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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. What does the lizard represent at the meditation retreat attended by the author?

2. In the philosophical illustration focused on a charioteer and horses, what does the charioteer represent?

3. With what system is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex associated?

4. What activity does the author most often engage in when he is avoiding work?

5. What doctrine emphasizes that nothing has any essence?

Short Essay Questions

1. What connection does the author make between awareness and control and how is paradox used within the author's discussion of this connection?

2. What does the author mean when he claims that humans are essentialists?

3. How does the author characterize the difference between tribal psychology and general psychology?

4. What is the purpose of mindfulness meditation and how is it performed?

5. What is the purpose for observing one's own thoughts within a meditation session?

6. Explain the emptiness doctrine presented by the author within the chapter entitled Encounters with the Formless.

7. Discuss an instance of the author's use of humor to highlight a particular point being made in the text.

8. Describe Plato's use of the horse and charioteer analogy to comment on the relationship between feelings and the rational self.

9. Discuss the author's perspective of how indulging one's craving once can lead to future indulgences?

10. What four themes does the author state are generally focused upon within the passing thoughts observed during meditation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Perform a biographical criticism of Buddhism is True by researching Robert Wright's life and work. Be sure to create a strong and specific claim focused on this particular book and then support that claim with quotes from the book and from your author research.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the messages sent about the theme of appearance versus reality within Robert Wright's book Buddhism is True.

Essay Topic 3

How does the author use sensory details in order to paint a vivid portrait of the historical events he depicts within the book? Discuss at least two scenes that include extensive use of sensory details and pull quotes from these scenes to support your claim.

(see the answer keys)

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