CSS Philosophy MCQs

This comprehensive set of MCQs on Philosophy for the Central Superior Services (CSS) examination is meticulously designed to cover all essential topics in the CSS syllabus. Addressing key areas such as metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, logic, and prominent philosophical traditions, these MCQs aim to equip aspiring CSS candidates with a thorough understanding of both Western and Eastern philosophical thought.

Who should practice CSS Philosophy MCQs?

Candidates preparing for the CSS examination who want to build a strong foundation in philosophical inquiry and thought processes.
Individuals interested in exploring topics such as the nature of existence, knowledge, morality, and logical reasoning, which are essential for a wide range of civil service roles.
University students focused on high-yield topics such as the history of philosophy, major philosophers, and schools of thought (e.g., existentialism, empiricism, rationalism), crucial for the CSS Philosophy syllabus.
Anyone looking to develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of the world through philosophical concepts and methodologies.
Students committed to mastering philosophical theories and applying them to societal and ethical issues, to excel in competitive exams and pursue careers in education, public administration, or policymaking.

1. What is the primary focus of philosophy?

A) The study of ethics
B) The pursuit of wisdom and understanding
C) The study of religion
D) The development of scientific theories

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2. Which method was used by Socrates to encourage critical thinking through questioning?

A) Inductive method
B) Dialectical method
C) Deductive method
D) Socratic method

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3. Who is associated with the development of the inductive method?

A) Aristotle
B) Plato
C) Francis Bacon
D) René Descartes

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4. What is the deductive method primarily used for?

A) Discovering truths through sensory experiences
B) Drawing conclusions from general principles
C) Solving practical problems
D) Investigating human emotions

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5. Which philosopher is associated with the dialectical method?

A) John Stuart Mill
B) G.W.F. Hegel
C) Thomas Hobbes
D) Immanuel Kant

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6. Which method emphasizes the fallibility of knowledge and the need for falsification?

A) Inductive method
B) Fallibilistic method
C) Deductive method
D) Dialectical method

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7. Who is known for advocating rationalism in philosophy?

A) John Locke
B) David Hume
C) René Descartes
D) Friedrich Nietzsche

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8. Which philosopher is best known for his empiricist ideas?

A) Immanuel Kant
B) George Berkeley
C) John Locke
D) Plato

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9. Transcendentalism was developed by which philosopher?

A) Immanuel Kant
B) George Berkeley
C) Aristotle
D) René Descartes

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10. Which philosopher is associated with intuitionism in ethics?

A) John Stuart Mill
B) Henri Bergson
C) Aristotle
D) David Hume

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11. Who is considered the father of idealism in philosophy?

A) John Locke
B) Plato
C) George Berkeley
D) Aristotle

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12. Which philosophy claims that only ideas are real and that the material world is an illusion?

A) Rationalism
B) Idealism
C) Empiricism
D) Naturalism

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13. Representative realism was developed by which philosopher?

A) Aristotle
B) John Locke
C) George Berkeley
D) Immanuel Kant

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14. Which theory of materialism emphasizes that history progresses through class struggles?

A) Historical materialism
B) Dialectical materialism
C) Empirical materialism
D) Idealism

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15. What is the central question of ethics?

A) What is knowledge?
B) What is the nature of reality?
C) What is morality?
D) What is the meaning of life?

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16. Cultural relativism in ethics challenges the idea of:

A) Universal moral principles
B) Religious practices
C) Legal systems
D) Political ideologies

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17. According to psychological egoism, people act morally because:

A) They seek to help others
B) They seek pleasure and avoid pain
C) They follow societal norms
D) They have religious convictions

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18. Which philosopher is most closely associated with virtue ethics?

A) John Locke
B) Thomas Hobbes
C) Aristotle
D) John Stuart Mill

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19. What is moral absolutism?

