Personal and Professional Philosophies

Question 1

Absurdism

Answer 1

This personal philosophy holds that life has basically no meaning and remains utterly ridiculous and absurd

Question 2

Agnosticism

Answer 2

Began around 300 AD. Assumed that God exists, but argued that humans cannot know or understand God.

Question 3

Atheism

Answer 3

An anti-religious position which believes that no god exists.

Question 4

Brahmanism

Answer 4

Religion that preceded Hinduism, postulating one God, Brahma, the Creator. When Brahma sleeps, he dreams this universe into existence, the Night of Brahma; when he wakes, this universe evaporates, the Day of Brahma.

Question 5

Buddhism

Answer 5

A religious philosophy that explains how humans can escape the wheel of constant suffering and death and rebirth by attaining enlightenment and becoming “extinct,” by following the teachings of the Buddha.

Question 6

Catholicism

Answer 6

Holds that a special Sacred deific Trinity exists all-in-one: Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Ghost (which may be a female entity according to Genesis I).

Question 7

Clerical

Answer 7

This word simply implies any type of association with religion.

Question 8

Confucianism

Answer 8

This philosophy interprets earthly and cosmic events in terms of the TAO, or otherwise, in terms of understanding the infinite and constant dynamic interplay of the female cosmic principle Yin with the male cosmic principle Yang.

Question 9

Creationism

Answer 9

Represents a literalist and fundamentalist belief, based on assuming that words in the Old Testament can only be interpreted literally, meaning that God created every single natural living thing, one by one, from scratch.

Question 10

Deism

Answer 10

Holds that a God does exist, though deism does not specify which God (Christian, Hebrew, Islamic, Hindu, etc.)

Question 11

Existentialism

Answer 11

Response to God’s puzzling withdrawal from and non-interference in human events; has two forms: classical (God’s cosmic morality remains undiscoverable, humans must make moral decisions now) and modern (god’s sense is absurd and so is life).

Question 12

Gaeaists

Answer 12

Believes that the entire earth is alive and is a consciousness: 1) the Earth is a goddess (strong Gaeaism) or 2) the Earth is a life form, a biological entity (weak Gaeaism)

Question 13

Gnosticism

Answer 13

Believed that a Good God worked against a co-existent similarly supernatural Evil being, the Demiurge. Humans, by study and practice, could compute and learn and discern what the Good God thought was morally good, ethical, and right—and thus practice solely doing good.

Question 14

Hinduism

Answer 14

Represents a mainstream polytheistic religion that holds that a Trinity of three principal gods exist: Siva (destroyer), Vishnu (maintainer of balance of Good and Evil), and Brahma (creator). Humans undergo continued rebirth depending on sins or pieties.

Demotions (rebirth)—animal, vegetable, insect, or demon life
Promotions (rebirth)—become ascended into higher castes or even as Celestial Beings

Question 15

Humanism

Answer 15

Can be clerical or secular; noting that God has recently developed a non-participation policy, humans must be respected and trusted to solve life’s problems. Humans are the only ones who can do so.

Question 16

Immortalists

Answer 16

A rather unknown group that believes that the Earth currently has about 300 immortals: select humans who have attained supra-wisdom and broken the physical-mortality barrier through spiritual efforts.

Question 17

Intelligent Design [AKA ID]

Answer 17

Holds that some biological structures remain so complex that evolution fails as an explanation for their cause; therefore a deity must have created life—in the Creationist sense.

Question 18

Islam

Answer 18

Believes that only one God exists—Allah. Has no other identities; no separate Holy Spirit exists; Jesus was not the son of God, though he was a respected prophet.

Question 19

Judaism

Answer 19

Believes that one God exists. No messiah has arrived yet, though prophesied. Called Jehovah aka Yahweh: both a Creator/Evolver.

Question 20

Magic Realism

Answer 20

This art form mixes magic/supernatural events and irrational elements with characters who are psychologically real, while also alluding to myth or legend, and while also subverting institutions, in fiction and film.

Question 21

Mormonism

Answer 21

Believes that its founder Joseph Smith found new divine Christian-centric texts on Golden Plates in America stipulating how modern Christians were supposed to continue practicing true Christianity in the New World; called this the Book of Mormon.

Question 22

Nihilism

Answer 22

A personal philosophy that believes nothing has any intrinsic value. Life is completely meaningless. All human efforts are nothing in the end.

Question 23

Optimism

Answer 23

A personal philosophy that believes that everything turns out for the best

Question 24

Pantheism

Answer 24

“Nature” itself is a deity.

Question 25

Pessimism

Answer 25

A personal philosophy that believes that everything turns out for the worst.

Question 26

Polytheism

Answer 26

A religious attitude that holds that multiple gods/goddesses exist.

Question 27

Pragmatism

Answer 27

A personal philosophy that believes that any correct philosophical systems must remain practice and applicable to human life.

Question 28

Protestantism

Answer 28

Jesus may or may not be divine. By the 16th century, believers claimed that certain practices of Catholic Church were not consistent with Jesus’ words and teachings, leading to European Reformation (reforming religious ideas/stereotypes of Christian God)

Question 29

Puritanism

Answer 29

Only 144,000 people will go to Heaven; called “The Elect”. Puritans believed that nobody knew who The Elect would be so they argued that everyone had a fair chance to be part of The Elect. Puritans are responsible for the creation of public education for all people in the U.S.

Question 30

Ratio(nalism)

Answer 30

Believe that human beings can come to understand the material universe by careful observation and measurement. Used X/Y as variables.

Question 31

Scientology

Answer 31

Believes that the earth has two intelligent life forms: humans and Thetans (non-earth originated super consciousness).

Question 32

Secular

Answer 32

Refers to outside/away from any association with religion

Question 33

Skepticism

Answer 33

Hold that God may or may not exist, and will refuse to select a side until proof arrives.

Question 34

Sufism

Answer 34

Represents a special sect of Islamic worshippers, who believe that by constant prayer and motion and pieties they can approach merging with the Divine Mysteries of Allah and manifest spiritual and physical powers in Allah’s name.

Question 35

Surrealism

Answer 35

An art technique that tries to blend “magic” or irrational visual/narrative elements with realistic visual elements in 2D or 3D art, or in fiction, or in film.

Question 36

The Privy Council

Answer 36

A subcommittee of the British Parliament that decides educational and religious guidelines for UK public policy.

Question 37

Theism

Answer 37

A term that implies a special god exists while also a need for following the principles according to an implied organized religion’s guidelines.