5. Classical Greece II Flashcards
Where did the first Greek philosophers, the Pre-Socratics, primarily originate?
A) Athens
B) Crete
C) Ionia
D) Sparta
C) Ionia
What was a central assumption of Ionian thinkers?
A) Natural phenomena are caused solely by divine intervention.
B) The natural world operates according to an underlying order.
C) Mythical stories are sufficient to explain natural events.
D) All knowledge is purely conventional and subjective.
B) The natural world operates according to an underlying order.
What distinguished Sophists from earlier philosophers?
A) They denied the existence of gods.
B) They accepted payment for teaching rhetoric and persuasive speaking.
C) They were priests tied to temples and palaces.
D) They believed that empirical observation was the only reliable method.
B) They accepted payment for teaching rhetoric and persuasive speaking.
What critique did Sophists have of traditional customs and values?
A) They argued that these customs were divinely ordained.
B) They claimed such customs were natural and unchanging.
C) They believed customs and values were merely conventional and varied between cities.
D) They upheld customs as the ultimate source of truth.
C) They believed customs and values were merely conventional and varied between cities.
What was a key difference between pre-Socratic philosophers and traditional Greek myths?
A) Pre-Socratics relied on myths to explain natural phenomena.
B) Pre-Socratics rejected myths as sufficient explanations for natural phenomena.
C) Pre-Socratics claimed myths were more reliable than observations.
D) Pre-Socratics sought to synthesize myths with philosophical reasoning.
B) Pre-Socratics rejected myths as sufficient explanations for natural phenomena.
What is “sophistry”?
A) The pursuit of truth through philosophical reasoning.
B) The study of natural phenomena and their underlying principles.
C) The use of persuasive but often deceptive reasoning.
D) The rejection of all forms of rhetoric and debate.
C) The use of persuasive but often deceptive reasoning.
How did Socrates primarily engage with others to explore ethical values?
A) By delivering lectures in public forums.
B) By selling his expertise for a fee.
C) Through Socratic questioning to probe assumptions.
D) By writing philosophical treatises.
C) Through Socratic questioning to probe assumptions.
What was one key difference between Plato and Aristotle’s philosophical approaches?
A) Plato focused on empirical observation, while Aristotle distrusted the senses.
B) Aristotle emphasized empirical study, while Plato valued ideal forms and reason.
C) Plato rejected all forms of systematic philosophy, while Aristotle embraced it.
D) Aristotle believed in universal forms, while Plato denied their existence.
B) Aristotle emphasized empirical study, while Plato valued ideal forms and reason.
Why did Socrates become a martyr for free inquiry and conscience?
A) He was executed for undermining Athenian democracy.
B) He fled Athens to avoid punishment for his teachings.
C) He refused to plea-bargain or flee, accepting his death.
D) He published writings critical of the Athenian jury system.
C) He refused to plea-bargain or flee, accepting his death.
What is a primary characteristic of Plato’s philosophy as described in The Republic?
A) A focus on empirical data collection and observation.
B) Advocacy for a literal interpretation of democratic governance.
C) The proposal of an ideal polis ordered by universal forms.
D) Rejection of philosophical ideals in favor of materialism.
C) The proposal of an ideal polis ordered by universal forms.
Which of the following best describes Aristotle’s contribution to philosophy and science?
A) He developed treatises that rejected received wisdom.
B) He relied solely on intuition and rejected empirical evidence.
C) He formalized logic and applied reason to empirical observations.
D) He promoted a society based on equality without hierarchy.
C) He formalized logic and applied reason to empirical observations.
What is the origin of the term “philosophy”?
A) Derived from the Latin words for “truth” and “logic.”
B) A combination of Greek terms meaning “search for reason.”
C) Greek words meaning “love of wisdom.”
D) The combination of terms for “thinking” and “order.”
C) Greek words meaning “love of wisdom.”
What concern drove much of Western intellectual life from the time of the pre-Socratics?
