Essay Questions (Choose one essays)
1. How does the Logic of Aristotle undermine the kind of Relativism taught by the Sophists?
2. Please explain Plato theory of the reality of intelligible Forms. Why or why not are the Forms helpful for understanding life and reality?
3. What sort of defense could you mount against the attacks on Common Sense by Parmenides and Zeno? Can it be shown that the world of our sense experience is the real world? You will need to both explain Parmenides philosophy and ideas first and then agree/disagree and explain yourself. Or another a critique offered by another philosopher.
4. Should Socrates have accepted Critos offer of escape? Focus on the pros and cons given in the Crito. Explain Socrates reasons and why you believe he was either right or wrong in his views.
5. Restate as clearly as possible an Atomists tries to defeat Parmenides and reconciles the one and the many.
6. Explain the main issue surrounding Euthyphros claim that he knows piety and its demands on him. Please make direct reference to Socrates questioning of Euthyphro.
7. Please explain Aristotles Square of Opposition and how it relates to understanding statement and their validity.
8. Please juxtapose Marx and Hegel. In what ways does Marx attempt to correct Hegel and why? Is it successful?
9. Please explain some of the features of the Arabic Philosophical Tradition. Next, choose one of the major philosophers of that tradition (Al-Kindi, Al-Farabi, Avicenna and Al-Ghazali) and explain their philosophical contributions.
10. Please explain the elements of Rene Descartes Method and whether it does indeed bring clear ideas. How is it supposed to work and what is it supposed to show?
11. Please explain Immanuel Kants Critique of Pure reason and why it was supposed to save reason.
