Study Questions for Test 1
Introduction to Philosophy: 34-110-30
Instructor: Dr. M. Guarini

Your first test will consist of an extended essay answer to one of the questions below.  You will not know which question until the day of the test.

(1) What is the challenge that Glaucon and Adeimentus put to Socrates regarding justice in the individual?  With respect to justice in the individual, what has Socrates said that could be taken as a response to this challenge?  Do you agree or disagree?  Defend your position.

(2 Plato recommends that philosophers become kings or that the kings of this world become philosophers.  What are his reasons for making this recommendation?  What is Plato's argument against democracy?  Do you agree with Plato's views regarding who should and should not rule?  Discuss all the preceding with reference to the reasons Plato has for making his recommendations.

(3) How does Plato distinguish between knowledge and belief?  Do you subscribe to this way of making the distinction?  Defend your answer.  Be sure to discuss in detail both the analogy of the divided line and the allegory of the cave and how they are related to one another.

(4) Present Glaucon’s version of the "social contract" theory of justice.  Present Plato’s theory of justice in the state.  Be sure to present each theory’s account of the origins of the state.  Both theories cannot be right about everything they claim.  Present an argument for the superiority of one of the theories over the other, or present arguments for why they are both flawed.

What is the point of these questions?
By having the possible test questions in advance, you can take your time, reflect, and prepare answers so that you have the opportunity to go into the test knowing what will be expected of you. They also tend to encourage continuous engagement with the course content and attendence since the questions track very closely what we do in class. The questions themselves are designed to encourage you to synthesise or integrate material presented over different lectures or different readings. Some overlap is acceptable (and harmless since you will only have to answer one of these questions). If, at any time, you are wondering what sort of topics you should or should not get into when answering one of the questions, ask the instructor.  He is happy to help out. In fact, if you have any questions at all about the study questions, please ask the instructor.  That's kind of why he posted them so far in advance of the test (i.e. to help you, and to help him to help you).