PHI 105 ACTUAL Exam 1-4 ALL COMBINED
STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
CORRECT ANSWERS, 2025 LATEST UPDATE
RATED A+
Email us at for any academic assistance.
[Mainly Nursing & Medical courses]
What is Euthyphro's initial definition of piety or righteousness and how does this
definition lead to a contradiction, according to Socrates? - ANSWER Euthyphro
proposes that to say that something is pious, is to say that the gods love it or
approve of it (Anything that the gods approve is pious). He thinks this because one
action that is pious is giving offerings and sacrifices to the gods, it is pious because
the gods like it. Socrates does not think that definition is good because different
gods love different things. He gets this idea from the Homeric epic tales (Illiad)
Some gods loved the result of the war, some gods hated the result of the war. If
what's pious is what the gods love and empias is what the god's hate, this
definition entails the same action (that one action is both pious and not pious and
that is a contradiction) then this definition cannot be correct because Socrates has
reduced it to absurdity.
What definition does Socrates suggest as a replacement? Is Socrates satisfied with
this definition? Why or why not? - ANSWER Definition he suggests as a
replacement is that pious is what all the gods love. Socrates is not satisfied with
this definition because it does not address a fundamental question: it does not
explain why things are pious or not pious—it says everything is pious is something
loved by all the gods, but it doesn't answer question of what MAKES something
,pious or what the essence of being pious is... Is something pious because it is
loved by the gods, or is it loved by the gods because it is pious?
In Euthyphro, Socrates asks: "Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is
pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods?" What question is he
asking here, and what does he think is the right answer? - ANSWER Something is
not pious because it is loved by the gods. The property of being pious is logically
independent of the property of being loved by the gods. Piety is a property that is
independent of the attitudes of the gods. A discussion of piety is a discussion of
righteousness. Is an action right, because god commands it or does god command
it because it's right? Is an action wrong because god prohibits it, or does god
prohibit it because it's wrong? Is it independent or dependent of god's will. Is
something desirable because we desire it or do we desire it because it's desirable?
What two arguments does Socrates give to rebut the charge that he has willingly
corrupted the youth of Athens? - ANSWER The two arguments that Socrates
gives to rebut the charge are
1. The content he has taught. What he has taught the youth of Athens is that the
good life is the virtuous life and that the most important thing to want for oneself
is virtue. The thing we should want most for ourselves is being virtuous, more
important than power, fame, and money—it trumps all. Someone who teaches
that is doing the opposite of corrupting the young people. Corrupting the youth
would be teaching them that money and power trump all other things.
2. It wasn't what he was trying to do, maybe his teachings misfired. He can't be
guilty of intentionally corrupting them—maybe he accidentally corrupted them, in
that case he did not intentionally corrupting them. He's being charged with
intentionally corrupting the youth, but that has no merit.
What, according to Socrates, has he tried to teach the young people of Athens? -
ANSWER According to Socrates, he has tried to teach the young people of Athens
that the good life is the virtuous life, the most valuable thing in life is virtue, virtue
,is what one should want most for oneself, that virtue is more important than
fame, status, money, and wealth.
What things are in our control and what things are not? - ANSWER Our actions
and our attitudes are in our control. The actions and attitudes of others are not.
What should our attitude be towards things that are out of our control? What
should our attitude be towards things that are within our control? - ANSWER We
must accept events that occur according to laws out of our control. We must avoid
feelings of anger because things aren't the way we want them to be. When we
realize that we shouldn't be angry, that will make us less angry and therefore
more rational and dignified. We should not be angry about things in our control
either as it will help us make more rational decisions in the future.
What attitude should we take toward blame or anger, according to Epictetus, and
why should this attitude function to make us happier, more rational, and more
dignified? - ANSWER Anger makes us agitated and unhappy because it is an
unpleasant, uncomfortable state. We should accept that there is no reason to be
angry which will make us more rational and happy.
