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PHIL 1101: Introduction to Philosophy
Exam 2 guide
Exam format and directions
The format of this exam is the same as that of the first. There are three question sets below that you
should answer in about 300 -450 words each, for a total of 900 -1350 words over the entire exam. Point values
for each question set appear in italics. As with the previous exam , you may use the readings, handouts,
assignments, and class notes when preparing your answers. Use online sources sparingly , and preferably not at
all.
A folder is available in the Assignments section of D2L for the exam. That folder will close at 5:00 pm
on Monday, May 13. Like the term paper, you may submit your exam after that time. I will accept late exams
until 5:00 pm on Wednesday, May 15. A ten -point penalty will apply to late exams . I will not accept exams after
the evening of the 15 th.
I will hold additional office time during the week of May 6 during our normal class meeting time. You
are not required to visit with me for the second exam, though I strongly encourage you to do so anyway if you
have any questions. Meeting with me is also a good opportunity to discuss your term paper before you submit
it.
Questions
1. Descartes presents some skeptical arguments in the first Meditation that challenge the truth of many of the
beliefs we have. The madman and dreaming arguments address our empirical beliefs, and the evil demon
argument undermines our a priori beliefs. How do those arguments challenge the truth of our beliefs? Why
do the challenges those arguments pose disqualify those beliefs from being the foundation of our
knowledge? How does the foundational belief Descartes identifies in the second Meditation , his belief in his
own existence, avoid the challenge t hre e skeptical arguments pose? [20 points]
2. Consider two explanations of the way the human species originated. One explana tion is that a god created
some first humans when that god created the world 6000 years ago, those first humans reproduced with
one another, and that explains why all of us exist today. The second explanation is that genetic mutations
occurred in non -human species over several million years of the Earth ’s existence . T hose mutations along
with the process of natural selection eventually led to the earliest humans who then reproduced, and thus
all of us exist today. Popper’s criteria for distinguishing scienc e from pseudoscience will hold that the first
explanation is not scientific and the second explanation is. How can Popper argue that the first explanation
is pseudoscientific and the second explanation is scientific? Why does the distinction of science and
pseudoscience rely on the idea that there are objective facts ; that is, why will Popper’s criteria for a theory
being scientific not apply if all facts are relative ? [20 points]
3. Jennifer Saul’s essay ‘Just go ahead and lie’ presents several arguments in favor of the idea that it is morally
worse to lie than it is to mislead or deceive. Saul presents objections to each of those arguments, ultimately
concluding that there is no ethical difference between lying and misleading/deceiving. How does one of
the a rguments in favor of the difference support the idea that lying is worse, and how does Saul object to
that argument? Why is it impossible to lie if there are only relative, non -objective facts ? [10 points]