What Do You Know Descartes?

1. Descartes is a _______ because he believes we cannot trust our _______

Skeptic, senses

Skeptic, leaders

Rationalist, senses

Rationalist, leaders

Rationalists have claimed that the ultimate starting point for all knowledge is not the senses but reason.

Explanation

Rationalists have claimed that the ultimate starting point for all knowledge is not the senses but reason.

About This Quiz

Globally known as the father of the western philosophy, Rene Descartes was a French mathematician, scientists and philosopher. Other than this basic knowledge about this man, what else do you know about him? Find out below.

What's your name?

Tell us your name to personalize your report, certificate & get on the leaderboard!

2. What properties determine the essence of material things according to Descartes?

Functional properties

Biological properties

Geometrical properties

Matter

336.2

Explanation

336.2

3. In Descartes' great vision, which helped to define the rest of his life's work, he came to realize that:

In order to more fully understand the world he would have to abandon the study of letters.

Real knowledge could only be found within himself, and not in the writings of the ancients.

322.2

Explanation

322.2

4. In order to promote the direction and certainty of his thought processes, Descartes forms "rules of method" to guide him in his scientific work. Which of the following is not one of Descartes rules?

Split problems into smaller parts, so to be able to resolve them easier

Never accept anything as true without clear and distinct evidence

All truth can be simplified by using mathematics to analyze and model it

Thinking in an orderly manner about simplest subjects first, then on to more complex

324.2

Explanation

324.2

5. For Descartes a truth had to be clear and distinct where clear meant _______ and distinct meant _______.

Discernable from all else, different from all other things

Present and apparent, unique set of characteristics

Discernable from all else, it contained within itself nothing but what is clear

Present and apparent, precise and different from all other objects

324.8-9

Explanation

324.8-9

6. The running principle that runs at the heart of Descartes methods (and subsequently his Meditations) is:

That only through knowledge of a benevolent and omnipotent God can we have any certainty of external things.

That definition by genus and difference is insufficient for answering the question, What am I?

That, eventually, all things come back to faith.

328.5

Explanation

328.5

7. Which of the following is not an element of Descartes' proof for the reality of material things?

That God is not a deceiver

That God gives us the inclinations to believe in the reality of material (extended) things that we seem to sense.

That our souls are distinct from our body.

That material things exist with the properties that we conceive to be essential to them.

338.2

Explanation

338.2

8. Which idea did the American philosopher John Searle describe as "the greatest single disaster in the history of philosophy over the past four centuries"?

Our ideas and perception are all that exists around us.

We only perceive our understanding of what something is.

Objects can only take the form of ideas, without us they are simply matter.

If you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist.

329.8

Explanation

329.8

Quiz Review Timeline (Updated): Jul 19, 2024 +

Our quizzes are rigorously reviewed, monitored and continuously updated by our expert board to maintain accuracy, relevance, and timeliness.

Current Version
Jul 19, 2024

Quiz Edited by
ProProfs Editorial Team
Aug 13, 2013

Quiz Created by
Moxleyv