Why does the existence of "righteous" or "justified" anger seem to constitute an
objection to Epictetus' claim that it makes no sense to be angry at others or
oneself? Is this objection decisive? Why or why not? - ANSWER Anger may
sometimes be warranted, but it remains that it is never advisable. If anger is
justified then it must make sense. It is not decisive because by "makes no sense",
it means not advisable.
A Stoic might hold that although anger is sometimes justified it makes no sense to
be angry. What is a natural objection to this position? What interpretations of
"justified" and "makes no sense" would address this objection? - ANSWER If
, anger is justified it must make sense. By justified, it means permissible. By makes
no sense, it means inadvisable.
In what does true human excellence consist according to Epictetus? In what does
it not consist? - ANSWER It consists in virtue, or self-mastery. It does not consist
in power, riches, or fame.
Can a perfectly wise person be harmed, according to Epictetus? - ANSWER A
perfectly wise person cannot be harmed because no one else has control over the
actions and attitudes in which their excellence exists.
What state of mind does Epictetus' philosophy aim to produce in us? In what ways
is this state of mind instrumentally good? - ANSWER It leads to greater rationality
and greater dignity, greater freedom from stormy emotions, and greater
happiness. It is instrumentally good because it leads to peace of mind and
serenity.
Under what conditions would suicide be in person's best interest on a hedonistic
theory of individual welfare? - ANSWER If you were no longer going to
experience any pleasure in your life, suicide would be in your best interest. If
hedonism is true then suicide would be in your best interest if you no longer could
have pleasure while being alive.
What is Kant's humanity-as-an-end principle? What does he mean by "humanity"?
What does it mean to treat humanity as in "end-in-itself"? - ANSWER Humanity is
beings who have a capacity for practical reasoning. To treat humanity as an "end-
in-itself" is to treat humanity as if it has supreme non-instrumental value.
How would someone violate this principle if he were to kill himself to escape pain
(mental or physical)? - ANSWER You would be failing to treat humanity in your
STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
CORRECT ANSWERS, 2025 LATEST UPDATE
RATED A+
Email us at for any academic assistance.
[Mainly Nursing & Medical courses]
What is Euthyphro's initial definition of piety or righteousness and how does this
definition lead to a contradiction, according to Socrates? - ANSWER Euthyphro
proposes that to say that something is pious, is to say that the gods love it or
approve of it (Anything that the gods approve is pious). He thinks this because one
action that is pious is giving offerings and sacrifices to the gods, it is pious because
the gods like it. Socrates does not think that definition is good because different
gods love different things. He gets this idea from the Homeric epic tales (Illiad)
Some gods loved the result of the war, some gods hated the result of the war. If
what's pious is what the gods love and empias is what the god's hate, this
definition entails the same action (that one action is both pious and not pious and
that is a contradiction) then this definition cannot be correct because Socrates has
reduced it to absurdity.
What definition does Socrates suggest as a replacement? Is Socrates satisfied with
this definition? Why or why not? - ANSWER Definition he suggests as a
replacement is that pious is what all the gods love. Socrates is not satisfied with
this definition because it does not address a fundamental question: it does not
explain why things are pious or not pious—it says everything is pious is something
loved by all the gods, but it doesn't answer question of what MAKES something
,pious or what the essence of being pious is... Is something pious because it is
loved by the gods, or is it loved by the gods because it is pious?
In Euthyphro, Socrates asks: "Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is
pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods?" What question is he
asking here, and what does he think is the right answer? - ANSWER Something is
not pious because it is loved by the gods. The property of being pious is logically
independent of the property of being loved by the gods. Piety is a property that is
independent of the attitudes of the gods. A discussion of piety is a discussion of
righteousness. Is an action right, because god commands it or does god command
it because it's right? Is an action wrong because god prohibits it, or does god
prohibit it because it's wrong? Is it independent or dependent of god's will. Is
something desirable because we desire it or do we desire it because it's desirable?
