Quiz 2 PST3127Summer 2011 Prof. KleinYour Name: __________________________________

1. Mustapha Mond explains that the underlying “logic” of the Brave New World is the economy: a stable economy allows for a stable society. As presented in lecture, what are the two economic functions that humans must perform to ensure economic and, hence, social stability?

i) ______________________ Consumption

ii) ______________________Production

2. Huxley holds that although our beliefs have no basis in rationality, we nonetheless hold them with great emotional intensity. We consider our beliefs to be: Self-____________, Axio-___________, and Utterly-__________, (Fill in the blanks with a word or partial word. Getting 2 out of 3 gets you full credit.)Self-evident, Axiomatic, Utterly indisputable

3. As discussed in lecture, which character in Huxley’s novel most resembles Plato’s vision of a “philosopher king,” i.e. which character recognizes that the world is a cave, yet he nonetheless dedicates his life to making it as good a cave as possible? ______________________Mustapha Mond

5. Affluenza is a critique of __________ and Brave New World is a critique of ____________. a) self, others b) others, self c) others, others d) self, self

4. Acording to de Graaf, meaningful work is a) self-chosen (you set your own goals)b) not all-consuming (it leaves time for diverse life activities)c) neither a nor bd) both a and b

6. Various authors describe society’s state of collective illusion using such metaphors as a “cave”, a “matrix”, a “Brave New World”, etc. What is John de Graaf’s metaphor in Affluenza?Disease

__________________________________7. John de Graaf challenges society’s most authoritative “source” of knowledge, which is: a) public opinionb) repetitionc) silence d) all of the above

8. According to de Graaf, in our society we are mislead in believing that we can satisfy our __________________________________ needs with __________________________________.Non-material, material goods

9. As discussed in Affluenza, Benjamin Franklin and Harry Truman both do not celebrated the pursuit of happiness through material acquisitions. (T/F)

10. John de Graaf, unlike Immanuel Kant, claims that not everyone is capable of enlightenment through the application of reason. (T/F)

What is the underlying 'logic' of the Brave New World? (why are the inhabitants' minds formed the way they are)

Formed this way for social stability. in order to maintain a functioning civilization the peoples consciousness is influenced. Stable society ensures that the economy will remain strong.

What danger does Bloom see to the AMerican universities today?

Conformism of thought.

Something good that affluenza brings us

Material Goods

Something bad that affluenza brings us

Stress, anxiety, debt, destruction of nature

Something valuable that affluenza denies us

Satisfaction of non-material wants, meaning

According to de Graaf, what US corporation implemented the less-than-40-hour work week?

Kellogg Corporation from 1933-1985

Where did John the Savage ultimately go to live in peace?

Lighthouse in outskirts of London

From BNW, give an example of each dimension of false consciousness and explain how it is false:

False Desire: The people desire to be slaves. They riot when denied their Soma b/c they desire it although they are in fact slaves to it. Also through conditioning they are taught to dislike nature and booksFalse Belief: Sexual promiscuity through recreational sex with anyone is okay and any other idea such as monogamy is prohibited. Also the only type of religion is based on Ford. The people are glad to be in their own social class.False Knowledge: The people carry out task without actually understanding the idea behind what they are doing. They use science but have no concept of what science is and have no knowledge of concepts.

In BNW when John the Savage first comes to London he is enthusiastic about the mondern world. Later he adopts a more critical stance and starts asking question and passing judgements. What group of people in the real world resemble John the Savage in the status of new entrants to modern world?

Immigrants to first world nations from isolated communities, ex Mong tribesmen and Native Americans

In BNW when the Simple Lifters were mowed down by machine guns, it was evidence that the Old Totalitarianisn was not working.

True

Plato's philosopher-king was an enlightened man who returns to the cave to rule over the masses who cannot and will not escape their lives of illusion. what character in BNW fits this description?

Mustapha Mond

Various authors describe society's state of collective illusion using such metaphors as a cave, matric, ,BWN, etc, what metaphor does John de Graaf use in his book?

Affluenza

How do 'rising standards of consumerism' (de Graaf) create a 'prison of the mind' (Huxley)?

Due to the accumulation of stuff (more consumption), we are creating for ourselves a prision. To purchase more stuff, we have to work harder and harder to pay for it. Becomes a cycle, a prison.

According to Karl Marx increases in material productivity will enable us to satisfy our needs with fewer hours of work, giving us more freedom. in the US that has arguable not occured. What has been the effect of increased productivity?

