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Greek Philosophy Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Greek Philosophy Quizzes, Trivia

Greek Philosophy Trivia

Greek Philosophy Trivia Quizzes

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Greek philosophy is often one of the first areas studied by those who are interested in exploring questions about values in a non-religious context.
9 Greek Philosophy quizzes and 110 Greek Philosophy trivia questions.
1.
  Ten Greek Philosophers    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Ten Greek philosophers are listed on the right. Your task is to match them up with the statements on the left that describe each one.
Average, 10 Qns, Rizeeve, Jun 26 20
Average
Rizeeve gold member
Jun 26 20
389 plays
2.
  Greek Words and Greek Philosophy   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
We know how deep the relationship between languange and thinking is. This is a quiz about the language and the philosophy of the "most cultural" ancient western civilization.
Tough, 15 Qns, matigraffi, Jan 15 19
Tough
matigraffi
Jan 15 19
1690 plays
3.
  Pre-Socratic Philosophers   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Each philosopher described has a few of the events in their life, philosophical ideas, etc. given. All you have to do is figure out who I am talking about. If the extent of your knowledge is PHIL 101, you will probably not do too well. Good Luck.
Average, 10 Qns, tralfaz, Sep 22 09
Average
tralfaz
1304 plays
4.
  Ancient Greek Philosophy    
Multiple Choice
 25 Qns
A long quiz concerning Greek classical philosophy, from Thales to Aristotle; interesting and fun. It has some Greek in it, but always translated to English, hope you enjoy!
Tough, 25 Qns, matigraffi, Jun 16 24
Tough
matigraffi
Jun 16 24
787 plays
5.
  Thales, First among the Seven Sages   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Thales is usually first on the list of "The Seven Sages", Ancient Greeks whose maxims were reputed to have been inscribed on the Temple at Delphi. See what you know or can guess about this remarkable philosopher of the ancient world.
Tough, 10 Qns, uglybird, Jan 21 12
Tough
uglybird
586 plays
6.
  Stoic Philosophy    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Is Stoicism a Western version of Buddhism?
Tough, 10 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Oct 17 07
Tough
thejazzkickazz gold member
980 plays
7.
  Diogenes the Dog (and his Friends)    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
To my surprise I couldn't find a single quiz about Diogenes, that wonderful Greek philosopher, on this excellent quiz-site. Time for a change. Heeeeeeere's Diogenes!
Average, 10 Qns, muivers, Jul 21 15
Average
muivers
876 plays
8.
  AP English Aristotle Class editor best quiz    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Hello, Ms. Neely's AP English Class! Let's have some good, clean philosophical fun!
Very Difficult, 10 Qns, luckyducky2k1, Nov 11 08
Very Difficult
luckyducky2k1
4332 plays
9.
  Greek Philosophy and History    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Some questions about our favorite Greek philosophers...
Very Difficult, 10 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Apr 05 15
Very Difficult
thejazzkickazz gold member
1549 plays
trivia question Quick Question
Ousía is a fundamental word in every philosophy; do you know what it means?

From Quiz "Greek Words and Greek Philosophy"




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Greek Philosophy Trivia Questions
1. We'll start with what might be the most important Greek word in terms of philosophy: Lógos. This word appears in general Greek culture, but also in specific philosohical authors and systems, from Heraclitus to Plato. What does it mean?

From Quiz Greek Words and Greek Philosophy

Answer: Word, rational thinking, speech, discourse, treaty

The word Lógos comes from the verb légo, which meant to count in its strict sense, to count, enumerate. Therefrom it became to count in the sense of telling a story or to speak. Finally the word Lógos separated from the word Légo, meaning word, rational thinking, study of, treaty, speech, etc.

2. Precise dating of the events of the ancient world is difficult. Thales was believed to have been born in 636 BC at Miletus, a Greek city in Asia Minor. What event probably can be dated precisely and occurred on May 28, 585 BC?

From Quiz Thales, First among the Seven Sages

Answer: Mede and Lydia suddenly ended a five year war.

Thales successfully predicted an eclipse in 585. The war ended as a result of the combatants seeing the eclipse as a sign from the Gods.

3. Zeno and Chrysippus believed that many of the sins were equal. Who was the German philosopher who also shared this similar thinking?

From Quiz Stoic Philosophy

Answer: Kant

4. Where was Aristotle born?

From Quiz AP English Aristotle Class

Answer: Stagira

Aristotle was not a native of Athens, but went there when he was 17 to study at Plato's Academy. We don't know if he ever went to Corinth or Thebes, but he definitely wasn't born in either of those places. So Stagira it is!

