Review the Assigned Readings
Review pages 342-513 of
Sophie's World and pages 213-429 of
Does the Center Hold?
Not all of these readings have been discussed in class. Still, you should
glance back over all of them. To help you remember which portions of the
readings were discussed in class, look at the
discussion outlines posted online and the "
Resources to Help with the Assigned Readings." Items covered in class
In
Sophie's world, look for names
of the philosophers discussed and try to identify the main contribution(s)
of each one, but focus mostly on the essay topics listed below. Also review Sophie's story and her relationship to Hilde.
In
Does the Center Hold?,
look at terms that were highlighted and ask yourself, "What were the main
ideas presented in each chapter?" As with Sophie's
World, as you review
Does the Center Hold, focus mainly on the essay topics stated below. In both books, look at what you highlighted
and at any notes you made in the margins.
Review your Class Notes
Read through the notes you have taken in class. What were the main topics discussed?
Were any significant terms defined? What were the main contributions of the
philosophers discussed in class? Use the outlines posted on the "
Discussion Outlines"
page to help you with this review. (More outlines may be posted before the
exam.) As with your review of the readings, focus mainly on the essay topics
stated below.
Review Key Terms and Concepts
Using the resources provided on the "
Discussion Outlines"
page, review the main topics that have been discussed in the assigned readings.
Some of these terms and concepts
have also been discussed in class. Others appeared only in the readings.
Focus especially on terms and concepts related to the essay topics stated
below. Using these terms correctly will strengthen your writing.
Be Prepared to Discuss Each of the Following Topics
Come to the exam prepared to write a
well researched one-page response to each of the following topics. As you use the study strategies discussed above (review the readings, your class
notes, and key terms and concepts), focus on the following topics and
be prepared to discuss them in detail on the exam.
Philosophy of Freedom (One Topic)
Look at the following
diagram, then write a well
researched one-page discussion of the possibility of freedom. Your response
must demonstrate clearly that you understand the meanings of
determinism,
indeterminism,
randomness, and
libertarianism
and that you know who the major thinkers have been who have debated the issue
of freedom. What has each one contributed to this discussion?
Ethics (Two Topics)
Give a concise but well-informed definition of each of the four major approaches to ethics discussed in class. What is
egoism? What two forms of it are common? What is
hedonism? What are the basic claims of
utilitarianism? What are the fundamental claims of Kant's
duty oriented morality? Your response should be as detailed as possible in the one-page space allowed.
What major objections have been raised to the assumptions of these ethical systems? What are the weaknesses of
egoism,
hedonism,
utilitarianism, and
duty oriented morality? Include in your response some discussion of feminist critiques as well as eco-centric criticisms.
Idealism, Materialism, and the Contemporary World View
(One Topic)
