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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who proposed the idea of unity of species that follow a few simple laws?
(a) Solon.
(b) Thales of Miletus.
(c) Plato.
(d) Socrates.

2. How does Wilson characterize the modern definition of dreams?
(a) Reconstitution of daily experiences in surreal visions.
(b) Visions charged by emotion and reorganized by information in memory.
(c) Psychic returns to the scenes of primal injuries.
(d) Mystic connections to real events outside the body.

3. What does science seek, in Wilson's account?
(a) The mind of God.
(b) Objective truth based on hypothesis.
(c) Probably hypothesis.
(d) Interesting hypotheses.

4. What is the relationship between politicians and intellectuals, in Wilson's account?
(a) They are not related.
(b) They misinterpret each other's work.
(c) They have a mutually supportive role.
(d) They obfuscate each other's work.

5. How would you describe the relationship between Descartes' theories and modern science of the brain?
(a) Descartes sense of consciousness' abstraction has been embraced by scientists who practice consilience.
(b) Modern science has centered on the role of doubt in awareness.
(c) The molecular work on the brain has completely surpassed anything Descartes theorized.
(d) Descartes' dualism has been rejected.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does consilience work?

2. What do nerve cells in the brain send signals along?

3. What does science use as proof of a theory?

4. What accomplishment does Wilson say Einstein strove for in his work?

5. Under what circumstances are theories accepted universally?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Wilson describe what it is possible to know about the brain?

2. How would you describe Rousseau's influence on Wilson's idea of consilience?

3. In what way does Wilson distinguish between evolutionary progress and consilience?

4. What justification does Wilson provide for integrating philosophy with biology, social science and the humanities?

5. How would you describe Condorcet's influence on Wilson's idea of consilience?

6. What is the modern understanding of how the brain works?

7. How does Wilson describe the mindset necessary to be a scientist?

8. How does consilience aim to resolve political problems?

9. What ancient sources does Wilson trace consilience back to?

10. How does Wilson use evolution as a parallel for consilience?

(see the answer keys)

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