Philosophy 3

Module IV

MODULE TEST

A. On the blank before each number, write your brief answer to each
of the following questions.

The Hindu 1 . Who stresses the practical aspect of l ife, the Hindu or
the Chinese?
Dharma 2 . What is the Indian equivalent of the term philosophy?
India 3 . What is the birthplace of all wisdom and religions?
Siddhartha Gautama 4 . Who was the Buddhist prince who relinquished
his wealth and palace in search for the ultimate meaning in l
ife?
Dharma_ 5. What are the four ends of life
according to Hindu philosophy?
Artha 6.
Kama 7.
Moksha 8.
Perennial Philosophy 9 . What type of philosophy of life is based on
unexpressed principles by which a person or a nation lives?
Confucius 10. Who are the three major Chinese philosophers?
Laozi 11.
Zhuangzi 12.
Socrates 13. Who are the two major Greek philosophers?
Plato 14.
Existentialism 15. What is the extreme Western thought that upholds
extreme individualism?

48
B. Essay. (10 points each)
1. In at least one paragraph, show that you are not a hedonist.

Answer: A hedonist is someone who pursues pleasure for its own sake. I
am not a hedonist because I do not believe that pleasure is the only good. I
also believe that there are other things that are good, such as friendship,
knowledge, and virtue. I do not believe that pleasure is the only thing that
is good for me, and I do not believe that I should seek to maximize my
pleasure. I also believe that some pleasures are not good, such as the
pleasure of eating too much or the pleasure of harming others.

I am not a hedonist because I believe that there is more to life than just
pleasure. I believe that we should live our lives in a way that is meaningful
and fulfilling, pursuing goals and values that are important to us.
Hedonism is all about seeking out pleasure and avoiding pain, but this is
not how I live my life. I believe that we should sometimes do things that
are difficult or unpleasant, in order to achieve important goals. For
example, I might study for a difficult exam even though I would rather be
doing something else. Or I might go for a run even though it is hard work.
I do not believe that we should always do what is easy or pleasurable.
Pursuing goals and living a meaningful life is more important to me than
just seeking out pleasure.

2. Do you agree with the Hindu definition of truth? Explain.

Answer: No, I do not agree with the Hindu definition of truth. Hindus believe
that there is an ultimate reality that is beyond our human understanding and
that this reality is the source of all truth. Hindus also believe that there is an
inherent truth in all things, and that it is our duty to seek out and live in
accordance with this truth. However, I believe that truth is objective and that it
exists independently of our perceptions or beliefs. Hinduism teaches that there
is no one absolute truth, but rather that truth is relative and dependent on
individual perspective. This means that what may be true for one person may
not be true for another. While this may be a valid way of looking at things, it
49
is not how I personally view truth. To me, truth is objective and absolute. It is
not dependent on individual perspective.

(SEE NOS. 4, 5, & 6 OF “INSTRUCTIONS TO THE STUDENT”)

50