Tecnológico de MonterreyDivisión de Enseñanza Media

Departamento de Desarrollo HumanoPhilosophy

CLASS ACTIVITY First PartialQuiz 1 “Thinking the Event” Alain Badiou

Name: ____________________________________________ Student Number____________________ Group: ______

Instructions: - Read each question VERY carefully and RESPOND in the manner the question requires.- In order to obtain the RIGHT to SUBMIT your ESSAY you MUST obtain a grade of 70 or

better in EACH of the 4 quizzes.

SECTION I: 10 pts. for each correct response

1. What phrase does the author use to describe what philosophy is “first and foremost”?

a. The love of wisdom

b. The theoretical appreciation of the world

c. The invention of new problems

d. The deep reflection of our most enduring questions

2. According to the author, under what conditions can a philosopher intervene in the

present historical and political circumstances?

a. When he is asked to by the media

b. When he feels a deep and personal commitment to a particular people and their

circumstances

c. When he perceives, in the present circumstances, the signs that tell him there is a

philosophical situation

d. Whenever he feels the need to

3. In the discussion regarding ‘justice’ presented in Plato’s Giorgas the author tells us that

Callicles “argues that might is right” and that:

a. Plato argues that the end justifies the means

b. Socrates argues that the true man is the Just

c. Plato argues that the true man, the happy man, is the Just

d. Socrates argues that the end justifies the means

Tecnológico de MonterreyDivisión de Enseñanza Media

Departamento de Desarrollo HumanoPhilosophy

CLASS ACTIVITY First PartialQuiz 1 “Thinking the Event” Alain Badiou

4. In the retelling of the death of Archimedes the author tells us that Archimedes did not

respond to the summons of General Marcellus because:

a. The General was a part of the invading army and Archimedes didn’t want his

people to think of him as a traitor

b. Archimedes, though brilliant in the field of mathematics, was to stupid to

understand what was actually going on

c. Because Archimedes had not yet finished his mathematical demonstration

d. Because Archimedes did not like to be ordered around

5. According to the author, “the most profound philosophical concepts tell us”:

a. “If you want your life to have some meaning, you must accept reality as it is, you

must remain within the confines of power, and you must be able to make different

decisions”

b. “If you want your life to have no meaning, you must accept the event, you must

remain at a distance from power, and you must be firm in your decision”

c. “If you want your life to have some meaning, you must accept the event, you must

remain at a distance from power, and you must be firm in your decision”

d. “If you want your life to have no meaning, you must accept reality as it is, you

must remain within the confines of power, and you must be able to make different

decisions”

6. In the end, philosophy, according to the author is interested in:

a. Relations that are not relations

b. Relations that are relations

c. Relations that very closely related

d. Relations that have drifted apart

Tecnológico de MonterreyDivisión de Enseñanza Media

Departamento de Desarrollo HumanoPhilosophy

CLASS ACTIVITY First PartialQuiz 1 “Thinking the Event” Alain Badiou

SECTION II: Answer the following questions in depth by providing the necessary

explanations AND arguments to defend your answer. Up to 20 points for each question

7. What is the author trying to communicate to us about the nature of philosophy when he

says: “For Plato already, and for all time, philosophy is the seizure by thought of what

breaks with the sleep of thought”?

8. What is the author trying to communicate to us about the nature of philosophy when he

says: “I insist on the singularity of philosophical commitment. We must absolutely

distinguish philosophy from politics”?