Questioning Knowledge: Explore Scepticism in Epistemology

Question 1

According to Descartes' skeptical hypothesis, what is the only thing we can be certain of?

Accepted Answer

That we exist

Answer

That the external world exists

Answer

That our senses are reliable

Answer

That our knowledge is certain

Question 2

Hume's bundle theory of the self states that:

Accepted Answer

The self is a collection of constantly changing perceptions.

Answer

The self is a permanent, unchanging entity.

Answer

The self is an illusion created by our minds.

Answer

The self is unknowable and beyond our understanding.

Question 3

What is the main conclusion of Descartes' method of doubt?

Accepted Answer

We can only be certain of our own existence.

Answer

We can never know anything for sure.

Answer

Our senses are unreliable.

Answer

Skepticism is the only valid philosophical position.

Question 4

What is the problem of other minds?

Accepted Answer

How can we know that other people have minds like our own?

Answer

How can we communicate with people who have different minds?

Answer

Why do people have different beliefs and experiences?

Answer

How can we prove that other minds exist?

Question 5

Which of the following is a response to the problem of induction?

Accepted Answer

Hume's principle of uniformity

Answer

Kant's transcendental idealism

Answer

Descartes' method of doubt

Answer

Plato's theory of Forms

Question 6

What is the main difference between Descartes' and Hume's skeptical arguments?

Accepted Answer

Hume doubts the possibility of knowledge from experience, while Descartes doubts the certainty of our knowledge.

Answer

Descartes doubts the existence of the external world, while Hume doubts the reliability of our senses.

Answer

Descartes argues that we can never know anything for sure, while Hume argues that we can have provisional knowledge.

Answer

Descartes relies on reason, while Hume relies on experience.

Question 7

Which of the following is the central claim of epistemological scepticism?

Accepted Answer

Knowledge claims are fundamentally unreliable due to the limitations of our perception and the potential inaccessibility of the external world.

Answer

Rational inquiry and logical deduction are sufficient for acquiring knowledge.

Question 8

René Descartes employed which method to cast doubt on the reliability of sensory experience?

Accepted Answer

Radical doubt

Answer

Empirical verification

Answer

Systematic observation

Answer

Heuristic inference

Question 9

What does the 'veil of perception' concept suggest?

Accepted Answer

Our sensory experiences do not provide a direct window to external reality but rather offer an incomplete and potentially distorted representation.

Answer

Knowledge is inherently biased by our subjective interpretations.

Question 10

Which is NOT a potential implication of scepticism?

Accepted Answer

It leads to unwavering belief and certainty.

Answer

It can contribute to relativism and the rejection of fixed truth claims.

Answer

It undermines the possibility of objective knowledge.

Question 11

What does the 'problem of the criterion' in epistemology refer to?

Accepted Answer

The difficulty in establishing a reliable criterion to distinguish between true and false beliefs.

Answer

The problem of induction and the limitations of scientific knowledge.

Answer

The challenge of proving the existence of God.

Question 12

According to pragmatist responses to scepticism:

Accepted Answer

Knowledge may not be absolute but is justified by its practical consequences and effectiveness in problem-solving.

Answer

Scepticism is an intrinsic and unavoidable aspect of human cognition.

Question 13

Hume's problem of induction highlights which philosophical issue?

Accepted Answer

The lack of a rational justification for believing that the future will resemble the past.

Answer

The difficulty of distinguishing between appearance and reality.

Answer

The impossibility of proving the existence of a divine being.

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of a skeptical argument?

Accepted Answer

Agrippa's trilemma

Answer

The categorical imperative

Answer

The ontological argument

Question 15

The skeptical position known as 'epistemological nihilism' holds that:

Accepted Answer

No knowledge claims can be justified.

Answer

Moral knowledge is subjective.

Answer

Only scientific knowledge is valid.

Question 16

What is the main argument of Münchhausen's trilemma?

Accepted Answer

If our beliefs are justified by other beliefs, those beliefs must be justified by further beliefs, leading to an infinite regress.

Answer

Sensory experience cannot provide a reliable foundation for knowledge.

Answer

Human reason is inherently flawed and unreliable.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a potential implication of skepticism?

Accepted Answer

A heightened sense of self-confidence.

Answer

A loss of faith in science.

Answer

A sense of heightened awareness and caution.

Question 18

What is the primary goal of Pyrrhonian skepticism?

Accepted Answer

Attaining a state of tranquility by suspending judgment.

Answer

Developing a rigorous method of doubt.

Answer

Refuting the arguments of dogmatic philosophers.

Question 19

Which of the following is a main argument put forward by sceptics?

Accepted Answer

We cannot be certain of our knowledge of the external world.

Answer

Knowledge is always subjective.

Answer

Truth is impossible to find.

Question 20

Which philosopher is most closely associated with the sceptical trope of the evil demon?

Accepted Answer

René Descartes

Answer

David Hume

Answer

Immanuel Kant

Answer

Bertrand Russell

Question 21

Which of the following is a characteristic of Pyrrhonian scepticism?

Accepted Answer

It emphasizes the suspension of judgment.

Answer

It argues for the existence of a universal truth.

Answer

It is a form of radical scepticism.

Answer

It is based on a belief in the power of reason.

Question 22

What is a common criticism levelled against radical scepticism?

Accepted Answer

It leads to a paralysis of action and makes everyday life impossible.

Answer

It fails to account for the reliability of scientific knowledge.

Answer

It relies on flawed assumptions about the nature of perception.