PHI 101 Medieval Philosophy Exam
Questions and Answers
Why are difference-only definitions incomplete? - Answer- They do not show what the
thing shares with others.
What is a complete definition? - Answer- One that includes both genus and difference.
What is the formula for species (definition)? - Answer- Species = Difference + Genus.
What is the complete definition of a human? - Answer- A rational animal.
What is the genus in the definition of human? - Answer- Animal.
What is the difference in the definition of human? - Answer- Rational.
What is the complete definition of biology? - Answer- The science of living things.
What is the genus in the definition of biology? - Answer- Science.
What is Aquinas's main response about providence? - Answer- God orders all things
toward their end, which is providence.
How does Aquinas reply to the objection about counsel? - Answer- God has "counsel"
analogically since He orders things without doubt.
What does Aquinas say all humans desire? - Answer- Happiness.
Why do humans always pursue happiness according to Aquinas? - Answer- Because
happiness is the natural goal (last end) of all humans.
What are the two ways of thinking about happiness? - Answer- As an aspect (feeling
complete) and as the object that fulfills it.
Do people agree on what happiness is? - Answer- No, they agree on wanting fulfillment
but disagree on what provides it.
What are the main candidates for happiness according to Aquinas? - Answer- Wealth,
fame, and power.
, Why can happiness not be wealth, fame, or power (first argument)? - Answer- They can
be used for evil, and happiness cannot involve evil.
Why can happiness not be wealth, fame, or power (Aristotle's argument)? - Answer-
They do not fully satisfy all human needs.
What is the difference in the definition of biology? - Answer- Living things.
What are transcendentals? - Answer- Concepts that cannot be defined but only
described.
Why can transcendentals not be defined? - Answer- Because they are universal
qualities of all things.
Name three examples of transcendentals. - Answer- Something, one, and true.
What does "something" mean as a transcendental? - Answer- That a thing exists as a
substance.
What does "one" mean as a transcendental? - Answer- That a thing is a unit.
What does "true" mean as a transcendental? - Answer- That a thing is knowable.
What do all things that exist share according to transcendentals? - Answer- They are
something, one, and true.
How are transcendentals treated in philosophy? - Answer- They are described rather
than defined.
What distinguishes different philosophical systems regarding transcendentals? -
Answer- The degree of connection or separation between them.
What structure does Aquinas's Summa Theologiae mirror? - Answer- The scholastic
disputatio (a question-and-answer method).
What is the disputatio? - Answer- A method where students argue both sides of a
question before choosing the strongest answer.
What is an article in the Summa Theologiae? - Answer- A structured question-and-
answer unit with five parts.
What are the five parts of an article? - Answer- Question, Objection, Hypothesis (Sed
contra), Response, Reply to Objections.
Questions and Answers
Why are difference-only definitions incomplete? - Answer- They do not show what the
thing shares with others.
What is a complete definition? - Answer- One that includes both genus and difference.
What is the formula for species (definition)? - Answer- Species = Difference + Genus.
What is the complete definition of a human? - Answer- A rational animal.
What is the genus in the definition of human? - Answer- Animal.
What is the difference in the definition of human? - Answer- Rational.
What is the complete definition of biology? - Answer- The science of living things.
What is the genus in the definition of biology? - Answer- Science.
What is Aquinas's main response about providence? - Answer- God orders all things
toward their end, which is providence.
How does Aquinas reply to the objection about counsel? - Answer- God has "counsel"
analogically since He orders things without doubt.
What does Aquinas say all humans desire? - Answer- Happiness.
Why do humans always pursue happiness according to Aquinas? - Answer- Because
happiness is the natural goal (last end) of all humans.
What are the two ways of thinking about happiness? - Answer- As an aspect (feeling
complete) and as the object that fulfills it.
Do people agree on what happiness is? - Answer- No, they agree on wanting fulfillment
but disagree on what provides it.
What are the main candidates for happiness according to Aquinas? - Answer- Wealth,
fame, and power.
, Why can happiness not be wealth, fame, or power (first argument)? - Answer- They can
be used for evil, and happiness cannot involve evil.
Why can happiness not be wealth, fame, or power (Aristotle's argument)? - Answer-
They do not fully satisfy all human needs.
What is the difference in the definition of biology? - Answer- Living things.
What are transcendentals? - Answer- Concepts that cannot be defined but only
described.
Why can transcendentals not be defined? - Answer- Because they are universal
qualities of all things.
Name three examples of transcendentals. - Answer- Something, one, and true.
What does "something" mean as a transcendental? - Answer- That a thing exists as a
substance.
What does "one" mean as a transcendental? - Answer- That a thing is a unit.
What does "true" mean as a transcendental? - Answer- That a thing is knowable.
What do all things that exist share according to transcendentals? - Answer- They are
something, one, and true.
How are transcendentals treated in philosophy? - Answer- They are described rather
than defined.
What distinguishes different philosophical systems regarding transcendentals? -
Answer- The degree of connection or separation between them.
What structure does Aquinas's Summa Theologiae mirror? - Answer- The scholastic
disputatio (a question-and-answer method).
What is the disputatio? - Answer- A method where students argue both sides of a
question before choosing the strongest answer.
What is an article in the Summa Theologiae? - Answer- A structured question-and-
answer unit with five parts.
What are the five parts of an article? - Answer- Question, Objection, Hypothesis (Sed
contra), Response, Reply to Objections.