A) The belief that morality depends on the individual
B) The idea that moral rules are universally applicable
C) The view that morality is based on cultural norms
D) The belief that ethical decisions should be based on outcomes

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20. Who is known for the development of utilitarianism?

A) John Locke
B) John Stuart Mill
C) Aristotle
D) Immanuel Kant

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21. Which philosopher proposed the Social Contract Theory?

A) Aristotle
B) Thomas Hobbes
C) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
D) John Stuart Mill

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22. Al-Farabi is known for his contributions to:

A) Metaphysics
B) Logic and ethics
C) Political philosophy
D) Aesthetics

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23. Which philosopher is known for his works on the nature of the soul and metaphysics?

A) Ibn Sina (Avicenna)
B) Al-Ghazali
C) Ibn Rushid (Averroes)
D) Shah Waliullah

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24. Al-Ghazali is known for his critique of which philosophical school?

A) Rationalism
B) Sufism
C) Aristotelianism
D) Empiricism

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25. Ibn Rushid (Averroes) is famous for his commentary on the works of:

A) Plato
B) Aristotle
C) Socrates
D) Kant

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26. Which Muslim philosopher emphasized the idea of historical development and the role of environment?

A) Ibn Sina
B) Ibn Rushid
C) Ibn Khaldun
D) Shah Waliullah

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27. Who is known for his philosophical contributions to Islamic political thought?

A) Ibn Sina
B) Al-Ghazali
C) Shah Waliullah
D) Ibn Rushid

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28. Muhammad Iqbal is known for his philosophy of:

A) Existentialism
B) Pragmatism
C) Pan-Islamism
D) Secularism

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29. Which of the following is a key feature of existentialism?

A) Emphasis on scientific reasoning
B) Focus on individual freedom and responsibility
C) Belief in predetermined fate
D) Rejection of personal choice

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30. Who is considered the central figure of existentialism?

A) Friedrich Nietzsche
B) Jean-Paul Sartre
C) Albert Camus
D) Karl Marx

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31. Pragmatism emphasizes the importance of:

A) Abstract theoretical knowledge
B) Practical consequences of ideas
C) Universal moral truths
D) Metaphysical speculation

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32. Which philosopher is associated with the development of pragmatism?

A) John Dewey
B) John Stuart Mill
C) Immanuel Kant
D) Friedrich Hegel

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33. Postmodernism is primarily concerned with:

A) The pursuit of universal truths
B) Rejecting absolute narratives and embracing relativism
C) Rational explanations of the universe
D) Establishing new metaphysical laws

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34. Who is a leading figure in postmodern philosophy?

A) Michel Foucault
B) Friedrich Nietzsche
C) Karl Marx
D) Immanuel Kant

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35. What is one of the main criticisms of postmodernism?

A) It overemphasizes reason and logic
B) It denies the existence of subjective experience
C) It challenges the idea of objective reality
D) It relies too heavily on empirical evidence

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36. Who developed the theory of “the will to power”?

A) Martin Heidegger
B) Jean-Paul Sartre
C) Friedrich Nietzsche
D) Sigmund Freud

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37. What did Martin Heidegger focus on in his philosophy?

A) Ethics and morality
B) The concept of being and existence
C) The concept of political freedom
D) The theory of knowledge

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38. Who is known for arguing that the primary aim of human life is the pursuit of happiness through virtue?

A) John Stuart Mill
B) Immanuel Kant
C) Aristotle
D) Thomas Hobbes

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39. Who developed the concept of “categorical imperative” in ethics?

A) John Locke
B) David Hume
C) Immanuel Kant
D) G.W.F. Hegel

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40. Which of the following best describes the theory of knowledge known as empiricism?

A) Knowledge comes from innate ideas
B) Knowledge is derived from sensory experience
C) Knowledge is independent of human experience
D) Knowledge is obtained through reasoning alone

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41. Who is known for the statement “Cogito, ergo sum” (“I think, therefore I am”)?