It has brought about higher expectations for workers. B/c a worker can produce at a certain higher level, they are expected to maintain that higher level of productivty for the 40+ hour/week that is worked.

Nature can be understood as a source of 'wealth' in 2 senses. 1, nature is a source of raw materials to input into production, what is the other understanding of nature-wealth?

It is non-material kind. Nature can be all-encompassing, and we can immerse ourselves in it and obtain much non-material wealth from it.

The planners in BNW attempted various experiments to see if they could make society better, and discovered they could not, identify each goal of experiment.

Cyprus experiment: experiemtn in which Alphas were placed on an island called cyprus. goal was to see how well society could work if only Alphas were created, instead of an efficient society, there was class struggle an eventual civil war. Alphas believed that only they were the ones who must do higher level jobs. Menial jobs were meant for someone else.

Ireland Exp: Exp where people of all castes were sent to Ireland. They were given a reduced workload to see how they would repond to extra free time. Instead of enjoying their freetime, they were lazy and exp did not increase the people's self-development. Soma use on island skyrocketed.

What scene in BNW is an example of 'forcing someone to be free'?

John tries to prevent everyone from receiving and taking soma

What scene does plato use to porttray our normal situation when we observe the world?

the scene where we are all hanging upside down in the cave. We observe the world from there, it is what we are used to and we accept it w/o question

According to de Graaf, our society abounds in one class fo things and experience scarcity in at lease one other class of things

Abundance? Material possessionsLacking? non-material (relationships, faith, etc)

What is the 'realm of necessity'?

a concept introduced by Karl Marx that we must necessarily have 'unfreedom' in our lives (a job to pay bills) in order to enjoy the freedom in our lives. Unfreedom can be minimized by eliminating material possessions

Which American Leaders urged people to live simply and consume little?

Ben Franklin and Harry Truman

Bloom's book, 'closing of the american mind' is a call to democratize the university. t/f

False

According to Huxley, approx how many repetitions does it take to make one truth?

62,000

Alexis de Tocqueville found that people in a democratic society manifest a remarkable monotony of thought

True

in BNW enlightened thinkers find refuge from mass society in segregated colonies in places like Iceland and Falkland Islands, Alan Bloom has a somewhat similar vision of mass society, be he sees thinkers finding refuge in which institution?

the universities

Huxley notes that the masses have been assigned a nearly sub-human existence in society, but he remains confident that they will someday rise up and will create a more just society. t/f

False

in BNW the people who oppose the system ultimately realize that the world must be organized this way and that no better society is possible t/f

true

Difference b/t old and new totalitarianism

old: force and fearnew: the mind

John de Graaf's book challenges how we think, believe and desire. What intellectual authorities does de Graaf challenge?

Repetition, Public Opinion, and Silence

Early in the 20th centry legislation was passed in the US to limit the amount of work that an employer could require of an employee, t/f

false, passed senate, but not house.

which philospoher or philosophical position embraces the claim 'the cave is good!'

the anti-enlightenment (ex. owen harris)

Alexis de tocqueville found that people in a democratic society manifest a remarkable monotony of thought t/f

true

Which philosopher or philosophical position believes that you can re-engineer society?

the enlightenment, plato, kant

according to conservatives like Harris people who commit crimes probably do so because:

they are simply bad people (people are what they are)

in BNW a good citizen would likely disapprove of which activites?

taking classes in literature, philosophy or history

give an example from affluenza of something that constitues a prison of the mind

thinking you have to buy your kid over-priced shoes to have a relationship with them

According to owen harris, conservative philosophers share plato's view that society is a cave from which man can escape with the power of reason t/f

false

bloom believes that the proper role of the university is to prepare young people for successful and productive careers t/f

false

give an example of a university department that bloom believes fulfills the core mission of the university

philosophy, mathematics, biology, physics, political science, chemistry

BNW teaches us that positive social change is possible t/f

False

according to bloom, philosophers have no impact on industry or government t/f

false

the logic of BNW is to make all people both happy consumers and productive workers t/f

true

where does BNW take place?

London, England

According to Huxley ideas transmitted through repetition become:

axiomatic, self-evident, and utterly indisputable

when de Tocqueville visited the US to study character of our democratic society, he was impressed by americans independence of mind and diversity of thinking. t/f

false, those in the US are enslaved by public opinion

as presented by de Graaf the two characteristics of a good job are:

self chosen and not all consuming