10 Philosophers, 10 Questions! - Part 3 Quiz

Answer: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

Voltaire (1694-1778) was a French philosopher known for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of speech and religion. His works often critiqued established institutions and championed reason, tolerance, and the importance of empirical evidence in the pursuit of knowledge.

In his novel "Candide", Voltaire satirizes Leibniz's optimistic perspective of "the best of all possible worlds." The story follows Candide, a young man who, despite enduring relentless misfortunes - such as war, natural disasters, torture, and betrayal - continues to embrace Pangloss's assurances of optimism, which represent Leibniz's views.

Answer: Habit or custom

David Hume (1711-1776) was a Scottish philosopher and historian. Hume argued that our idea of causality isn't based on logical certainty but on habit or custom. When we see one event often follow another (like fire causing heat), we assume a causal link.

However, we don't actually observe any "necessary connection" - just a repeated sequence. In other words, we expect future events to follow past patterns because our minds naturally connect these events, not because there's any true, objective link between them.

Answer: How we respond when someone insults us

Epictetus (55-135) was a Greek Stoic philosopher.

According to Epictetus' dichotomy of control, we can only control our own thoughts, actions, and responses - not external events or the actions of others. Situations like making someone love us, the illness of a family member, and aging are beyond our control, while our reaction to an insult is something we can choose.

Answer: Philosophy and religion complement each other, each revealing truth in different ways

Ibn Rushd (Averroes) (1126-1198) was a Muslim physician and philosopher who significantly influenced European philosophy during the Middle Ages. He argued that both philosophy and religion seek the truth, but approach it in different ways: philosophy through reason and logic, and religion through faith and revelation. Philosophy aims to uncover truths about the universe using rational inquiry, while religion communicates these truths through symbolic language and metaphors, making them accessible to the entire population.

Answer: Innate or congenital

Plato (427-347 BC) was a Greek philosopher whose writings became foundational to Western philosophy. He was a student of Socrates, a teacher of Aristotle, the author of numerous works, and the founder of the Academy in Athens.

For Plato, knowledge (epistçmç) is not derived from sense experience, which he considers deceptive and constantly changing. Instead, true knowledge comes through rational insight and recollection. The soul, being immortal, encountered the Forms in a pre-corporeal existence and must recall them through dialectical thinking. For example, in Plato's dialogue "Meno", a slave boy under Socrates' guidance recalls geometric truths, illustrating that knowledge is innate and remembered, rather than learned through experience.

Answer: Arthur Schopenhauer

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was a German philosopher, philologist, cultural critic, poet and composer.

Nietzsche first encountered the writings of Arthur Schopenhauer while studying at the University of Leipzig in 1865. At the age of 21, he stumbled upon Schopenhauer's magnum opus, "The World as Will and Representation", in a second-hand bookstore. Initially, he bought the book on a whim, but it quickly became a transformative experience for him. Nietzsche later described this moment as almost mystical, feeling as though he had discovered a kindred spirit who resonated deeply with his own soul. For the other answers: Wagner is not a philosopher and Nietzsche was an outspoken critic of Socrates and Kant.

Answer: Occasionalism

Arnold Geulincx (1624-1669) was a Belgian philosopher, a student of René Descartes, and a prominent innovator within the Cartesian school. According to Occasionalism, primarily developed by Geulincx, matter and spirit do not directly influence each other; instead, God serves as the link between them. For each material process that occurs, God enables a corresponding effect in the human soul, aligning with the material event without direct interaction between matter and spirit.

Whenever a mental or physical event occurs, it is because God intervenes to coordinate the two realms.

For example, if you decide to move your hand, it is not your mental decision that directly causes the movement; rather, God causes the hand to move in response to your intention.

Answer: Earth, air, fire, and water

Empedocles (c. 493-433 BCE), a Greek philosopher and one of the pioneers of the pluralist school, sought to answer the fundamental question of his time: "What is the world made of?" Empedocles proposed that all things in the world are composed of a blend of four eternal and unchanging elements: earth, air, fire, and water. According to him, these foundational elements are indestructible and cannot be transformed into one another.

Instead, they mix and separate in varying combinations, giving rise to the diverse objects and phenomena we observe in the world.

These elements, Empedocles believed, are the true, permanent building blocks of reality, and everything we experience results from their dynamic interplay.

Answer: Mind-Body Parallelism

Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716) stands as one of the few individuals in history who genuinely merits the title of polymath. A glance at the breadth of his intellectual pursuits reveals a remarkable range of fields, including mathematics, philosophy, physics, psychology, cosmology, history, and many more. He primarily composed his works in Latin, German, and French.

We will briefly go over his philosophical principles mentioned in the question:

Optimism refers to Leibniz's belief that we live in the best of all possible worlds. He argued that, because of God's infinite wisdom and goodness, the world we have is the most favorable option among all conceivable alternatives.

The Principle of Sufficient Reason states that every event and every entity has a reason or explanation that is part of a larger rational plan, meaning that nothing happens randomly or without a good reason.

Pre-established Harmony is the idea that the mind and body are different substances that do not interact directly. Instead, they work in perfect sync, as if they were interacting, a harmony that God set in motion at the beginning of time.

Answer: From the aesthetic stage to the ethical stage

Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a Danish philosopher who is considered the father of existentialism. Existentialism is the philosophy that focuses on individual freedom, choice, and the inherent meaninglessness of life, requiring people to create their own meaning.

In Kierkegaard's theory of the three stages of life, the aesthetic stage is characterized by the pursuit of new thrills and instant gratification. Like Barney Stinson, individuals in this stage often seek new pleasures and desires every day. They focus on immediate satisfaction and avoid commitment or responsibility, which can lead to a sense of meaninglessness, as seen in Barney's constant search for one-night stands without any commitment or deeper significance.

In the ethical stage, individuals begin to take responsibility for their choices and relationships. They focus on moral values and commitments, seeking to build a meaningful life through deeper connections with others. For Barney Stinson, moving into the ethical stage would mean recognizing the emptiness of his previous lifestyle and choosing to form lasting relationships based on trust and mutual respect. This transition would represent a significant shift from seeking mere pleasure to embracing the responsibilities that come with love and commitment.