What two arguments does Socrates give to rebut the charge that he has willingly
corrupted the youth of Athens? - ANSWER The two arguments that Socrates
gives to rebut the charge are
1. The content he has taught. What he has taught the youth of Athens is that the
good life is the virtuous life and that the most important thing to want for oneself
is virtue. The thing we should want most for ourselves is being virtuous, more
important than power, fame, and money—it trumps all. Someone who teaches
that is doing the opposite of corrupting the young people. Corrupting the youth
would be teaching them that money and power trump all other things.
2. It wasn't what he was trying to do, maybe his teachings misfired. He can't be
guilty of intentionally corrupting them—maybe he accidentally corrupted them, in
that case he did not intentionally corrupting them. He's being charged with
intentionally corrupting the youth, but that has no merit.
What, according to Socrates, has he tried to teach the young people of Athens? -
ANSWER According to Socrates, he has tried to teach the young people of Athens
that the good life is the virtuous life, the most valuable thing in life is virtue, virtue
,is what one should want most for oneself, that virtue is more important than
fame, status, money, and wealth.
What things are in our control and what things are not? - ANSWER Our actions
and our attitudes are in our control. The actions and attitudes of others are not.
What should our attitude be towards things that are out of our control? What
should our attitude be towards things that are within our control? - ANSWER We
must accept events that occur according to laws out of our control. We must avoid
feelings of anger because things aren't the way we want them to be. When we
realize that we shouldn't be angry, that will make us less angry and therefore
more rational and dignified. We should not be angry about things in our control
either as it will help us make more rational decisions in the future.
What attitude should we take toward blame or anger, according to Epictetus, and
why should this attitude function to make us happier, more rational, and more
dignified? - ANSWER Anger makes us agitated and unhappy because it is an
unpleasant, uncomfortable state. We should accept that there is no reason to be
angry which will make us more rational and happy.
Why does the existence of "righteous" or "justified" anger seem to constitute an
objection to Epictetus' claim that it makes no sense to be angry at others or
oneself? Is this objection decisive? Why or why not? - ANSWER Anger may
sometimes be warranted, but it remains that it is never advisable. If anger is
justified then it must make sense. It is not decisive because by "makes no sense",
it means not advisable.
A Stoic might hold that although anger is sometimes justified it makes no sense to
be angry. What is a natural objection to this position? What interpretations of
"justified" and "makes no sense" would address this objection? - ANSWER If
, anger is justified it must make sense. By justified, it means permissible. By makes
no sense, it means inadvisable.
In what does true human excellence consist according to Epictetus? In what does
it not consist? - ANSWER It consists in virtue, or self-mastery. It does not consist
in power, riches, or fame.
Can a perfectly wise person be harmed, according to Epictetus? - ANSWER A
perfectly wise person cannot be harmed because no one else has control over the
actions and attitudes in which their excellence exists.
What state of mind does Epictetus' philosophy aim to produce in us? In what ways
is this state of mind instrumentally good? - ANSWER It leads to greater rationality
and greater dignity, greater freedom from stormy emotions, and greater
happiness. It is instrumentally good because it leads to peace of mind and
serenity.
Under what conditions would suicide be in person's best interest on a hedonistic
theory of individual welfare? - ANSWER If you were no longer going to
experience any pleasure in your life, suicide would be in your best interest. If
hedonism is true then suicide would be in your best interest if you no longer could
have pleasure while being alive.
What is Kant's humanity-as-an-end principle? What does he mean by "humanity"?
What does it mean to treat humanity as in "end-in-itself"? - ANSWER Humanity is
beings who have a capacity for practical reasoning. To treat humanity as an "end-
in-itself" is to treat humanity as if it has supreme non-instrumental value.
How would someone violate this principle if he were to kill himself to escape pain
(mental or physical)? - ANSWER You would be failing to treat humanity in your
