Philosophy 101
Final Exam Study Guide
Fall 2007

You should be able to answer the following in a few sentences:

        --What is a valid deductive argument?
        --What is the argument form modus ponens?  Give one example of an argument with this form.
        --What is the argument form modus tollens?  Give one example of an argument with this form.
        --What is the fallacy of denying the antecedent?  Give one example.
        --What is the fallacy of affirming the consequent? Give one example
        --What are two of the definitions that Euthyphro offers of piety or holiness?   
        --What purpose does Descartes' "malicious demon" serve in Meditation I?
        --What is the one certainty that Descartes establishes in Med. II.  What allows him to be
                certain of this?
        --What does Descartes conclude that he is essentially?  What allows him to conclude this?
        --What is Descartes' definition of God?
        --Explain the distinction between essential vs non-essential (accidental) properties
        --Explain the distinction between an argument a priori and an argument a posteriori.
        --What is the problem of evil?
        --Explain the distinction between moral and natural evil.
        --What is Mill's "harm principle?"
        --What does Ryle mean by the "official doctrine?"
        --What is a category mistake?  Give an example.
        --What is physicalism?
        --What is philosophical behaviorism?
        --What is dualism (in philosophy of mind)?
        --What are qualia?
        --What was the "Final Solution?"

II.  Short answer

You should be able to develop essays(2-3 paragraphs) on the following. 
(The more clearly and carefully you can develop your answers the better.)

--Set out the argument that Socrates develops in the Crito to defend his refusal to escape.

--Set out the argument Descartes develops regarding the wax in Med. II.

--Set out Descartes' explanation for why human beings err (Med. IV).

--Set out the "ontological" argument that Descartes develops in Med. V.

--Set out Descartes' argument for the existence of material objects (Med. VI).

--Explain Cleanthes' criticism of Demea's view regarding our knowledge of God's nature.
          How might Demea best respond to this objection?

--Explain Demea's criticism of Cleanthes' view regarding the similarity between human and
          divine intelligence.  How might Cleanthes best respond to this criticism?

--In Part IV of Hume's Dialogues..., Philo develops a criticism of Cleanthes' argument from
          design that suggests that this argument will lead to an infinite regress.  Explain this criticism.
          How might Cleanthes best respond to this objection?

--In Part V, Philo argues that even if Cleanthes' argument from design succeeds in proving its
          conclusion it will fail to establish certain traditional attributes of God.  How does Philo
          develop this criticism?  How might Cleanthes best respond to it?

--What is the problem of evil?  How does Philo explain and defend his view that it is
          especially a problem for Cleanthes' argument from design?  How might Cleanthes
          best respond to this criticism?

--Explain Mill's defense of liberty of thought and opinion (Chpt. 2).

--Explain Mill's defense of liberty of action and the importance of individualism. (Chpt. 3)

--Explain philosophical behaviorism.  According to this theory, what are mental states?  What
       are the main problems that this view faces?

--Explain functionalism.  According to this theory, what are mental states?  Explain one main
    problem that this view faces?

--Explain Jackson's "knowledge argument" against physicalist theories of mind (like functionalism).

--Explain Arendt's account of the essential features of Eichmann's character.  What examples does
       she develop to illustrate this account?

--In Chpts. 10-12 Arendt discusses the way in which the "Final Solution" was (or was not)
       implemented in a variety of Nazi-occupied countries.  Choose two of the countries
       she discusses and explain her account of how the "Final Solution" was (or was not)
        implemented in these countries.