Philosophy of Religion: 1st Exam Practice Test

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Questions and Answers

Which aspect of religion does philosophy primarily engage with, distinguishing it from theology?

Religion as a human phenomenon open to rational inquiry. (correct)
The historical and cultural evolution of religious institutions.
Personal experiences of faith and spiritual practices.
Doctrinal accuracy and scriptural interpretation.

Which of the following best characterizes the 'naturalistic definition' of religion?

It emphasizes adherence to traditional religious doctrines.
It describes a divinely ordained path to spiritual fulfillment.
It focuses on rituals and practices prescribed by religious institutions.
It describes religion as a purely human activity or state of mind. (correct)

How does Kant's deontological ethics relate morality to reason?

Morality is achieved through cultivating virtues and habits.
Morality leads to reason by structuring actions according to duty and the categorical imperative. (correct)
Morality is ultimately based on divine command and religious authority.
Morality is derived from empirical observation and personal feelings.

According to Friedrich Schleiermacher, what constitutes the essence of religion?

The feeling of absolute dependence (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does Clifford Geertz suggest about the function of religion in society?

Religion acts as a cultural system that solidifies social identity and shared values. (C) Signup and view all the answers

How did the pre-Socratic philosophers challenge conventional religious beliefs?

By offering mechanistic explanations for natural events, opposing divine intervention. (B) Signup and view all the answers

In Plato's metaphysics, what is considered the ultimate reality?

The realm of Forms, which are perfect and unchanging (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to Aristotle's theory of abstraction, how does one arrive at the 'ideation' of an object, such as 'appleness'?

By systematically removing non-essential and mathematical qualities from the concept. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How does the concept of creatio ex nihilo challenge the Greek philosophical premise of nihil ex nihilo?

It asserts that God created the world from nothing, opposing the idea that something cannot come from nothing. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary focus of philosophical inquiry during the medieval period?

Reconciling ancient philosophical thought with divine revelation. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How did Augustine's conception of God differ from that of pagan religions?

Augustine's God was transcendent and separate from the world, yet intimately involved through incarnation. (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to Anselm, what is the relationship between faith and understanding?

Faith is a prerequisite for understanding; one must believe in order to understand. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What did Roger Bacon advocate as essential for understanding God?

Prior study of languages, mathematics, optics, experiential science, and moral philosophy. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes Thomas Aquinas' approach to philosophy and religion?

He synthesized philosophy and theology, using reason to illuminate faith. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How did Christian reform movements and new scientific discoveries complicate the relationship between faith and reason in the modern world?

By diminishing the role of philosophical speculation on divine matters. (D) Signup and view all the answers

According to Kant's deontological ethics, morality inevitably leads to the realm of aesthetics, not necessarily reason.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

Friedrich Schleiermacher posited that religion's essence lies in societal structures, dictating morality and ethics.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to Emile Durkheim, religion's primary role is to fracture societal norms by rigidly separating the sacred from the mundane.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to Plato, the realm of the senses is the realm of truth, while the realm of reason is subject to illusion.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to Aristotle, God is the intersection of the organic unity of God, Humans, and Nature.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

The concept of 'Nihil ex nihilo', which states nothing comes from nothing, reinforces the concept of the world's creation from nothing.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to Plato, the word theology emerges in history to represent the study of ethics.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

In Plato's philosophical view, Forms are objects of religious devotion, urging worship as numerous gods.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to the lectures, in modern times, the prevailing attitude is to believe before attempting to understand.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

The prevailing view in ancient thought held that the divine could be conceived of as existing independently of the world.

False (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to Kant, morality always boils down to the question: “what should I ______?”

do Signup and view all the answers

According to ______, 'The essence of religion consists in the feeling of an absolute dependence'.

Schleiermacher Signup and view all the answers

According to Geertz, religion acts as a cultural system which establishes powerful, pervasive, and long-standing ______ and motivations in men.

moods Signup and view all the answers

According to ______, the necessary inclusion of a transcendent being effectively excludes religious traditions with no intentional transcendent object.

Essentialist Tendency of Religion Signup and view all the answers

Rational examination of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, and conduct is the Working Definition of ______.

Philosophy Signup and view all the answers

The three logical principles are identity, non-contradiction and Excluded ______.

Middle Signup and view all the answers

[Blank] is perfect and unchanging, the world of Forms is reality; Senses is changing and therefore imperfect, the sensible world is just a shadow of the world of Forms.

