RC: Objectivism and Axioms of Existence

XAT 2016 · VALR · Hard · Reading Comprehension

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Passage / data set

The base of Objectivism according to Ayan Rand is explicit: "Existence exists - and the act of grasping that statement implies two corollary axioms: that something exists which one perceives and that one exists processing consciousness, consciousness being the faculty of perceiving that which exists."

Existence and consciousness are facts implicit in every perception. They are the base of all knowledge (and the precondition of proof): knowledge presupposes something to know and someone to know it. They are absolutes which cannot be questioned or escaped: every human utterance, including the denial of these axioms, implies their use and acceptance. The third axiom at the base of knowledge - an axioms true, in Aristotle's words, of "being qua being" - is the Law of Identity. This law defines the essence of existence: to be is to be something, a thing is what it is; and leads to the fundamental principle of all action, the law of causality. The law of causality states that a thing's actions are determined not by chance, but by its nature, i.e. by what it is. It is important to observe the interrelation of these three axioms. Existence is the first axiom. The universe exists independent of consciousness. Man is able to adapt his background to his own requirements, but "Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed" (Francis Bacon). There is no mental process that can change the laws of nature or erase facts. The function of consciousness is not to create reality, but to apprehend it. "Existence is Identity, Consciousness is Identification."

Question 1 of 4

Which of the following is DEFINITELY CORRECT according to the passage:

  1. A.

    Only what can be perceived exists.

  2. B.

    What exists is perceived.

  3. C.

    All that exists does not have consciousness.

  4. D.

    Consciousness makes perception of being possible.

  5. E.

    Something to be known and someone to know are the conditio sine qua non for Existence.

Question 2 of 4

Which of the following is the ESSENCE of 'The law of Causality'?

  1. A.

    To be is to be something; 'being qua being'.

  2. B.

    Wishing to become something else denies the nature of that being.

  3. C.

    The law of identity is the same as the law of causality.

  4. D.

    Essence of existence.

  5. E.

    Actions of a being are determined by its nature.

Question 3 of 4

Which of the following can be best captured as 'Identity' and 'Identification'?

  1. A.

    College as identity; perception of cultural events as identification.

  2. B.

    Twitter as identity; perception of Twitter as identification.

  3. C.

    Government as identity; perception of taxation of citizens as identification.

  4. D.

    Marriage as identity; perception of children as identification.

  5. E.

    MBA as identity; perception of campus placement as identification.

Question 4 of 4

The author would interpret Francis Bacon's "Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed" as:

  1. A.

    Reality should not to be modified or escaped but faced.

  2. B.

    Man's existence depends on nature's whims.

  3. C.

    Essentially and objectively nature is superior to humans.

  4. D.

    Obstacles are better circumvented than confronted.

  5. E.

    Before channeling nature one must first comply with it.

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