A quiz: Are you a materialist or idealist?

[Interesting Ian]

The quiz is from the book Philosophy in Practice by Adam Morton.

(1) Telepathy would occur when one person could receive another person's thoughts, without speech or electronics. On present evidence is telepathy (a) impossible, (b.) unlikely, (c) possible, or (d) actual?

That question is too generally phrased. I had to choose "actual" because I recognize shapes, colors, bodylanguage, postcards, and many other forms of communication without speech or electronics.

Limitations of such quizzes. You have to take it seriously, otherwise there's no point.

(2) Suppose that there were firm evidence of telepathy. Would this mean that physics ought to be (a) abandoned, (b) supplemented with a very different discipline, (c) expanded, (d) left as it is?

(3) Suppose there were statistical evidence that the positions of the planets influence human fate. Would this be because of (a) an accident, (b) unknown causal processes, (c) something beyond our understanding, or (d) the truth of astrology?

Supersticion. (Not an unknown causal process, but the answer I consider to be "the least far off from the others".)

You have failed to answer the question.

(4) That human beings can survive death is (a) likely, (b) possible, (c) unlikely, (d) impossible.

(5) That today's physics may someday be seen as wildly inaccurate myth is (a) impossible, (b) unlikely, (c) possible, (d) probable.

(6) Where are rainbows: (a) in the sky, (b) in people's minds, (c) in raindrops, (d) nowhere?

(7) Numbers are (a) fictions, (b) marks on paper, (c) ideas in our minds, (d) objects independent of us.

(8) Compare democracy (in politics) and energy (in science): (a) energy and democracy are both just concepts we use to describe our experiences; (b) both energy and democracy are dubious concepts; (c) energy is a useful concept and democracy a dubious one; (d) energy is real and democracy is just an idea.

My official answer is (e) Energy and democracy are real

OK, they are real.

(9) A factor in many diseases is 'stress', which in part depends on a person's experiences and emotions. The suggestion that stress might one day be understood in purely physical terms is (a) likely, (b) possible, (c) improbable, (d) impossible.

(10) Brain chemistry seems to be connected with some severe mental disorders. The possibility that a person's personality might be completely explicable in terms of their brain chemistry is (a) crazy, (b) far-fetched, (c) likely, (d) probable.

(11) People who believe that they are biological organisms governed by biological principles are likely to treat other people in a way that is (a) more understanding than, (b) different from, (c) the same as, (d) less understanding than those who believe that humans are exceptions to the principles governing other animals behaviour.

My answers are in bold, my comments are in green.

Your comments are both vacuous and irrelevent. As I said to LostAngeles, you need to provide your answers in a list before I agree to score.

The options were very limited, and the questions were poorly constructed.

If you do not like them, then do not respond at all.

[Interesting Ian]

*Shrug* I answered the nearest to what I thought:

1. b
2. c
3. b
4. c
5. c
6. c
7. c
8. a
9. a
10. d
11. c

Hmm...lots of cs :p

Naturalist. About slap bang in the middle between semi-idealist and materialist.

[Interesting Ian]

The quiz is from the book Philosophy in Practice by Adam Morton.

(1) Telepathy would occur when one person could receive another person's thoughts, without speech or electronics. On present evidence is telepathy (a) impossible, (b.) unlikely, (c) possible, or (d) actual?

That question is too generally phrased. I had to choose "actual" because I recognize shapes, colors, bodylanguage, postcards, and many other forms of communication without speech or electronics.

(2) Suppose that there were firm evidence of telepathy. Would this mean that physics ought to be (a) abandoned, (b) supplemented with a very different discipline, (c) expanded, (d) left as it is?

(3) Suppose there were statistical evidence that the positions of the planets influence human fate. Would this be because of (a) an accident, (b) unknown causal processes, (c) something beyond our understanding, or (d) the truth of astrology?

Supersticion. (Not an unknown causal process, but the answer I consider to be "the least far off from the others".)

(4) That human beings can survive death is (a) likely, (b) possible, (c) unlikely, (d) impossible.

