1 Explain the difference between a deductive argument and an inductive argument.
2 What is an ‘argument to the best explanation’?
3 Del Kiernan-Lewis says, “Philosophy is everywhere.” How so?
4 What are subjectivism and conventionalism, and why does Del Kiernan-Lewis think that they are self-refuting?
5 Why does Socrates reject Euthyphro’s definition of ‘piety’ as ‘what is loved by all the gods’?
6 How does Socrates argue that death is probably a blessing?
7 Socrates says that a good man cannot be harmed. How so?
8 What is Socrates’ best reason for saying that it would be wrong for him to escape from prison and avoid being executed? What do you think about this?
9 Why might someone think that the Apology and the Crito give us inconsistent views about whether it is ever right to disobey the law? Do you think the views expressed in these two works are inconsistent?
10 In the Meno Socrates questions a slave boy about geometry. What doctrine is he trying to support by doing this? Do you think that his ‘experiment’ does give support to his theory?
11 In what sense are philosophers practicing for dying all their lives (according to Socrates)?
12 Briefly, what is Plato’s theory of forms?
13 What reasons does Descartes give (in Meditation One) for doubting his former beliefs? Which of these reasons leads him to doubt even his knowledge of simple arithmetic? What do you think about this kind of doubt? (Do you think the reasons Descartes gives are, as he says, “valid and considered reasons” that really do show that none of our ordinary beliefs is certain?)
14 On what basis does Descartes claim that he can be absolutely sure that he exists?
15 What does Descartes think that he essentially is?
16 What point is Descartes trying to establish with the example of the lump of wax in Meditation Two?
17 What rule does Descartes find (in Meditation Three) to guide his search for truth? What do you think of this rule?
18 Why does Descartes claim that all of our knowledge depends on our knowledge of God and on our knowing that God is not a deceiver?
19 In your own words, explain and evaluate the causal argument for God's existence that Descartes gives in Meditation Three.
20 In your own words, explain and evaluate the ontological argument for God's existence (given by Descartes in Meditation Five).
21 What is Descartes’ best reason for thinking that the mind is distinct from the body? (Explain briefly.)
22 Someone says, “Descartes is a philosopher who thinks we can’t even know that we have a body or that any material objects really exist.” You explain their mistake.