death, just like you said. It is sad to know that many of
the great minds that have existed in this world had to go through something
like this. Another example is Galileo, whom was also brought to trial for
saying that the planets orbited the Sun and not the Earth!
Hi Brianna! I find your post very
interesting, especially because I also agree with what you said. I think that
Socrates' sentence to death was because of the same reasons that you mentioned
in your post. It was because the people of Athena disapproved his way of
thinking and his teaching style.
Week
2
I love your post, specially the part you
said about myths slowly replacing facts. I believe that the main issue
when it comes to disagreements between science and religion is that sometimes
people don't like the idea of change and having someone come and telling them
that what they believed for so many years is simple and has an rational
explanation is a bit offensive for them which is why there is conflict
sometimes. Anyway, I totally like the way you presented your arguments, great
job!
Great job with your post! I find it very
interesting what you said about the conflict between science and religion
being a matter of interpretation. It is true that there is never a right or
wrong answer for many things and your statement is exactly the highlight of the
reality of many conflicts that exists today. We can never be too sure about our
beliefs or ideas about the world, which is why I find your post very
interesting! Great job!
Week
4
Just like you, I also wonder why humans are
so advanced in intelligence compared to other species. It is almost impossible
for me to believe that out of so many different species there is only one that
has been able to advance so much. But then again, I supposed that is also why
Darwin believed in the survival of the fittest. I don't think this world would
ever function the way it does if there was more than one intelligent or
advanced species at the same time.
One of the things that I wonder too is how
come we as humans are so unique in the sense that we are the only ones who have
highly develop brain. I think that the main reason why we are the only ones who
have advanced the most in terms of evolution is because the best traits or
characteristics have been passed down throughout many different generations,
just like Darwin said when talking about the survival of the fittest.
22. Compare and contrast the philosophy of Plato with Aristotle.
About the Author
Hi, my name is Maria. I am a student of a philosophy class in college. This is my first time taking a philosophy class, and I am very excited about what this class has to offer. I will be posting topics and writing assignments related to my class in here, so feel free to comment my posts and offer feedback about my blog's content.
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