Phil 104A S19: Exam 2 Study Guide

Part I: Fill in the Blank. You should know the definitions of the following words for fill in the blank questions. A word bank will be provided:
  • Form
  • Matter
  • Hylomorphism
  • Teleology
  • Syllogism
  • Deductive
  • Valid
  • Invalid
  • Term
  • Necessary Truth
  • Good
  • Highest Good
  • Hedonism
  • Materialism
  • Proposition
  • Pantheism
  • Ataraxia
  • Apatheia
Part II: Short Answer. You should be able to explain the following concepts:
  • Aristotelian Hylomorphism and how he uses it to explain change.
  • The four causes and an example that illustrates them.
  • The Aristotelian syllogism and how this relates to Aristotle's account of knowledge. 
  • The Sea Battle problem and Aristotle's solution to it. 
  • Aristotle's argument for the Prime Mover and the role the Prime Mover plays in Aristotle's philosophical system.
  • Aristotle's account of a function and the related concepts of virtue and vice. You should be able to illustrate these concepts with an example. 
  • Aristotle's account of the function of a human being.
  • The relationship between Aristotelian ethics and politics. 
  • The core tenants of Cynicism, and how they seek to achieve ataraxia.
  • A story about Diogenes the Cynic and its philosophical significance. 
  • The core tenants of Epicureanism and how they seek to achieve ataraxia. 
  • Epicurean metaphysics.
  • Epicurus' argument that it is wrong to fear death.
  • The core tenants of Stoicism and how they seek to achieve ataraxia. 
  • Why Stoicism was and continues to be so popular compared to the other Hellenistic philosophers.
  • Stoic propositional logic and how it differs from Aristotelian categorical logic.
  • Stoic metaphysics
  • The core tenants of Academic Skepticism/Pyrrhonism and how they seek to achieve ataraxia. 
  • One of the modes of Skepticism and how it is relevant to the larger project of the Academic Skeptic.
  • The classic objection to skepticism and the response of the Academic skeptic to it. 
Part III: Essay. You should be prepared to write a 1-2 page essay in which you discuss one of the Hellenistic schools we discussed in class, and explain some of the major Hellenic (pre-Socratic, Socratic, Platonic, and/or Aristotelian) influences on that philosophical system.
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