A) Immanuel Kant
B) René Descartes
C) John Locke
D) George Berkeley

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42. Which philosopher’s work is closely associated with the development of phenomenology?

A) Jean-Paul Sartre
B) Edmund Husserl
C) Friedrich Nietzsche
D) Søren Kierkegaard

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43. Which of the following is a core idea in Marx’s historical materialism?

A) The universe is governed by divine reason
B) History is shaped by the material conditions of society
C) Economic exchange drives human consciousness
D) Political power is divine in origin

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44. Who is regarded as the founder of modern philosophy in the Western tradition?

A) Plato
B) Aristotle
C) René Descartes
D) John Locke

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45. What does existentialism assert about human existence?

A) Humans have an inherent purpose
B) Life is predetermined by fate
C) Existence precedes essence
D) All experiences are shaped by sensory perception

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46. Which philosopher is known for his concept of “being-toward-death”?

A) Friedrich Nietzsche
B) Jean-Paul Sartre
C) Martin Heidegger
D) Søren Kierkegaard

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47. Which concept is central to the philosophy of pragmatism?

A) Practical consequences guide the meaning of ideas
B) Truth is an absolute concept
C) Knowledge is independent of human experience
D) Human nature is inherently good

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48. Who is considered the father of modern existentialism?

A) Søren Kierkegaard
B) Jean-Paul Sartre
C) Martin Heidegger
D) Friedrich Nietzsche

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49. Which of the following does postmodernism challenge?

A) Relativism
B) Absolute narratives and universal truths
C) Empiricism
D) Humanism

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50. According to Nietzsche, what is the “Übermensch”?

A) A rational human being
B) The ideal individual who transcends conventional morality
C) A moral absolutist
D) A follower of religious doctrines

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51. Which of the following is a characteristic of Nietzsche’s philosophy?

A) Belief in universal truth
B) The rejection of personal freedom
C) Critique of traditional morality
D) The search for empirical evidence

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52. Which philosopher is associated with the concept of “the absurd” in human existence?

A) Søren Kierkegaard
B) Jean-Paul Sartre
C) Albert Camus
D) Immanuel Kant

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53. Which philosopher is known for his development of the theory of the “social contract”?

A) Thomas Hobbes
B) John Locke
C) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
D) Immanuel Kant

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54. What is the central idea in John Locke’s theory of knowledge?

A) Knowledge is derived from sensory experience
B) Knowledge is innate
C) Knowledge is derived from divine revelation
D) Knowledge is based on logical reasoning alone

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55. Who is known for the philosophical doctrine of “utilitarianism”?

A) Karl Marx
B) John Stuart Mill
C) Immanuel Kant
D) Friedrich Nietzsche

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56. What is the central theme of Immanuel Kant’s “Critique of Pure Reason”?

A) The nature of human knowledge and its limits
B) The meaning of existence and the human condition
C) The ethical duties of human beings
D) The role of divine reason in the universe

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57. According to Hegel, what drives historical development?

A) Economic factors
B) The dialectical process of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis
C) Divine intervention
D) Human emotions and desires

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58. Which of the following is the main focus of existentialist philosophy?

A) The search for objective truth
B) The meaning and freedom of human existence
C) The study of sensory perception
D) The nature of abstract concepts

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59. Who argued that “God is dead” and discussed the concept of the “will to power”?

A) Søren Kierkegaard
B) Friedrich Nietzsche
C) Jean-Paul Sartre
D) Albert Camus

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60. What is the “tabula rasa” theory associated with?

A) Immanuel Kant
B) John Locke
C) René Descartes
D) David Hume

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61. What is the main idea behind the philosophy of logical positivism?

A) Knowledge is based on personal experiences
B) Only statements verifiable through observation or logic are meaningful
C) Knowledge is derived from innate ideas
D) Human behavior can be fully explained through reason

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62. Which philosopher is known for his concept of the “categorical imperative”?