(5) That today's physics may someday be seen as wildly inaccurate myth is (a) impossible, (b) unlikely, (c) possible, (d) probable.

(6) Where are rainbows: (a) in the sky, (b) in people's minds, (c) in raindrops, (d) nowhere?

(7) Numbers are (a) fictions, (b) marks on paper, (c) ideas in our minds, (d) objects independent of us.

(8) Compare democracy (in politics) and energy (in science): (a) energy and democracy are both just concepts we use to describe our experiences; (b) both energy and democracy are dubious concepts; (c) energy is a useful concept and democracy a dubious one; (d) energy is real and democracy is just an idea.

My official answer is (e) Energy and democracy are real

(9) A factor in many diseases is 'stress', which in part depends on a person's experiences and emotions. The suggestion that stress might one day be understood in purely physical terms is (a) likely, (b) possible, (c) improbable, (d) impossible.

(10) Brain chemistry seems to be connected with some severe mental disorders. The possibility that a person's personality might be completely explicable in terms of their brain chemistry is (a) crazy, (b) far-fetched, (c) likely, (d) probable.

(11) People who believe that they are biological organisms governed by biological principles are likely to treat other people in a way that is (a) more understanding than, (b) different from, (c) the same as, (d) less understanding than those who believe that humans are exceptions to the principles governing other animals behaviour.

My answers are in bold, my comments are in green.

The options were very limited, and the questions were poorly constructed.

I agree. They all seemed a tad off, but most especially the one about "surviving death." I grasp that it's asking about an afterlife, but that's still a contradiction, there.

It is as clear as a question could be that it was asking about an "afterlife" as you put it. I fail to see any contradiction. Please inform me as to this contradiction.

Are you aware the author almost certainly does not subscribe to survival?(or the "afterlife as you put it). It's a quiz to try and give some hints as to your metaphysical position. That is all.

[Interesting Ian]

1) b
2) c
3) b
4) b
5) c
6) a
7) c
8 ) a
9) b
10) d
11) c

Semi-idealist . .but just missed natuaralist by 1 point. I think same as gentlehorse if I recollect correctly.

[Sorgoth]

Ian, could you explain the difference between naturalist and materialist to me?


I may have been describing myself wrong...I'm not sure. (I tend to describe myself as a materialist).

[Cool Hand]

Ian, I am hoping you would be interested in scoring my answers. In case you care to do so (and I'm kind of curious too), here they are:

1 (a)
2 (c)
3 (b)
4 (d)
5 (a)
6 (a)
7 (d)
8 (d)
9 (a)
10 (d)
11 (a)

I suspect I will come out a naturalist very near to materialist, or a straight out materialist. I am optimistic that I am a hard materialist.

8)

Cool Hand (AS)

[Interesting Ian]

Ian, I am hoping you would be interested in scoring my answers. In case you care to do so (and I'm kind of curious too), here they are:

1 (a)
2 (c)
3 (b)
4 (d)
5 (a)
6 (a)
7 (d)
8 (d)
9 (a)
10 (d)
11 (a)

I suspect I will come out a naturalist very near to materialist, or a straight out materialist. I am optimistic that I am a hard materialist.

8)

Cool Hand (AS)

Won't send

[Interesting Ian]

Ian, I am hoping you would be interested in scoring my answers. In case you care to do so (and I'm kind of curious too), here they are:

1 (a)
2 (c)
3 (b)
4 (d)
5 (a)
6 (a)
7 (d)
8 (d)
9 (a)
10 (d)
11 (a)

I suspect I will come out a naturalist very near to materialist, or a straight out materialist. I am optimistic that I am a hard materialist.

8)

Cool Hand (AS)

Fuck! Have to bloody write it out again.

You are a materialist. The first one according to this quiz.

[LostAngeles]

(1) Telepathy would occur when one person could receive another person's thoughts, without speech or electronics. On present evidence is telepathy (a) impossible, <b>(b.) unlikely</b>, (c) possible, or (d) actual?

(2) Suppose that there were firm evidence of telepathy. Would this mean that physics ought to be (a) abandoned, (b) supplemented with a very different discipline, <b>(c) expanded</b>, (d) left as it is?

