Philosophy Questions with Answers Examples

Answer 1 Example

1. Karma is a central concept in the philosophy of Hinduism and Buddhism. The general concept is as follows: the subsequent actions create past, present and future experience via the law of karma. Thus, it makes an individual be responsible for his life and the pain and pleasure he brings both to himself and people around him. Samsara is an implementation of the action of the “law of karma”; it is inextricably linked with the inevitable ensuing passions and sufferings. Samsara is a single hierarchical ladder of reincarnations, in which countless individuals ascend or descend, depending on the balance of merit or blemish that emerged in previous incarnations (mostly in latter). Nirvana is the state in which a person ceases to suffer, becomes free from worldly attachments, desires and needs. At the same time, the existence of a man is not being quenched, only passion extinguished.

Answer 2 Example

2. Brahman and Atman together reflect one of the main ideas of the Upanishads. Atman is an individual soul, subjective spirit, “Ego”. Brahman is a universal, impersonal world soul, the foundation of being, and an objective spirit that gives rise to the entire world with its elements. Brahman is the ultimate objective reality, impersonal and absolute spirituality. Atman is eternal and immutable, the active nature of the world; in accordance with its true desires and intentions, it is constantly active in the world, especially in the human body.

Answer 3 Example

3. The First Noble Truth narrates that there is everywhere dissatisfaction and suffering. The Second Noble Truth denotes the causes that give rise to suffering. The cause of suffering that Buddha has called is an insatiable desire and passion of living beings. The Third Noble Truth points to the state free from any kind of suffering. Buddha has called this condition “Nibbana”. The Fourth Noble Truth reveals the method that leads to happiness, well-being, reduces the problems of life and ultimately leads to the attainment of Nibbana, which is the complete emancipation from suffering. Buddha was partly right, because people often misunderstood the four noble truths and rush to extremes, but Buddha warned people to beware of the extremes.

Answer 4 Example

4. The right view is primarily the understanding of the law of kamma, namely the law of cause and effect of committed acts. The right intention is thinking free from ignorance, malevolence, greed and cruelty as well as the desire to develop pure and noble qualities of mind. The right speech is such a speech, which does not lead to escalation of conflict and hostility. The right action is an action that allows accumulating good kamma instead of bad. The right livelihood represents professions which will avoid the accumulation of negative kamma and establish conditions under which a person would have fewer problems.

The right effort is aimed at overcoming the interference to the practice and cultivation of positive virtuous qualities that help in following the path. The right mindfulness is a state of mind that allows being maximally conscious in order to resolve obstacles encountered in practice. The right concentration is a Buddhist meditation, which includes methods of concentration and attentiveness. I think it is a reasonable philosophy for life because Eight Fold Path frees a person from a number of dependencies such as ambitious pride, hatred, sensual passion, irrepressible desires, etc.

Answer 5 Example

5. Any object, process or phenomenon, including human beings and the universe has its own law of development or the way that the Chinese called “Tao”. This is the path along which the nature comes. Tao is the original single principle of the universe; it splits and generates in two forces ? Yin and Yang. Therefore, the path of Tao is a dynamic of processes of Yin and Yang. They are two sides and two opposites of any process or phenomenon. Their interaction and interchange provides development and recurrence of any event.

Answer 6 Example

6. Effortless non-striving is the principle espoused by the followers of Lao-Tzu, according to which the totally wise man is consistent and acts in accordance with the natural order of things, not trying to change it. Effortless non-striving is only important, because it enables to get quite a tangible benefit – to “come over” the world and set order in it. This is the essence of its efficiency.

Answer 7 Example

7. According to Confucius’s principle of Mean, between the two faced contradictions, the “middle way” is selected that does not allow “redundancy” and “insufficiency” in order to mitigate contradictions and prevent them from worsening.

Answer 8 Example

8. Murasaki Shikibu believed that everyone is arranged in its own way, and there is no person who would be a complete villain. Moreover, there is no person who would combine all the advantages: beauty, modesty, intelligence, taste and loyalty. Each is good in its own way, and it is hard to tell who is really better. In Japanese history, women had little or no rights. Their lives were spent in line with Confucian morality, according to which they had always to obey men. However, women of samurai and wealthy merchants could afford not to do housework, while peasant women spent a lifetime for a variety of housework.