A) Søren Kierkegaard
B) Immanuel Kant
C) John Stuart Mill
D) Friedrich Nietzsche

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63. Which of the following is a key idea in the philosophy of existentialism?

A) Humans are inherently rational
B) Existence precedes essence
C) The world is governed by an absolute moral order
D) All truths are self-evident

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64. Who is known for the philosophical idea of “the will to power”?

A) Søren Kierkegaard
B) Karl Marx
C) Friedrich Nietzsche
D) John Locke

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65. Which philosopher is associated with the development of “phenomenology”?

A) Søren Kierkegaard
B) Edmund Husserl
C) Friedrich Nietzsche
D) René Descartes

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66. What does pragmatism emphasize as the test of truth?

A) Logical consistency
B) The usefulness of an idea in practice
C) Conformity with divine laws
D) The abstract beauty of concepts

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67. Who developed the concept of the “Übermensch” (Superman)?

A) Jean-Paul Sartre
B) Søren Kierkegaard
C) Friedrich Nietzsche
D) Immanuel Kant

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68. Which of the following best characterizes postmodernist thought?

A) Belief in universal truths
B) Rejection of objective reality and grand narratives
C) Focus on empirical scientific reasoning
D) Advocacy for a return to classical philosophy

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69. Who developed the philosophy of “philosophical materialism”?

A) Karl Marx
B) Immanuel Kant
C) Jean-Paul Sartre
D) Søren Kierkegaard

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70. What does the “dialectic” in Hegel’s philosophy refer to?

A) The process of physical change in nature
B) The clash between opposing ideas leading to the synthesis of new ideas
C) The separation of mind and matter
D) The process of achieving perfect knowledge through empirical study

71. Who is known for his work on the “social contract” and the idea that individuals consent to be governed for the preservation of rights?

A) John Locke
B) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
C) Thomas Hobbes
D) Immanuel Kant

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72. What is the central claim of the philosophy of empiricism?

A) Knowledge comes from innate ideas
B) Knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience
C) Knowledge is discovered through deductive reasoning
D) Knowledge is an illusion

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73. Who argued that “Man is condemned to be free,” emphasizing human responsibility for creating meaning?

A) Søren Kierkegaard
B) Jean-Paul Sartre
C) Karl Marx
D) Friedrich Nietzsche

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74. Which philosopher is associated with the idea of “tabula rasa,” the mind as a blank slate at birth?

A) Immanuel Kant
B) René Descartes
C) John Locke
D) Friedrich Hegel

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75. What does Kant mean by “noumenon”?

A) The world as it appears to us
B) The world as it exists independent of our perception
C) The moral law within us
D) The idea of absolute truth

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76. Which thinker is famous for asserting that “the state of nature” is a state of war and chaos without a social contract?

A) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
B) Thomas Hobbes
C) John Locke
D) Karl Marx

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77. What is the philosophical position known as “idealism”?

A) The mind is a blank slate at birth
B) Reality is mentally constructed or immaterial
C) Knowledge is derived solely from experience
D) The world is governed by physical laws

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78. Who coined the phrase “Cogito, ergo sum” (I think, therefore I am)?

A) John Locke
B) René Descartes
C) Immanuel Kant
D) David Hume

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79. What is the main claim of the philosophy of “nihilism”?

A) Human beings are born with an inherent moral sense
B) Life has no inherent meaning or value
C) Ethical principles are universally applicable
D) Knowledge is only derived from empirical evidence

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80. Which of the following is central to Aristotle’s ethical philosophy?

A) The pursuit of pleasure is the highest good
B) Virtue is the balance between deficiency and excess
C) The state should determine moral values
D) Happiness is derived from religious devotion

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81. What does “phenomenology” focus on?

A) The study of metaphysical entities
B) The study of experiences as they appear to consciousness
C) The analysis of material conditions
D) The logical structure of language

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82. Who is known for the idea of the “transcendental unity of apperception”?