(3) Suppose there were statistical evidence that the positions of the planets influence human fate. Would this be because of (a) an accident, <b>(b) unknown causal processes</b>, (c) something beyond our understanding, or (d) the truth of astrology?

(4) That human beings can survive death is (a) likely, (b) possible, (c) unlikely, <b>(d) impossible</b>.

(5) That today's physics may someday be seen as wildly inaccurate myth is (a) impossible, (b) unlikely, <b>(c) possible</b>, (d) probable.

(6) Where are rainbows: (a) in the sky, (b) in people's minds, <b>(c) in raindrops</b>, (d) nowhere?

(7) Numbers are (a) fictions, (b) marks on paper, <b>(c) ideas in our minds</b>, (d) objects independent of us.

(8) Compare democracy (in politics) and energy (in science): <b>(a) energy and democracy are both just concepts we use to describe our experiences</b>; (b) both energy and democracy are dubious concepts; (c) energy is a useful concept and democracy a dubious one; (d) energy is real and democracy is just an idea.

(9) A factor in many diseases is 'stress', which in part depends on a person's experiences and emotions. The suggestion that stress might one day be understood in purely physical terms is (a) likely, <b>(b) possible</b>, (c) improbable, (d) impossible.

(10) Brain chemistry seems to be connected with some severe mental disorders. The possibility that a person's personality might be completely explicable in terms of their brain chemistry is (a) crazy, (b) far-fetched, (c) likely, <b>(d) probable</b>.

(11) People who believe that they are biological organisms governed by biological principles are likely to treat other people in a way that is (a) more understanding than, (b) different from, <b>(c) the same as</b>, (d) less understanding than those who believe that humans are exceptions to the principles governing other animals behaviour.

My answers bolded.

Please give a list like everyone else was good enough to do. I am not going to waste my time with people who just can't be bothered.

:roll: Takes more effort to bold, than to make a list, but here.

1) b
2) c
3) b
4) d
5) c
6) c
7) c
8) a
9) b
10)d
11)c

[Sundog]

1. b
2. c
3. b
4. c
5. d
6. a
7. d
8. d
9. a
10. d
11. d

[PixyMisa]

1. a
2. c
3. b
4. d
5. a
6. a
7. c
8. d
9. a
10. d
11. a

[Insert complaint about both the questions and the answers here.]

[Cool Hand]

I suspect I will come out a naturalist very near to materialist, or a straight out materialist. I am optimistic that I am a hard materialist.

8)

Cool Hand (AS)

Fuck! Have to bloody write it out again.

You are a materialist. The first one according to this quiz.

Sorry you had to write it out. I must not have read the directions carefully.

Thanks, Ian. I knew it!!

Cool Hand

[Mooseboy]

My scores: I hope I am in RavenClaw!

1. B-unlikely

2.I like both b and c but I choose C.

3. B , you haven’t shown the link to astrology.

4. C

5. B

6. C

7. C

8. A

9. A

10. C

11. A

[Hexxenhammer]

My scores: I hope I am in RavenClaw!

Guffaw!

[Interesting Ian]

(1) Telepathy would occur when one person could receive another person's thoughts, without speech or electronics. On present evidence is telepathy (a) impossible, <b>(b.) unlikely</b>, (c) possible, or (d) actual?

(2) Suppose that there were firm evidence of telepathy. Would this mean that physics ought to be (a) abandoned, (b) supplemented with a very different discipline, <b>(c) expanded</b>, (d) left as it is?

(3) Suppose there were statistical evidence that the positions of the planets influence human fate. Would this be because of (a) an accident, <b>(b) unknown causal processes</b>, (c) something beyond our understanding, or (d) the truth of astrology?

(4) That human beings can survive death is (a) likely, (b) possible, (c) unlikely, <b>(d) impossible</b>.

(5) That today's physics may someday be seen as wildly inaccurate myth is (a) impossible, (b) unlikely, <b>(c) possible</b>, (d) probable.

