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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 does Beauvoir suggest a child has a state of security?

2. How does Beauvoir define nihilism?

3. How does human spontaneity give purpose to a human life, according to Beauvoir?

4. How does Beauvoir compare southern slaves to children?

5. What does Beauvoir identify as the spirit of seriousness?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Beauvoir explain that adult lives can slip by in an infantile world?

2. What faces the adolescent who is being liberated from the infantile world, according to Beauvoir?

3. How does Beauvoir define the serious man?

4. How does Beauvoir claim that spontaneity affects man's freedom?

5. According to Beauvoir, how does man cast himself into the world?

6. What does Beauvoir point out as the difference between the passionate man and the adventurer?

7. With what quote from Descartes does Beauvoir begin Section II?

8. How does Beauvoir claim that man can disclose being?

9. How does Beauvoir show that the "sub-man" passes into being a serious man?

10. How does Beauvoir explain the characteristic feature of all ethics?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the "adventurer" from the "passionate man" and give historical examples for each. Which lives freely and which has the greatest influence on general freedom? Which one does Beauvoir seem to favor? Use her comments to support your view.

Essay Topic 2

Does Beauvoir consider the source of oppression to be individuals or a natural state that people accept and use for their own purposes. Explain your answer with support from "The Ethics of Ambiguity" and at least one example from history or current events.

Essay Topic 3

Beauvoir connects projects, creativity and time as elements that can help man develop free will. Show Beauvoir relates the three to each other to prove her point. Use life applications to prove Beauvoir's assertions.

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This section contains 749 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample