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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is Crito's relationship to Socrates?
(a) Crito is a wealthy disciple of Socrates.
(b) Crito is a Sophist, one of Socrates' enemies.
(c) Crito is Socrates' cousin
(d) Crito is a jail guard.

2. Philosophers, according to Socrates' analogy, are which of the following?
(a) The parasite sitting in the beast's stomach, making it hungry.
(b) Men freed from the cave, seeing the shadow puppets for what they are.
(c) Wind making the willows flap.
(d) The farmers who cut the chickens' heads off.

3. Meletus claims that Socrates said which of the following?
(a) "There is no good reason to follow Athenian law."
(b) "That the gods do not exist."
(c) "That the sun's a stone and the moon is earth."
(d) "Everything is unified and there is no such thing as particulars."

4. In Apology, Socrates defends himself specifically from accusations made by___________.
(a) Evenus of Paros.
(b) Meno.
(c) Meletus.
(d) The Sophists and the Arians.

5. After a philosopher's formal education is complete in the Republic, what does Socrates' think is the next step in his training?
(a) Working towards a professorship.
(b) Living abroad and returning only when summoned.
(c) Holding a military post in order to see if he can resist temptation in the field.
(d) Going into the street and spreading his knowledge to the masses.

6. The evil of the soul, explained in Book X by Socrates, is ___________.
(a) Treason.
(b) Injustice.
(c) Dishonesty.
(d) Fire.

7. To Socrates, government is best analogized as being similar to the human _________.
(a) Soul.
(b) Heart.
(c) Brain.
(d) Limbs.

8. According to Socrates' radical math, the tyrant's life is 729 times________.
(a) More laudable than the common man's life.
(b) Less exciting than the soldier's life.
(c) Less pleasant than the philosopher's life.
(d) More worthy than an elected leader's life.

9. What must the philosopher, according to Socrates in Book VI, employ in order to attain knowledge of "absolute good"?
(a) Hypotheses about what is good in the world.
(b) Guessing and hoping he gets lucky.
(c) Judgment against "absolute evil."
(d) Public opinion of theoretical subjects.

10. In Book IX, how does Socrates describe a tyrant?
(a) Confused and worried about the wrong things.
(b) Miserable, living in constant fear.
(c) Elated at his sheer power.
(d) Tired because he works long hours.

11. As a consequence of an elevated state of mind, Socrates explains that philosophers often have trouble_________.
(a) Apprehending absolute truths.
(b) With sensible and mundane activities.
(c) Being professional.
(d) Focusing on complicated issues.

12. Socrates believes that the Sophists________________.
(a) Have values worth learning from.
(b) Are evil imitators posing as philosophers.
(c) Are philosophers themselves.
(d) Should be exiled on grounds of impiety.

13. According to Socrates in Book VII, to what should all philosophers aspire?
(a) To know what's true for oneself.
(b) To know absolute truths in-and-of-themselves.
(c) To make their argument the strongest argument.
(d) To always disagree with each other.

14. Tyranny is most likely to occur under which form of government?
(a) Aristocracy.
(b) Timocracy.
(c) Oligarchy.
(d) Democracy.

15. Why would candidates for a philosopher-king class in the republic be tested?
(a) To show that they have no skeletons in their closets.
(b) To ensure that they can endure different types of intellectual life.
(c) To prove that they are stronger than their adversaries.
(d) To enjoy a life of task and reward.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Socrates regard a democracy?

2. Why is Phaedo important?

3. In Book VII Socrates weaves an analogy suggesting that the common man is like________.

4. Socrates firmly believes that poetry _____________.

5. With whom does Socrates discuss the education of soldiers and philosophers?

(see the answer keys)

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