(6) Where are rainbows: (a) in the sky, (b) in people's minds, <b>(c) in raindrops</b>, (d) nowhere?

(7) Numbers are (a) fictions, (b) marks on paper, <b>(c) ideas in our minds</b>, (d) objects independent of us.

(8) Compare democracy (in politics) and energy (in science): <b>(a) energy and democracy are both just concepts we use to describe our experiences</b>; (b) both energy and democracy are dubious concepts; (c) energy is a useful concept and democracy a dubious one; (d) energy is real and democracy is just an idea.

(9) A factor in many diseases is 'stress', which in part depends on a person's experiences and emotions. The suggestion that stress might one day be understood in purely physical terms is (a) likely, <b>(b) possible</b>, (c) improbable, (d) impossible.

(10) Brain chemistry seems to be connected with some severe mental disorders. The possibility that a person's personality might be completely explicable in terms of their brain chemistry is (a) crazy, (b) far-fetched, (c) likely, <b>(d) probable</b>.

(11) People who believe that they are biological organisms governed by biological principles are likely to treat other people in a way that is (a) more understanding than, (b) different from, <b>(c) the same as</b>, (d) less understanding than those who believe that humans are exceptions to the principles governing other animals behaviour.

My answers bolded.

Please give a list like everyone else was good enough to do. I am not going to waste my time with people who just can't be bothered.

:roll: Takes more effort to bold, than to make a list, but here.

1) b
2) c
3) b
4) d
5) c
6) c
7) c
8) a
9) b
10)d
11)c

A Naturalist. Pretty much slap bang in the middle between a materialist and semi-idealist.

[Interesting Ian]

1. b
2. c
3. b
4. c
5. d
6. a
7. d
8. d
9. a
10. d
11. d

A Naturalist, but pretty close to being a semi-idealist.

[Interesting Ian]

1. a
2. c
3. b
4. d
5. a
6. a
7. c
8. d
9. a
10. d
11. a

[Insert complaint about both the questions and the answers here.]

A Materialist. Same score as kewl Luke I believe. Only the 2nd materialist so far.

[Interesting Ian]

My scores: I hope I am in RavenClaw!

1. B-unlikely

2.I like both b and c but I choose C.

3. B , you haven’t shown the link to astrology.

4. C

5. B

6. C

7. C

8. A

9. A

10. C

11. A

A naturalist. Pretty close to being a materialist though.

[PixyMisa]

A Materialist. Same score as kewl Luke I believe. Only the 2nd materialist so far.

Well :)

Even if the questions and answers could be better constructed, it does seem to give reasonable results.

[Pyrrho]

11 questions. Just choose a, b, c or d for each one. I won't tell you how to score at this juncture. But if you tell me your answers I'll inform you as to whether you fall under being a:

Materialist,

Naturalist,

Semi- idealist or,

Idealist (philosophical idealist that is).


As a matter of interest, the score I got put me as a semi-idealist; but only just. Only failed to be categorised as an idealist by 1 point.

The quiz is from the book Philosophy in Practice by Adam Morton.

(1) Telepathy would occur when one person could receive another person's thoughts, without speech or electronics. On present evidence is telepathy (a) impossible, (b.) unlikely, (c) possible, or (d) actual?

B.

(2) Suppose that there were firm evidence of telepathy. Would this mean that physics ought to be (a) abandoned, (b) supplemented with a very different discipline, (c) expanded, (d) left as it is?

C

(3) Suppose there were statistical evidence that the positions of the planets influence human fate. Would this be because of (a) an accident, (b) unknown causal processes, (c) something beyond our understanding, or (d) the truth of astrology?

B

(4) That human beings can survive death is (a) likely, (b) possible, (c) unlikely, (d) impossible.

D

(5) That today's physics may someday be seen as wildly inaccurate myth is (a) impossible, (b) unlikely, (c) possible, (d) probable.

B

(6) Where are rainbows: (a) in the sky, (b) in people's minds, (c) in raindrops, (d) nowhere?

C

(7) Numbers are (a) fictions, (b) marks on paper, (c) ideas in our minds, (d) objects independent of us.

