Chapter 7
Rationalism
1. The term rationalism was derived from the Latin _____ which means to _____
a. ration .... conserve.
b. ratio .... reason or think.
c. ratus .... to define.
d. rapidus .... to snatch.
Answer: b. ratio .... reason or think.
Rationale:
Rationalism stems from the Latin word "ratio," meaning reason or thinking. This reflects the
emphasis of rationalism on the use of reason and logic as the primary sources of knowledge.
2. Rationalism is to empiricism as _____ is to _____ .
a. deduction .... induction
b. induction .... deduction
c. a posteriori knowledge .... a priori knowledge
d. passive mind .... active mind
Answer: a. deduction .... induction
Rationale:
Rationalism is characterized by deduction, which involves deriving conclusions from general
principles, while empiricism is associated with induction, which involves deriving general
principles from specific observations or experiences.
3. Descartes' philosophy of science was motivated partly by
a. his wish to challenge the skepticism of Montaigne.
b. his wish to repudiate every detail of Baconian empiricism.
c. his love of the inductive method and the hope it offered to the world.
d. his wish to expose the absurdities of belief in a priori knowledge.
Answer: a. his wish to challenge the skepticism of Montaigne.
Rationale:
Descartes was motivated by a desire to challenge the skepticism of Montaigne, particularly
regarding the possibility of achieving certain knowledge through reason and logic.
4. Descartes' method was modeled after that of the
a. Greek philosopher Aristotle.
b. Greek philosopher Socrates.
c. Galen, the Roman physician.
d. the work of mathematicians.
Answer: d. the work of mathematicians.
Rationale:
Descartes modeled his method after the rigorous and systematic approach of mathematicians,
aiming for clear and distinct ideas and logical deductions.
5. The most important building block in the Cartesian method is
a. the discovery of clear and distinct ideas or ideas that are immune to doubt.
b. to throw out theories and begin with the facts.
c. to place experimental results always in highest priority.
d. to state all conclusions in terms of probabilities.
Answer: a. the discovery of clear and distinct ideas or ideas that are immune to doubt.
Rationale:
According to Descartes, the foundation of his method is the discovery of clear and distinct
ideas that cannot be doubted, providing a secure basis for knowledge.
6. Which of the following is NOT one of the four methodological procedures outlined by
Descartes in his Discourse on Method
a. Never accept anything as true unless it is so clear as to be immune from doubt
b. Divide all difficulties into as many parts as possible
c. Ensure that nothing is left out
d. Begin with the most complex elements and proceed to knowledge of the more simple
Answer: d. Begin with the most complex elements and proceed to knowledge of the more
simple
Rationale:
Descartes' methodological procedures include never accepting anything as true unless it is
clear and distinct, dividing difficulties into manageable parts, and ensuring comprehensive
coverage. However, he did not advocate beginning with the most complex elements and
proceeding to simpler knowledge.
7. Descartes _____ reject the results of experiments that ran counter to common-sense.
a. was quick to
b. would almost never
c. was slow to
d. simply did not
Answer: a. was quick to
Rationale:
Descartes was quick to reject the results of experiments that contradicted common-sense or
his own preconceived notions, preferring to trust reason and deduction over empirical
evidence.
8. Descartes’ philosophical method is most accurately characterized as
a. empirical
b. inductive
c. deductive
d. emotional
Answer: c. deductive
Rationale:
Descartes' philosophical method is predominantly deductive, emphasizing the use of reason
and logical deduction to establish certain knowledge.
9. _____ argued against the metaphysical basis of demonology and thus figured in
humanitarian reform in the treatment of people with mental illnesses.
a. Immanuel Kant
b. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
c. Baruch Spinoza
d. René Descartes
Answer: c. Baruch Spinoza
Rationale:
Baruch Spinoza criticized the metaphysical basis of demonology and advocated for a more
humane approach to treating mental illness, contributing to humanitarian reform in this area.
10. If we develop a hatred for something that was once loved, our hatred may be greater than
if we had never loved the thing in the first place. Spinoza argued that the greater hatred in
such cases is fueled by
a. the selfish nature of the original love.
b. jealousy that the loved object might someday be possessed by another.
c. sorrow over the loss of love.
d. clear-cut psychopathology
Answer: c. sorrow over the loss of love.
Rationale:
Spinoza argued that the greater hatred resulting from the loss of love is fueled by the sorrow
or emotional pain experienced due to the loss, rather than any inherent selfishness or
jealousy.
11. The term monad from (monas) was probably adopted by Leibniz from Lady Anne
Conway and F. M. Von Helmont. The term refers to
a. a principle of existence.
b. the identity of mind and brain.
c. a principle of beauty.
d. an ideal mental state.
Answer: a. a principle of existence.
Rationale:
The term "monad" in Leibniz's philosophy refers to a fundamental principle of existence,
representing individual, indivisible substances that make up reality.
12. The mental realm is always parallel with the physical (neurophysiological) realm. Leibniz
explained the perfect correspondence of the two realms in terms
a. of their perfect coordination in the pineal gland.
b. of the creation of the universe such that there is a pre-established harmony of its individual
parts.
c. of the harmony of the spheres.
d. of the idea that the mental realm is an epiphenomenon and thus not truly independent.
Answer: b. of the creation of the universe such that there is a pre-established harmony of its
individual parts.
Rationale:
Leibniz proposed the concept of pre-established harmony, suggesting that the mental and
physical realms are perfectly coordinated due to the way the universe was created, ensuring a
harmonious relationship between them.
13. Leibnitz coined the term “theodicy,” which refers to
a. the relationship between god and the world
b. the relationship between mind and brain
c. the relationship between empiricism and rationalism
d. the relationship between faith and reason
Answer: a. the relationship between god and the world
Rationale:
The term "theodicy" refers to the attempt to justify the existence of evil or suffering in a
world created by a benevolent and omnipotent God, emphasizing the relationship between
God and the world.
14. Many petite perceptions or “small perceptions” in concert form the basis of perception.
Thus, the sound of the waterfall consists of thousands of drops of water in concert. The idea
of petites perceptions suggests the importance of unconscious processes. This idea was
advanced by
a. Baruch Spinoza.
b. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.
c. Christian von Wolff.
d. Johann Friedrich Herbart.
Answer: b. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.
Rationale:
Leibniz introduced the concept of petites perceptions to explain how small perceptions
combine to form our overall perception of reality, highlighting the significance of
unconscious processes in perception.
15. “Nature never takes leaps.” This view that change follows a gradual and incremental
developmental course led to a deemphasis on miracles. All change, from the healing of a
broken bone, to the learning of a new skill follows lawful developmental patterns. This view,
advocated by Leibniz, came to be known as
a. uniformitarianism.
b. unitarianism.
c. continuity theory.
d. punctuated equilibrium theory.
Answer: a. uniformitarianism.
Rationale:
Leibniz's view that nature operates according to lawful and continuous patterns, without
abrupt changes or miracles, is termed uniformitarianism, emphasizing the continuity of
natural processes.
16. Christian von Wolff was one of the first to use the term psychology in a major
publication. In 1732 he wrote a book called Empirical Psychology and in 1734 he published
Rational Psychology. He believed that
a. empirical psychology clearly occupies a more important place in the scheme of things than
rational psychology.
b. rational psychology is clearly superior to empirical psychology.
c. once we collect enough data we can do away with rational psychology.
d. the two psychology's are co-equal partners.
Answer: b. rational psychology is clearly superior to empirical psychology.
Rationale:
Christian von Wolff favored rational psychology over empirical psychology, considering it to
be superior in importance and significance.
17. A tautology is an expression that
a. reflects a profound truth.
b. is highly insightful.
c. is filled with information.
d. is redundant or trivial.
Answer: d. is redundant or trivial.
Rationale:
A tautology is a statement or expression that is redundant or trivial because it repeats
something that is already known or self-evident.
18. According to Kant, synthetic a priori truths are
a. informative about the world.
b. redundant or trivial.
c. uninformative in themselves, but important in formal logic.
d. not necessary to the work of empirical science.
Answer: a. informative about the world.
Rationale:
Kant argued that synthetic a priori truths provide informative knowledge about the world,
combining empirical content with necessary reasoning.
19. According to Immanuel Kant, the so-called categories of understanding
a. are always products of learning.
b. are ordering principles such as intuition of time and causality.
c. are dependent upon cultural influence.
d. are products of formal logic.
Answer: b. are ordering principles such as intuition of time and causality.
Rationale:
Kant viewed the categories of understanding as innate principles of cognition that structure
our experience of the world, including concepts like time, causality, and substance.
20. According to Kant, the _____ world is independent of perception, whereas the _____
world is as it appears to us in experience.
a. noumenal…..phenomenal
b. phenomenal…..noumenal
c. tautological…..noumenal
d. phenomenal…..tautological
Answer: a. noumenal…..phenomenal
Rationale:
Kant distinguished between the noumenal world, which exists independently of perception
and is inaccessible to human knowledge, and the phenomenal world, which is the world as it
appears to us through experience.
21. Which of the following was most devoted to finding a middle way between the extremes
of rationalism and empiricism?
a. David Hume
b. George Berkeley
c. Immanuel Kant
d. Claude-Adrien Helvétius
Answer: c. Immanuel Kant
Rationale:
Immanuel Kant sought to reconcile the opposing views of rationalism and empiricism by
proposing a middle ground known as transcendental idealism, which emphasized the role of
both a priori concepts and empirical experience in shaping human knowledge.
