The Self and Free Will

Description: This quiz covers the concept of the self and free will in philosophy.
Number of Questions: 15
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Tags: philosophy philosophy of identity free will
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What is the central question in the philosophy of the self?

  1. What is the nature of consciousness?

  2. What is the relationship between the mind and the body?

  3. What is the self?

  4. What is the meaning of life?


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The philosophy of the self is concerned with the nature of the self, including its relationship to consciousness, the body, and the external world.

Which philosopher is known for his theory of the 'divided self'?

  1. René Descartes

  2. David Hume

  3. Immanuel Kant

  4. Søren Kierkegaard


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Søren Kierkegaard is known for his theory of the 'divided self', which posits that the self is divided between its finite and infinite aspects.

What is the 'hard problem of consciousness'?

  1. The problem of explaining how consciousness arises from physical processes.

  2. The problem of explaining why consciousness is subjective.

  3. The problem of explaining how consciousness interacts with the physical world.

  4. The problem of explaining how consciousness can exist in a material universe.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The 'hard problem of consciousness' is the problem of explaining how consciousness arises from physical processes. It is considered to be one of the most difficult problems in philosophy.

Which philosopher argued that free will is an illusion?

  1. René Descartes

  2. David Hume

  3. Immanuel Kant

  4. Friedrich Nietzsche


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

David Hume argued that free will is an illusion because all of our actions are determined by our desires and aversions, which are in turn caused by our circumstances.

What is the 'compatibilist' view of free will?

  1. The view that free will is compatible with determinism.

  2. The view that free will is incompatible with determinism.

  3. The view that free will is a matter of luck.

  4. The view that free will is a matter of choice.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The 'compatibilist' view of free will holds that free will is compatible with determinism, meaning that even if our actions are determined by our circumstances, we can still be held morally responsible for them.

Which philosopher argued that free will is a necessary condition for moral responsibility?

  1. René Descartes

  2. David Hume

  3. Immanuel Kant

  4. John Stuart Mill


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Immanuel Kant argued that free will is a necessary condition for moral responsibility because it is only if we have free will that we can be held responsible for our actions.

What is the 'libertarian' view of free will?

  1. The view that free will is compatible with determinism.

  2. The view that free will is incompatible with determinism.

  3. The view that free will is a matter of luck.

  4. The view that free will is a matter of choice.


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The 'libertarian' view of free will holds that free will is incompatible with determinism, meaning that our actions are not determined by our circumstances and that we have genuine freedom of choice.

Which philosopher argued that free will is an illusion because our actions are determined by our unconscious desires?

  1. René Descartes

  2. David Hume

  3. Sigmund Freud

  4. Friedrich Nietzsche


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Sigmund Freud argued that free will is an illusion because our actions are determined by our unconscious desires, which are beyond our conscious control.

What is the 'Frankfurt case'?

  1. A thought experiment that challenges the compatibilist view of free will.

  2. A thought experiment that challenges the libertarian view of free will.

  3. A thought experiment that challenges the idea of moral responsibility.

  4. A thought experiment that challenges the idea of determinism.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The 'Frankfurt case' is a thought experiment that challenges the compatibilist view of free will by showing that it is possible for someone to be morally responsible for an action even if they were not able to do otherwise.

Which philosopher argued that free will is a necessary condition for human flourishing?

  1. René Descartes

  2. David Hume

  3. Immanuel Kant

  4. John Stuart Mill


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

John Stuart Mill argued that free will is a necessary condition for human flourishing because it is only if we have free will that we can pursue our own goals and values.

What is the 'compatibilist' response to the 'Frankfurt case'?

  1. That the 'Frankfurt case' is not a valid argument against compatibilism.

  2. That the 'Frankfurt case' shows that compatibilism is false.

  3. That the 'Frankfurt case' is irrelevant to the debate between compatibilism and libertarianism.

  4. That the 'Frankfurt case' shows that free will is an illusion.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The 'compatibilist' response to the 'Frankfurt case' is that it is not a valid argument against compatibilism because it relies on a mistaken understanding of the concept of freedom.

Which philosopher argued that free will is a necessary condition for the existence of God?

  1. René Descartes

  2. David Hume

  3. Immanuel Kant

  4. William James


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

René Descartes argued that free will is a necessary condition for the existence of God because it is only if we have free will that we can choose to love and obey God.

What is the 'libertarian' response to the 'Frankfurt case'?

  1. That the 'Frankfurt case' is a valid argument against compatibilism.

  2. That the 'Frankfurt case' shows that compatibilism is false.

  3. That the 'Frankfurt case' is irrelevant to the debate between compatibilism and libertarianism.

  4. That the 'Frankfurt case' shows that free will is an illusion.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The 'libertarian' response to the 'Frankfurt case' is that it is a valid argument against compatibilism because it shows that it is possible for someone to be morally responsible for an action even if they were not able to do otherwise.

Which philosopher argued that free will is an illusion because our actions are determined by our genes?

  1. René Descartes

  2. David Hume

  3. Francis Crick

  4. Friedrich Nietzsche


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Francis Crick argued that free will is an illusion because our actions are determined by our genes, which are beyond our conscious control.

What is the 'compatibilist' view of moral responsibility?

  1. The view that we are morally responsible for our actions even if they were determined by our circumstances.

  2. The view that we are morally responsible for our actions only if they were not determined by our circumstances.

  3. The view that we are morally responsible for our actions only if we had the ability to do otherwise.

  4. The view that we are morally responsible for our actions only if we were aware of the consequences of our actions.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The 'compatibilist' view of moral responsibility holds that we are morally responsible for our actions even if they were determined by our circumstances, as long as we had the ability to choose otherwise.

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