C

(8) Compare democracy (in politics) and energy (in science): (a) energy and democracy are both just concepts we use to describe our experiences; (b) both energy and democracy are dubious concepts; (c) energy is a useful concept and democracy a dubious one; (d) energy is real and democracy is just an idea.

C

(9) A factor in many diseases is 'stress', which in part depends on a person's experiences and emotions. The suggestion that stress might one day be understood in purely physical terms is (a) likely, (b) possible, (c) improbable, (d) impossible.

A

(10) Brain chemistry seems to be connected with some severe mental disorders. The possibility that a person's personality might be completely explicable in terms of their brain chemistry is (a) crazy, (b) far-fetched, (c) likely, (d) probable.

D

(11) People who believe that they are biological organisms governed by biological principles are likely to treat other people in a way that is (a) more understanding than, (b) different from, (c) the same as, (d) less understanding than those who believe that humans are exceptions to the principles governing other animals behaviour.

C

[Earthborn]

bcbbadcaaca

So what does that make me?

[Interesting Ian]

11 questions. Just choose a, b, c or d for each one. I won't tell you how to score at this juncture. But if you tell me your answers I'll inform you as to whether you fall under being a:

Materialist,

Naturalist,

Semi- idealist or,

Idealist (philosophical idealist that is).


As a matter of interest, the score I got put me as a semi-idealist; but only just. Only failed to be categorised as an idealist by 1 point.

The quiz is from the book Philosophy in Practice by Adam Morton.

(1) Telepathy would occur when one person could receive another person's thoughts, without speech or electronics. On present evidence is telepathy (a) impossible, (b.) unlikely, (c) possible, or (d) actual?

B.

(2) Suppose that there were firm evidence of telepathy. Would this mean that physics ought to be (a) abandoned, (b) supplemented with a very different discipline, (c) expanded, (d) left as it is?

C

(3) Suppose there were statistical evidence that the positions of the planets influence human fate. Would this be because of (a) an accident, (b) unknown causal processes, (c) something beyond our understanding, or (d) the truth of astrology?

B

(4) That human beings can survive death is (a) likely, (b) possible, (c) unlikely, (d) impossible.

D

(5) That today's physics may someday be seen as wildly inaccurate myth is (a) impossible, (b) unlikely, (c) possible, (d) probable.

B

(6) Where are rainbows: (a) in the sky, (b) in people's minds, (c) in raindrops, (d) nowhere?

C

(7) Numbers are (a) fictions, (b) marks on paper, (c) ideas in our minds, (d) objects independent of us.

C

(8) Compare democracy (in politics) and energy (in science): (a) energy and democracy are both just concepts we use to describe our experiences; (b) both energy and democracy are dubious concepts; (c) energy is a useful concept and democracy a dubious one; (d) energy is real and democracy is just an idea.

C

(9) A factor in many diseases is 'stress', which in part depends on a person's experiences and emotions. The suggestion that stress might one day be understood in purely physical terms is (a) likely, (b) possible, (c) improbable, (d) impossible.

A

(10) Brain chemistry seems to be connected with some severe mental disorders. The possibility that a person's personality might be completely explicable in terms of their brain chemistry is (a) crazy, (b) far-fetched, (c) likely, (d) probable.

D

(11) People who believe that they are biological organisms governed by biological principles are likely to treat other people in a way that is (a) more understanding than, (b) different from, (c) the same as, (d) less understanding than those who believe that humans are exceptions to the principles governing other animals behaviour.

C

A Naturalist, but just one point from being a materialist.

[Interesting Ian]

bcbbadcaaca

So what does that make me?

A naturalist but very close to materialist. Same score as Ny, Hex and co (and one point from Pyrrho).

[Pyrrho]

A Naturalist, but just one point from being a materialist.

I must point out that the phrasing of question 4 seems a trifle ambiguous to me, but perhaps it was your intention to determine how we define "human being". I tend to see the human being as a physical entity separate from the concepts of mind or spirit, thus, I could only choose D, because it is demonstrable that the physical body does not survive death. If the question had asked about the mind of a human being surviving death, I might have chosen C.

