Modern
Philosophy Final Take-Home Exam R. Yezzi
Spring,
2004
1. Trace in some detail the treatment of the concept
of substance in the philosophies of Descartes, Hobbes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Locke,
Berkeley, Hume, and Kant. Then give a
general evaluation of the issue, giving appropriate justification.
2. Important parts of Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
amount to a commentary on Descartes' philosophy. Explain in some detail how
Locke either agrees or disagrees with Descartes. Some possible topics for
comparison from Descartes: innate ideas, clear and distinct ideas, the essence
of human beings as a thinking thing, substance, method, arguments for the
existence of God.
With which philosopher are you more
inclined to agree? Justify your answer.
3. Summarize in some detail and evaluate Locke's
position on knowledge, probability, faith, and enthusiasm in Book IV of An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. Be sure to justify your evaluation.
4.
Provide summaries of Hume's treatment of (1) liberty and necessity, (2)
miracles, and (3) God's existence.
Also, evaluate his positions, giving
justification.
5.Explain
briefly how David Hume treats these issues: substance, personal identity,
causes and effects, inductive reasoning, and morality. (You should also think
about the way he handles the topics mentioned in Question 4.)
Then evaluate (giving justification)
the following:
"Hume's skepticism is wholly
destructive and therefore of little value to anyone interested in philosophy as
a way to improve human life. By arguing
against the concepts of substance, personal identity, causes and effects, inductive
reasoning, free will, the rational basis for morality, and naturalistic
explanations of God, Hume leaves nothing by which to build a constructive
philosophy, one that extols wisdom and abhors confusion."
(James Melancor, True Philosophy and Its History)
6. Briefly explain the following:
a.
The Principle of Sufficient Reason (Leibniz)
b.
Locke on property
c.
Esse est percipi (
d.
e.
Hume on skepticism and practical life
7.
Explain three major differences in the political philosophies of Thomas Hobbes
and John Locke. With respect to these
differences, with whom would you most agree? Justify your answer.
8.
Write an organized essay summarizing Kant’s metaphysics and theory of
knowledge. Some terms you may find useful: pure reason, analytic and synthetic
judgments, synthetic a priori
judgments (propositions), pure mathematics, pure science of nature, metaphysics
as science, thing-in-itself (Ding-an-sich),
sensibility, pure intuition, concepts of the understanding (categories),
synthetic unity of apperception.
9.
Compare and contrast the positions of Leibniz and Berkeley. Some issues: the
nature of reality, sensory experience, God, mind or soul. Evaluate (giving
justification) either Leibniz’ or else
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