5. In Parmenides' poem there are two paths presented; which are they?

From Quiz Ancient Greek Philosophy

Answer: Being and not being

Truth was in the path of being, because there can only be being, the rest is nonexistent.

6. The word is Gnósis, and it was something that every good philosopher, even today, had. What is the translation of this term?

From Quiz Greek Words and Greek Philosophy

Answer: Knowledge

The translation of the word Gnósis is quite literal: it means knowledge in the sense of "accumulation". This is why nowadays the discipline in philosophy that deals with the study of knowledge itself is called Gnoseology.

7. The founder of the Cyrenaic School valued intellectual pleasure as the highest goal in life. Who was he?

From Quiz Greek Philosophy and History

Answer: Aristippus

8. Aristotle is considered the founder of what?

From Quiz AP English Aristotle Class

Answer: Modern Biology

As Jostein Gaarder says, Aristotle was 'Europe's first great biologist'.

9. Heraclitus thought there was one principle that directed the whole universe; which one is it?

From Quiz Ancient Greek Philosophy

Answer: Lógos, reason

The "Lógos" is the reason, speech, that directs the whole universe, and those who are wise can hear it.

10. This word might have gained its highest importance in Aristotelian philosophy: eudaimonía. Can you tell me what it means?

From Quiz Greek Words and Greek Philosophy

Answer: State of welfare and happiness

It is, according to Aristotle, the end to which every human aims by nature, due to the fact that it's an end wanted by itself and not by anything else. He argued that it could be achieved by a combination of virtuous behavior and physical well-being. Stoics would have urged the achievement of eudaimonía by the exercise of responsibility and virtue; Hedonists saw the path to eudaimonía as being the pursuit of pleasure.

11. Based on an apocryphal story related by Plato, Thales might have been the original absent-minded professor. According to Plato, one evening when Thales was walking along, engrossed in gazing at the stars, he suffered a mishap. What was the mishap?

From Quiz Thales, First among the Seven Sages

Answer: He fell into a well.

The servant woman who pulled Thales out of the well reportedly observed that he "studies the stars yet cannot even see the ground at his feet!"

12. Another cynical philosopher was Metrocles. What did he once do to prove that embarassment is not a deadly thing?

From Quiz Diogenes the Dog (and his Friends)

Answer: He ate a dish of beans and broke wind all over the city, even in the presence of politicians.

Crates, the unofficial leader of the movement, and his friend Hipparchia used to make love in public. They may be considered as Greek hippies. Metrocles however was the bean-eater. When one of his students had broken wind during a lesson, the boy was so embarassed that he wanted to commit suicide. Metrocles 'cured' the boy by eating the beans, then lifting his dress and breaking wind to most everyone they met in the town. Afterwards he could state that there was no reason why he would die now...

13. Which philosopher had 2 fathers, named Ariston and Pyrilampes?

From Quiz Greek Philosophy and History

Answer: Plato

Plato had a sister named Potone and brothers: Adeimantus, Glaucon, and Antiphon.

14. The word is alétheia, and it is what every philosopher wants to find: the truth. But do you know how the Greek philosophers interpreted the word truth?

From Quiz Greek Words and Greek Philosophy

Answer: To reveal, to remove the veil, to enlighten

The "a" is a privative alpha, and "letheia" would mean veil, cover, something that obstructs or does not allow to reach what's beneath it. So to remove that veil would be to find the truth. Heidegger has written a lot about this. The word may have originated from words meaning "that which cannot escape notice."

15. The LOGOS forms the basis for this philosopher's ideas. This is one guiding principle and hence everything is related. This philosopher's Kosmos consisted of fire, water, and earth - but surpisingly not air!

From Quiz Pre-Socratic Philosophers

Answer: Heraclitus of Ephesus

It is very difficult to read Heraclitus since it is unclear what exactly LOGOS is. Some equate it with fire, some with a god, some with the nature of change. Bishop Hippolytus considered Heraclitus the original heretic although he was born over 500 years before Christ.

16. When Crates, the first of the cynics, was old and very ill, he told Diogenes that he would be happy if he got a sword and stabbed him, to get it over with. When Diogenes had returned with a sword and lifted it, what did Crates say?

From Quiz Diogenes the Dog (and his Friends)

Answer: I already feel much better, thank you. No need to proceed.

