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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How do utilitarians feel about art?

2. What is the difference between the two techniques the author describes in Appendix 1?

3. According to the author, what did Ben Jonson fail to understand about theatrical spectacle?

4. Why is it important that people can sometimes be hypnotized by gemstones?

5. Why are marble and stone often particularly impressive materials in art?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the author say in "Heaven and Hell" about gemstones?

2. What metaphor does the author use at the beginning of "Heaven and Hell" to describe the unexplored regions of the human psyche?

3. What is different about the two forms of visionary art discussed in Appendix 3?

4. What does the author say about the history of fireworks, in Appendix 3?

5. How and why has the diet of most people changed over time?

6. How was pageantry used as a political tool?

7. What effects did our ancestors experience as a result of their diets, according to the information presented in Appendix 2?

8. To which spiritual practice does the author refer to exemplify the effects of a restricted diet?

9. What are the two methods discussed in Appendix 1 for inducing a visionary experience?

10. What other practices commonly incorporated into religious ceremonies produce results similar to the first vision-inducing method discussed in Appendix 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

According to Huxley, mescalin altered his perceptions in a variety of ways. What were some of the ways in which his perception of reality was altered? How did he feel about these changes? What is Huxley's theory regarding how mescalin works on the human brain? Is this theory accurate? What lasting effects resulted from Huxley's use of mescalin?

Essay Topic 2

Huxley differentiates between a Victorian painting of a thrush and a Japanese one. How do the different artistic styles of these paintings affect the overall tone of the paintings? In what way does each of these paintings affect audiences? Which of these paintings does Huxley prefer?

Essay Topic 3

Color and light are both crucial aspects of a visionary experience, according to Huxley. Why? In what natural objects are color and light often seen in an intense concentration? How are these objects part of religion and spirituality? In Huxley's opinion, why are color and light so important to visionary experiences?

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