A) Immanuel Kant
B) John Locke
C) René Descartes
D) Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

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83. Which philosopher believed that reality is made up of ideas and that the material world does not exist independently of the mind?

A) John Locke
B) René Descartes
C) George Berkeley
D) Friedrich Nietzsche

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84. Which philosophical approach is associated with the idea that the purpose of human life is to find happiness through the pursuit of virtue?

A) Stoicism
B) Epicureanism
C) Existentialism
D) Utilitarianism

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85. Who developed the theory of “dialectical materialism,” arguing that material conditions shape consciousness and society?

A) Karl Marx
B) Friedrich Engels
C) Immanuel Kant
D) Jean-Paul Sartre

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86. Which of the following is a key characteristic of postmodernist philosophy?

A) The search for universal, objective truths
B) The rejection of all metaphysical claims
C) The belief in fixed and unchanging moral principles
D) The deconstruction of grand narratives

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87. Who is the philosopher associated with the concept of “the absurd,” highlighting the conflict between humans’ search for meaning and the meaninglessness of the universe?

A) Albert Camus
B) Jean-Paul Sartre
C) Friedrich Nietzsche
D) Søren Kierkegaard

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88. What is the central claim of moral relativism?

A) There are universal moral laws that apply to all people at all times
B) Moral standards are determined by individual or cultural preferences
C) Ethics is based on scientific observation alone
D) Moral truths can be known through reason alone

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89. Which of the following is a key principle of virtue ethics according to Aristotle?

A) The highest good is pleasure
B) The highest good is the cultivation of virtue and rationality
C) The highest good is the achievement of wealth
D) The highest good is the maximization of utility

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90. Which philosopher is associated with the development of “empirical epistemology” and the idea that knowledge arises from experience?

A) René Descartes
B) John Locke
C) Immanuel Kant
D) David Hume

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91. Who argued that “existence precedes essence” and that humans must create their own meaning?

A) Jean-Paul Sartre
B) Søren Kierkegaard
C) Friedrich Nietzsche
D) Albert Camus

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92. What does “social contract theory” primarily deal with?

A) The relationship between humans and the divine
B) The legitimacy of state authority and the rights of individuals
C) The existence of knowledge beyond experience
D) The moral obligations of a virtuous individual

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93. What did Friedrich Nietzsche mean by the “will to power”?

A) The desire for material wealth
B) The human drive to overcome obstacles and achieve greatness
C) The pursuit of rational knowledge
D) The search for social justice

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94. Who is associated with the development of the philosophy of “pragmatism”?

A) John Dewey
B) Karl Marx
C) Søren Kierkegaard
D) Immanuel Kant

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95. What does the term “ontology” refer to?

A) The study of logic and reasoning
B) The study of knowledge and its limits
C) The study of being and existence
D) The study of ethical behavior

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96. Which of the following best characterizes Kant’s view on ethics?

A) Ethics is based on maximizing pleasure
B) Ethical actions are those performed out of duty to a universal moral law
C) Ethics is determined by the consequences of actions
D) Ethics is determined by cultural norms

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97. Which philosopher is most closely associated with the concept of “the other,” particularly in the context of existentialism?

A) Søren Kierkegaard
B) Jean-Paul Sartre
C) Immanuel Kant
D) Friedrich Nietzsche

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98. What is the primary goal of philosophical “hermeneutics”?

A) To uncover the fundamental nature of reality
B) To interpret and understand texts, especially ancient and sacred texts
C) To prove the existence of God
D) To establish universal ethical norms

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99. Who argued that human knowledge is limited by our sensory experience and that we cannot know the “things-in-themselves”?

A) Immanuel Kant
B) René Descartes
C) David Hume
D) John Locke

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100. What is the main focus of deconstruction in postmodern philosophy?

A) The search for universal truths in language
B) The analysis and critique of the metaphysical assumptions underlying texts
C) The development of rational thought and logic
D) The discovery of moral absolutes

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