He was a blatant coward, that's what he was. All words, words, words, but no guts. When he first met his girlfriend Hipparchia, he took off all his clothes and told her: 'Here you have me, with everything I possess'. The braggart!

17. Who was the student of Socrates that was most influential in the development of the Stoic and Cynic schools in Greece?

From Quiz Stoic Philosophy

Answer: Antisthenes

He claimed that the laws of the state are in general opposition to virtue. Also suspect with pleasure and the pursuit of wealth, Anthisthenes opposed everything in society during his time.

18. Anthisthenes the founder of the Cynic School (Kynosargus) determined that virtue was tantamount to what type of quality?

From Quiz Greek Philosophy and History

Answer: wisdom

He generally believed that wisdom or the ability to see beyond the values of the society as the key to transcending the earthly realm of the senses. Or to sniff through the false idols which heavily burden our minds.

19. What does Aristotle think came first?

From Quiz AP English Aristotle Class

Answer: Neither

Aristotle believed that neither the chicken or the egg came first, but the IDEA 'chicken'.

20. Who is considered the last of the "pre-Socratic philosophers", ending such period with his arrival in Athens?

From Quiz Ancient Greek Philosophy

Answer: Anaxagoras

He did so in 464-462 BC. He became a friend of Pericles and one of the most important philosophers of his time.

21. The word is Díke, and it has been of great interest to Socrates and Plato. Do you know the meaning of it?

From Quiz Greek Words and Greek Philosophy

Answer: Justice, just, fair

The justice was good, it was a virtue, it was related to the law, but Díke means specifically Justice, and not the others. It is also the word used for the goddess Díke.

22. Thales taught that water was the basic substance of which all things were composed. What term best describes this kind of thinking?

From Quiz Thales, First among the Seven Sages

Answer: Reductionism

Thales also seemed to believe that just as everything was composed of water so everything was full of God. Perhaps his theological thinking could be described as "holistic".

23. When Diogenes witnessed a particularly clumsy archer, who was practising his skills, what did he say or do?

From Quiz Diogenes the Dog (and his Friends)

Answer: He sat down in front of the target, which he considered the only safe place.

I think he could have said or done all of the above, but Diogenes Laertius mentions only one correct answer.

24. What is the rational type of pleasure that the Stoics thought was acceptable?

From Quiz Stoic Philosophy

Answer: eupatheia

25. In the Second Peloponnesian War 404 B.C., Athens was soundly defeated by the strategies introduced by a Spartan commander so named _____?

From Quiz Greek Philosophy and History

Answer: Lysander

26. According to Anaxagoras, what was that which controlled the cosmos?

From Quiz Ancient Greek Philosophy

Answer: Noûs, mind

This was a universal mind, which regulated all of the universe's processes, being pure and independent from the chaotic mass.

27. This philosopher felt that the universe was made of "apeiron" that is infinite in extent and in nature. He also felt that Earth was a cylinder and that the stars were closer to the Earth than the moon and sun.

From Quiz Pre-Socratic Philosophers

Answer: Anaximander of Miletus

Anaximander was one of the first philosophers to ascribe the creation of the universe to natural forces instead of deities. He was also the first Greek cartographer.

28. Thales was a wealthy man. How was he held to have become rich?

From Quiz Thales, First among the Seven Sages

Answer: He predicted a bumper crop of olives and cornered the market on them.

Aristotle later analyzed Thales's tactics. He pointed out that cornering the market would have successfully driven up the price whether or not the harvest had been generous.

29. When someone showed Diogenes a tree, from which a woman had hanged herself the previous day, what did Diogenes say?

From Quiz Diogenes the Dog (and his Friends)

Answer: If only all trees could bear such fruit!

I know it's all very rude and sexist, but hey: I didn't invent the man. I just make up some of his remarks, but he always out-brutals me. He enjoyed making fun of women. He once saw a woman in a temple, kneeling and then touching the ground with her forehead. He asked her why she would do that and she said she wanted to pay respect to the god Zeus. He warned her that gods are everywhere and that she was therefore showing her behind to Zeus!

30. An early Greek thinker, he first suggested that the universe was not geocentric, suggesting that instead all the planets, and the sun, revolved around a central fire. Who may he be?

From Quiz Greek Philosophy and History

Answer: Philolaus

Philolaus was a 5th century B.C. Pythagorean thinker. His ideas preceded the heliocentric theory espoused by Aristarchus by several centuries.

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