Questions & Answers
Browse all 15 questions from the
Scientific Foundations of Philosophy study set below.
Each question shows the correct answer — select a study format above to practice interactively.
1
Which philosophical position asserts that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience, a concept that aligns with the empirical methods of modern science?
-
A
Rationalism
-
B
Empiricism
-
C
Idealism
-
D
Dualism
2
Who is credited with introducing the 'cogito, ergo sum' argument, which marks a foundational shift toward subject-centered epistemology in Western philosophy?
-
A
John Locke
-
B
David Hume
-
C
René Descartes
-
D
Immanuel Kant
3
In the philosophy of science, what is the term for the process of drawing general conclusions from specific observations?
-
A
Deduction
-
B
Induction
-
C
Abduction
-
D
Reductionism
4
Which principle states that among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected?
-
A
Occam's Razor
-
B
The Principle of Utility
-
C
Categorical Imperative
-
D
The Law of Non-Contradiction
5
What is the primary focus of the 'Mind-Body Problem' in philosophy of mind?
-
A
The evolution of the nervous system
-
B
The relationship between mental states and physical brain states
-
C
The social structure of human civilizations
-
D
The ethics of biological experimentation
6
What is the logical fallacy that involves attacking the character of the person making an argument rather than the argument itself?
-
A
Post hoc ergo propter hoc
-
B
Ad hominem
-
C
Straw man
-
D
Circular reasoning
7
According to the theory of physicalism, what is the fundamental nature of reality?
-
A
Non-material spirits
-
B
Mathematical abstractions
-
C
Physical matter and energy
-
D
Subjective consciousness
8
Which 20th-century movement argued that statements are only meaningful if they are either tautologies or empirically verifiable?
-
A
Existentialism
-
B
Logical Positivism
-
C
Phenomenology
-
D
Stoicism
9
In formal logic, which statement form is considered a logical contradiction?
-
A
P and not P
-
B
If P then Q
-
C
P or not P
-
D
All P are Q
10
Which scientific paradigm shift fundamentally challenged the Aristotelian view of a geocentric universe?
-
A
Quantum Mechanics
-
B
The Copernican Revolution
-
C
Plate Tectonics
-
D
Cell Theory
11
What is the core premise of 'Determinism' in the context of causality?
-
A
Human free will is absolute
-
B
Every event is necessitated by preceding events and natural laws
-
C
Biological organisms have no genetic predisposition
-
D
Probability governs all subatomic interactions
12
What field of philosophy specifically investigates the nature, sources, and limits of human knowledge?
-
A
Ontology
-
B
Epistemology
-
C
Axiology
-
D
Teleology
13
What is the name of the cognitive bias where individuals favor information that confirms their existing beliefs?
-
A
Availability heuristic
-
B
Confirmation bias
-
C
Gambler's fallacy
-
D
Sunk cost fallacy
14
Which philosopher proposed the 'falsifiability' criterion as a demarcation line between science and pseudoscience?
-
A
Karl Popper
-
B
Bertrand Russell
-
C
Thomas Kuhn
-
D
Ludwig Wittgenstein
15
In evolutionary biology and philosophy of science, what term describes the process where traits that increase survival are passed on to offspring?
-
A
Teleological causation
-
B
Natural selection
-
C
Spontaneous generation
-
D
Lamarckian inheritance
