Cambridge OCR A Level · Religious Studies - H573

Ancient philosophical influences: Practice Questions

5 multiple-choice questions marked as you go, and 5 written questions with worked solutions. All on Ancient philosophical influences.

10 questions32 marksFree, no account

Question 1

1 mark

In Plato's hierarchy of the Forms, which Form is considered the ultimate and supreme source of all knowledge, truth, and reality?

Question 2

1 mark

According to René Descartes' proposal for substance dualism, what are the two distinct substances that constitute a human being?

Question 3

1 mark

In his critique of Cartesian dualism, Gilbert Ryle argued that describing the mind as a 'Ghost in the Machine' committed a category error. What did he mean by this?

Question 4

1 mark

According to Aristotle's theory of the four causes, what is the specific term for the physical 'stuff' or substance that an object is composed of?

Question 5

1 mark

Which of the following best summarizes the epistemic difference between Plato and Aristotle's attempts to make sense of reality?

Question 6

2 marks

In the context of Plato's hierarchy of the Forms, why is the Form of the Good considered the most significant and source of all other Forms?

Write your answer out first, then check it against the worked solution.

Question 7

3 marks

Outline the primary difference between substance dualism and materialism regarding the nature of the soul and body.

Write your answer out first, then check it against the worked solution.

Question 8

6 marks

Contrast how Plato and Aristotle differ in their views on whether a priori reasoning or a posteriori observation provides a more reliable path to understanding ultimate reality.

Write your answer out first, then check it against the worked solution.

Question 9

8 marks

(a) Critically evaluate the differences between Plato’s Form of the Good and Aristotle’s Prime Mover in terms of their relationship with the physical universe. (4 marks)

(b) Assess the claim that Aristotle’s empiricism (reliance on the senses) provides a more successful explanation of reality than Plato’s rationalism (reliance on reason). (4 marks)

Write your answer out first, then check it against the worked solution.

Question 10

8 marks

(a) Critically compare Plato’s understanding of the soul as an essential and immaterial part of the human person with Aristotle’s view of the soul as the 'form' of the body. (4 marks)

(b) "The idea that the mind and body are distinct substances is based on a category error."
With reference to the works of Gilbert Ryle and René Descartes, evaluate this statement. (4 marks)

Write your answer out first, then check it against the worked solution.

* The content provided by thinka is generated by AI and may not always be accurate or up-to-date. Please use it as a supplementary resource and verify with official materials.

You've seen the model answer. Now get yours marked.

This page can show you how a good answer looks. It cannot tell you what your answer was missing. thinka marks your written work against the real mark scheme in about 15 seconds.

Get My Answers Marked Back to the notes

Want more questions like these? Get a fresh set on this topic, marked as you go.