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Philosophy Practice Exam
Aurelian:
--- Quote from: krith on November 12, 2011, 09:55:21 pm ---SECTION A:
Question 1. What importance does Callicles afford to philosophy with regards to the good life? Do you agree?
Callicles asserts that philosophy can prove a cultured mind for the youth, but to pursue it into adulthood is embarrassing and leaves one completely out of touch with human nature. It condemns a man to a low estimation of his own worth and potential as he avoids the thick of the agora where man earns distinction. Furthermore, a philosophy is rendered incapable of defending himself against a corrupt and unprincipled prosecutor, foreshadowing Socrates’ own trial and death. I do not agree with this narrow portrayal of philosophy for as Socrates argues, the contemplative life is able to elevate one morally as it provides one with universal truths dissimilar to sophistry which is only a form of flattery interested in the mere gratification of the audience. This is pretty good. But to secure full marks I would advise another sentence or two of evaluation. Put an example in there to solidify your argument and bring the reasoning to a close with an explicit conclusion, e.g. "hence it is clear that philosophy plays an important role in the good life as...
Question 2. Outline and evaluate Aristotle’s argument for the conclusion that mankind has a function and that it is to reason.
Aristotle argues that each organism has a biological Cut biological function unique to that special and the good life is attainable if we exercise out unique function in accordance with virtue and excellence over the period of our lives. The plant has the nutritive soul and therefore its function is to feel and grow. Animals possess the perceptive soul and hence their function is to feed, grow, perceive, move and reproduce. A human’s function therefore, according to Aristotle, is to use their rational principle. This can be tightened up. You need to work through Aristotle's reasoning more properly; it is *because* the first two things are shared by plants/animals respectively, and because our function is unique to us, that the function for humans *must* be the third thingThis assessment is, however, problematic. Firstly, Aristotle doesn’t claim who provided one with their function for he does not believe in a God or any other higher power This needs furthering - what is the implication of A's failure to do so on the validity of his argument?. Secondly, his argument rests on the mere assumption that we even possess a function. Who is to say humans possess an instrumental purpose such as a knife, which is to cut well? Don't frame evaluations as rhetorical question. Again, this needs linking back to implications for A Finally, research into chimpanzees begs the question as to whether reason can be uniquely human as these animals express the ability to communicate and apply reason to the completion of particular tasks. V. good series of evaluations - always include more than one. This is a solid response.
Question 3. What is Weil’s view of the role of society in enabling the good life? What are her reasons for this view?
Weil regards society as playing a large role in the fulfilment in an individual’s ability to obtain the good life. She places great reliance on social collectivities who are able to nurture and satisfy an individual’s spiritual needs and obtain a balance between each antithetical pair: her mean. This dependence on society is further expressed through her plant analogy as she argues that one must be firmly rooted in a stable and healthy environment. Those views are greatly influenced by her own experiences in France and of the instability that ensues as the result of war and foreign invasions. I can't comment too much on this, as I didn't do Weil, but (lol) where it says "what are her reasons for this view", it doesn't mean what has influenced her to believe such things :P It means what is her philosophical justification
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