[Yahweh]

(3) Suppose there were statistical evidence that the positions of the planets influence human fate. Would this be because of (a) an accident, (b) unknown causal processes, (c) something beyond our understanding, or (d) the truth of astrology?

Supersticion. (Not an unknown causal process, but the answer I consider to be "the least far off from the others".)

You have failed to answer the question.

"B" was bolded. The question is answered.

Your comments are both vacuous and irrelevent.

Vacuous and irrelevant? So much venom in you.

http://216.218.248.155/datastore/11/83/ ... 079b4d.jpg

As I said to LostAngeles, you need to provide your answers in a list before I agree to score.

Absolutely:

1. D
2. C
3. B
4. D
5. B
6. C
7. C
8. D
9. A
10. D
11. C

If you do not like them, then do not respond at all.

http://216.218.248.155/datastore/9d/85/ ... b74465.jpg

[viscousmemories]

• a
• b
• b
• c
• c
• b
• c
• d
• b
• d
• c

[Pyrrho]

http://216.218.248.155/datastore/11/83/ ... 079b4d.jpg
CARRIES TOXOPLASMOSIS

http://216.218.248.155/datastore/9d/85/ ... b74465.jpg
SITS ON YOUR DINNER PLATE

[viscousmemories]

Is that second one a kitten or some other animal? Looks like a gremlin.

[LostAngeles]

Is that second one a kitten or some other animal? Looks like a gremlin.

That's a kitten probably no more than a week or two or old from the folded ears.

The first one looks like one of mine, only black instead of grey.

So CUTE!

[rwald]

1. a
2. c
3. b
4. d (though possibly c)
5. b
6. b
7. c
8. d
9. a
10. d
11. c

I'd like to state that I actually thought the test was fairly good, considering the original poster. (With the possible exception of question 8.) However, I would like to see the test's author's definitions of materialist, naturalist, semi-idealist, and idealist. By any chance is there a way we could see that?

[Interesting Ian]

1. a
2. c
3. b
4. d (though possibly c)
5. b
6. b
7. c
8. d
9. a
10. d
11. c

I'd like to state that I actually thought the test was fairly good, considering the original poster.

This original poster is more likely to recognise a good test of ones metaphysical interpretation of reality than yourself.

[rwald]

This original poster is more likely to recognise a good test of ones metaphysical interpretation of reality than yourself.

Well, I'll admit that you did end up telling us your definitions of materialism and naturalism. I was happy, and somewhat amazed, to see this. If I say anything else, I will certainly derail this thread. Before I do so, I'll give the rest of the forum a couple of days to plead for its salvation. It's survived surprisingly long...

[Cool Hand]

[quote="Yahweh"]
http://216.218.248.155/datastore/11/83/ ... 079b4d.jpg

Yahweh,

I had a kitten as a teenager that looked exactly like that one. He was one cool cat. He was built like a tank too.

Cool Hand

[Nigel]

Paul Tracy at work.
http://www.champcarworldseries.com/Cont ... _CS_01.jpg

[Mooseboy]

Thanks Ian, a naturalist huh?

Guess I'll have to go look that up.

The true answer is that I am a JOKE!(FRom Master ian himself this very day)

[Interesting Ian]

Thanks Ian, a naturalist huh?

Guess I'll have to go look that up.

The true answer is that I am a JOKE!(FRom Master ian himself this very day)

Only if you are numerically identical to Dancing David. Are you?

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

Ooh, a quiz.

1. b
2. c
3. b
4. c
5. b
6. a
7. c
8. d
9. a
10. d
11. a

Some of the questions were quite confoozled.

~~ Paul

[viscousmemories]

I demand your judgement! Please.

My answers

[Interesting Ian]

1. D
2. C
3. B
4. D
5. B
6. C
7. C
8. D
9. A
10. D
11. C

You've put telepathy as actual. Did you realise this?

Anyway, you got naturalist, almost materialist. The same score as Ny and Hex and co.

[Interesting Ian]

• a
• b
• b
• c
• c
• b
• c
• d
• b
• d
• c

Naturalist.