A) The exploration of mathematical proofs.
B) The search for a fundamental, underlying unity to things.
C) The development of democratic political systems.
D) The creation of mythological explanations for natural phenomena.
B) The search for a fundamental, underlying unity to things.
Which philosopher proposed that water is the fundamental substance of the universe?
A) Heraclitus
B) Thales
C) Anaximenes
D) Empedocles
B) Thales
How did Heraclitus contribute to the debate about the unity of the universe?
A) He suggested that air is the fundamental substance.
B) He argued that the universe is in constant flux but has an underlying pattern.
C) He proposed that everything is a combination of four elements.
D) He believed mathematics is the key to understanding the universe.
B) He argued that the universe is in constant flux but has an underlying pattern.
What was a key insight attributed to Pythagoras and his followers?
A) The importance of relying on the senses to perceive reality.
B) The idea that mathematics reveals the underlying order of the universe.
C) That water appears in three phases and forms all matter.
D) The claim that all natural phenomena can be reduced to logos.
B) The idea that mathematics reveals the underlying order of the universe.
What is the purpose of Plato’s theory of “forms”?
A) To identify the perfect and unchanging essence of things.
B) To create a physical representation of reality.
C) To explain why all physical objects are identical.
D) To prove that physical matter is eternal.
A) To identify the perfect and unchanging essence of things.
According to Plato, how does the physical world compare to the forms?
A) The physical world is an exact reflection of the forms.
B) The physical world is less real than the forms.
C) The physical world is as real as the forms.
D) The physical world creates the forms.
B) The physical world is less real than the forms.
What is the main tool for understanding Plato’s forms?
A) Sensory observation.
B) Logical and scientific experimentation.
C) The use of reason and the mind.
D) Creative imagination and inspiration.
C) The use of reason and the mind.
What is Plato’s view on change and perfection?
A) Change is essential to achieving perfection.
B) Change indicates imperfection, while perfect things are unchanging.
C) Change and perfection coexist in harmony.
D) Change transforms imperfect things into perfect forms.
B) Change indicates imperfection, while perfect things are unchanging.
How did Plato’s ideas reinforce Greek views on gender roles?
A) Men and women were seen as equally intellectual.
B) Men were associated with reason and intellect, while women were linked to the physical.
C) Women were considered more intellectual than men.
D) Plato argued for equality in intellectual capacity between genders.
B) Men were associated with reason and intellect, while women were linked to the physical.
What did Greek philosophers like Xenophanes criticize about traditional Greek gods?
A) Their physical appearance.
B) Their human-like flaws and behavior.
C) Their lack of interaction with humans.
D) Their focus on material reality.
B) Their human-like flaws and behavior.
What term did Plato use to refer to the ultimate source of all forms?
A) The One.
B) The Divine.
C) The Form of the Good.
D) The Essence of Unity.
C) The Form of the Good.
How did Aristotle’s view of forms differ from Plato’s?
A) Aristotle believed forms existed independently of physical objects.
B) Aristotle argued that forms cannot exist without material instances.
C) Aristotle rejected the concept of forms entirely.
D) Aristotle equated forms with the divine.
B) Aristotle argued that forms cannot exist without material instances.
What concept did Aristotle use to explain why objects move or change?
A) Forms and their independence.
B) Telos, or the fulfillment of a goal.
C) Divine intervention in the physical world.
D) The imperfection of material objects.
B) Telos, or the fulfillment of a goal.
What does Aristotle believe is essential for understanding reality?
A) Rational contemplation.
B) The rejection of change.
C) Sensory observation.
D) Mystical insights.
C) Sensory observation.
Why did some Greeks distrust philosophers like Socrates?
A) They criticized traditional myths and gods.
B) They sought to establish a new religion.
C) They prioritized wealth over ethics.
D) They avoided discussing moral issues.
A) They criticized traditional myths and gods.
