CH3. EARLY PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERPINNINGS

1. Which of the following philosophers is considered one of the early proponents of dualism?

A. Plato

C. Descartes

B. Aristotle

D. Locke

Answer: C

Explanation:

• René Descartes is widely considered the father of dualism, particularly mind-body dualism.
• He argued that the mind (immaterial) and body (material) are distinct substances that interact.
• His famous statement “Cogito, ergo sum” (“I think, therefore I am”) highlights the separation of mind and body.
• While Plato and Aristotle discussed dualistic ideas, Descartes formalized it in modern philosophy.

2. Who among the following is considered the father of experimental psychology?

A. Sigmund Freud

B. Wilhelm Wundt

C. William James

D. John Locke

Answer: B

Explanation: Wilhelm Wundt is considered the father of experimental psychology as he established the first laboratory dedicated to psychological research at the University of Leipzig in 1879, marking psychology’s transition into a distinct scientific discipline.

3. Which of the following best describes empiricism as a philosophical concept?

A. Knowledge is gained through reason alone

B. Knowledge comes from sensory experience

C. Truth is independent of perception

D. Mind and body are separate entities

Answer: B

Explanation: Empiricism emphasizes that all knowledge originates from sensory experiences and observations, rejecting innate ideas and prioritizing evidence from the senses.

4. Which of the following philosophers advocated the idea of ‘tabula rasa’ or the mind being a blank slate?

A. Descartes

B. Locke

C. Plato

D. Hume

Answer: B

Explanation: 

John Locke advocated the idea of ‘tabula rasa,’ suggesting that the mind is a blank slate at birth, and knowledge is acquired through experience and sensory input.