Reason Signup and view all the answers

The goal of our lives is to contemplate ______; it is through this contemplation that we surpass our imperfections.

perfection Signup and view all the answers

According to Aristotle, the force that exerts a force on reality is ______.

impersonal Signup and view all the answers

In Greek tragedies, no matter how hard you try to avoid the ______, you can not escape fate.

prophecy Signup and view all the answers

The Medieval period was initiated by the ______, which became the first cause Aristotle was only talking about the first mover.

primum movens Signup and view all the answers

Nihil ex nihilo means that nothing comes from ______.

nothing Signup and view all the answers

St. Augustine and Anselm had the following beliefs, respectively: Credo ut ______ and Fides quaerens intellectum.

intelligam Signup and view all the answers

For Augustine, biblical God is intimately inolved with the world, especially with the importance of the mister of the ______.

Incarnation Signup and view all the answers

Roger Bacon believed that nothing can be known about God without prior study of languages, mathematics, optics, experiential science, and moral ______.

philosophy Signup and view all the answers

Explain how Kant's deontological ethics lead to reason, referencing his concept of the Categorical Imperative.

In Kant's deontological ethics, morality is derived from duty, which is dictated by the categorical imperative. This imperative is a principle of reason, requiring actions to be universalizable. Thus, morality, grounded in duty, is inherently linked to rational principles. Signup and view all the answers

Contrast Plato's theory of Forms with Aristotle's perspective on how form relates to matter, especially as it concerns understanding reality.

Plato posits that Forms are perfect, eternal ideals, with the physical world being merely shadows. Aristotle, conversely, believes that form is intrinsic to matter, shaping it and giving it definition, making form inseparable from the physical world, not transcendent of it. Signup and view all the answers

Explain Ludwig Wittgenstein's concept of 'family resemblance' and how it challenges essentialist approaches to defining religion?

Wittgenstein's 'family resemblance' suggests that concepts, like religion, share overlapping similarities without a single defining essence. This challenges essentialism by arguing that religion is better understood as a network of related characteristics rather than based on a fixed set of necessary and sufficient conditions. Signup and view all the answers

How did the concept of 'primum movens' or 'first mover' evolve from Aristotelian philosophy to become integrated into medieval theocentric worldviews?

Originally, Aristotle's 'primum movens' was a metaphysical concept, an impersonal force initiating motion in the cosmos. Medieval theocentrism transformed it into a personal Creator God (of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism), who not only initiated motion but also created the universe ex nihilo. Signup and view all the answers

Discuss the implications of shifting from a classical cosmocentric worldview to a modern anthropocentric one for understanding the relationship between humanity, nature, and divinity?

Classical cosmocentrism posits an organic, interrelated relationship between humanity, nature, and divinity, with fate governing all. Modern anthropocentrism fragments this unity, positioning humanity as separate and responsible for projecting unity, leading to diverse interpretations and a loss of inherent cosmic order. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the philosophical problem that natural evils pose for philosophical theology, particularly in relation to God's attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence.

The problem of natural evil challenges philosophical theology because the existence of events like earthquakes and tsunamis that cause immense suffering appears incompatible with a God who is all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient), and all-good (omnibenevolent). If God possesses these attributes, why does God allow such evils to occur? Signup and view all the answers

Distinguish between 'reasonability' and 'rationality' in the context of religious epistemology, and provide an example to illustrate the difference.

Rationality is based on logical principles and demonstrable evidence within a defined system, while reasonability acknowledges that some beliefs may lie beyond strict rational proof but are still considered reasonable. For example, believing in God's providence despite facing hardship is reasonable but not necessarily rational. Signup and view all the answers

How did the encounter between Greek philosophical thought and Jewish/Christian theology alter the course of both domains of knowledge during the medieval period?

The encounter led to a renewed interest in representing the divine within philosophy and spurred efforts to articulate faith philosophically in Judaism and Christianity. This resulted in theological frameworks that utilized philosophical categories to explain and defend religious claims. Signup and view all the answers

What does Anselm mean by 'fides quaerens intellectum,' and how does it differ from the modern approach that understanding must precede belief?

Anselm's 'fides quaerens intellectum' (faith seeking understanding) means that faith is a prerequisite for understanding ultimate reality. This contrasts with the modern approach, which often prioritizes intellectual understanding before accepting belief. Signup and view all the answers

Explain how Aquinas integrates Aristotelian philosophy into his theology, noting both his use and transformation of Aristotelian doctrines.

Aquinas employs Aristotelian philosophy to provide reasoned understanding of faith. He integrates concepts like substance and accident, giving Aristotle the honorific title 'the philosopher.' However, he also transforms these doctrines, such as with his concept of transubstantiation in the Eucharist, where he asserts a substantial change of the bread and wine. Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Philosophy of Religion

Thinking about religion using philosophical concepts.

Religio

Reverence for gods