The Ionian philosophers believed that
a. nature was manipulated by arbitrary and willful gods.
b. nature contains a hidden structure that is ascertainable by the human mind.
c. nature was governed by blind chance and therefore unknowable.
d. nature could be thoroughly and persuasively explained by earlier creation legends.
Parmenides' fundamental belief was
a. that the matter in the world could be destroyed and reformed an infinite number of times.
b. that the cosmos and all that is within it is one, eternal, and unchanging.
c. that the universe underwent change and development over time.
d. that the senses were the only reliable source of information about nature.
The Sophists' interest in human and social concerns
a. emphasized the importance of traditional religion, government, and law.
b. was based on an emotional interpretation of values and institutions.
c. reflected their rational, secular, and analytical approach to philosophy.
d. was motivated primarily by their metaphysical concern for the place of human beings in
the cosmos.
Socrates believed that the central concern of the individual should be to
a. pursue fame and power within the political life of the polis.
b. contemplate the gods and seek immortality.
c. attain a deeper knowledge of the matter and structure of the natural world.
d. perfect one's character and achieve moral excellence.