22. The term Heteronomy as used by Immanuel Kant refers to
a. self-government.
b. the capacity to act freely and independently.
c. government from the outside.
d. a neurosis marked by an overemphasis on independence.
Answer: c. government from the outside.
Rationale:
In Kant's philosophy, heteronomy refers to the condition where one's will is determined by
external factors or influences rather than by one's own rational autonomy.
23. The task of individuals, according to Kant, is to grow into moral
a. heteronomy.
b. autonomy.
c. certitude.
d. conservatism.
Answer: b. autonomy.
Rationale:
Kant argued that individuals should strive to achieve moral autonomy, where their actions are
guided by rational principles that they freely choose for themselves, rather than being dictated
by external influences.
24. According to Kant, truly moral actions will be based on our capacity to regard other
people as
a. ends rather than means.
b. means rather than ends.
c. heteronomously determined.
d. products of conditioning.
Answer: a. ends rather than means.
Rationale:
Kant's moral philosophy emphasizes the importance of treating other individuals as ends in
themselves, respecting their inherent dignity and moral worth, rather than using them merely
as a means to achieve one's own ends.
25. Which of the following is the most monistic?
a. Baruch Spinoza
b. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
c. René Descartes
d. Immanuel Kant
Answer: a. Baruch Spinoza
Rationale:
Baruch Spinoza is considered the most monistic among the listed philosophers because his
philosophy posits a single, unified substance (God or nature) as the basis of reality, rejecting
the dualism of mind and body.
26. According to Herbart, the central goal of education should be
a. mastery of technical concepts.
b. mastery of reading, writing, and arithmetic.
c. moral development.
d. to instill common sense in students.
Answer: c. moral development.
Rationale:
Johann Friedrich Herbart believed that the primary aim of education should be the moral
development of individuals, emphasizing the cultivation of virtues and ethical principles.
27. Herbart believed that a major goal of education should be to
a. build what he called the apperceptive mass.
b. focus on drills in order to instill discipline.
c. emphasize pure science and pure knowledge and de-emphasize practical applications.
d. focus always on concrete facts.
Answer: a. build what he called the apperceptive mass.
Rationale:
Herbart emphasized the importance of building the "apperceptive mass," which refers to the
accumulation of organized mental representations or concepts, enabling individuals to
understand and process new information effectively.
28. According to Herbart, humans are unique from the rest of the animal kingdom because
they possess
a. apperception
b. mathematics
c. language
d. souls
Answer: a. apperception
Rationale:
Herbart regarded apperception, the process of integrating new experiences with existing
mental structures, as a unique capacity of humans that distinguishes them from other animals.
29. The philosopher most clearly associated with so-called commonsense philosophy was
a. David Hume.
b. Thomas Reid.
c. Johann Friedrich Herbart.
d. George Berkeley.
Answer: b. Thomas Reid.
Rationale:
Thomas Reid is often associated with commonsense philosophy, which emphasizes the
reliability of common sense and intuitive beliefs as a foundation for knowledge and
understanding.
30. The expression common sense as used by philosophers typically refers to
a. those beliefs accepted by the masses of people.
b. beliefs that derive out of a combination of sensory components.
c. unreflective or naive opinions.
d. any deeply felt opposition to beliefs that are counterintuitive.
Answer: d. any deeply felt opposition to beliefs that are counterintuitive.
Rationale:
In philosophy, common sense often refers to the intuitive or instinctive judgments that
individuals rely on in everyday life, particularly when confronting ideas that seem
counterintuitive or contrary to ordinary experience.
31. Reid argued for a number of propositions he called “first principles.” Which of the
following is an example?
a. To be is to be perceived.
b. Those things do really exist which we distinctly perceive by our senses.
c. I think, therefore I am.
d. Education should build the apperceptive mass.
Answer: b. Those things do really exist which we distinctly perceive by our senses.
Rationale:
Thomas Reid's proposition that "Those things do really exist which we distinctly perceive by
our senses" reflects his direct realism, asserting that objects exist independently of our
perception and that our senses provide reliable information about the external world.
32. _____ was a direct realist and believed that common sense was a good enough reason to
believe in the existence of the physical world and that any philosopher who denied the
physical world was simply ridiculous
a. Thomas Reid
b. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
c. Johann Friedrich Herbart
d. Pierre Gassendi
Answer: a. Thomas Reid
Rationale:
Thomas Reid was a direct realist who placed great emphasis on common sense as a reliable
guide to understanding reality. He argued that denying the existence of the physical world, as
some philosophers did, was unreasonable and contrary to common sense.
Test Bank for A History of Psychology: Ideas and Context
Brett D. King, Wayne Viney, William Douglas Woody
9780205987184
