- 1. In his famous essay 'The Hedgehog and the Fox', Isaiah Berlin uses an ancient Greek fable to explore the dichotomy between two types of thinkers and writers, likening them to the hedgehog, who knows one big thing, and the fox, who knows many things. Berlin posits that the great thinkers of history can be classified into these two categories: the hedgehogs focus on a single, overarching theme or principle that they believe explains the complexities of life, while the foxes embrace a more pluralistic and nuanced view, recognizing the diverse and often contradictory influences that shape human experience. Through this framework, Berlin examines the works of various philosophers and literary figures, from Dostoevsky to Tolstoy, illustrating how their approaches reflect their underlying intellectual dispositions. The essay serves as a profound meditation on the nature of knowledge and the ways in which individuals construct their understanding of the world, inviting readers to reflect on their own perspectives and the ways in which they interpret the complexities of existence.
The essay's title is derived from a fragment by which ancient Greek poet?
A) Homer
B) Archilochus
C) Hesiod
D) Sappho
- 2. According to Berlin's essay, which animal knows one big thing?
A) The Bear
B) The Fox
C) The Wolf
D) The Hedgehog
- 3. Berlin uses the hedgehog and fox dichotomy primarily to analyze the work of which author?
A) Leo Tolstoy
B) Ivan Turgenev
C) Fyodor Dostoevsky
D) Anton Chekhov
- 4. How does Berlin ultimately classify Tolstoy?
A) A pure and simple fox.
B) A pure and simple hedgehog.
C) A fox who believed he should be a hedgehog.
D) Neither a hedgehog nor a fox.
- 5. Which of the following thinkers does Berlin classify as a 'hedgehog'?
A) Shakespeare
B) Plato
C) Aristotle
D) Montaigne
- 6. Which of the following thinkers does Berlin classify as a 'fox'?
A) Hegel
B) Dante
C) Plato
D) Shakespeare
- 7. What did Tolstoy's hedgehog-like side desperately seek?
A) A simpler, more rural way of life.
B) Political revolution in Russia.
C) A single, unifying theory to explain history and life.
D) More complex characters for his novels.
- 8. The original fragment by Archilochus states: 'The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one...'
A) Important thing.
B) Secret thing.
C) True thing.
D) Big thing.
- 9. Berlin's essay was first published as a article on Tolstoy in the 1950s and later included in a book about...
A) Animal symbolism
B) Literary criticism
C) Greek philosophers
D) Russian thinkers
- 10. What is a key characteristic of the 'fox' thinker?
A) They are less intelligent than hedgehog thinkers.
B) They are cunning and deceptive in their arguments.
C) They pursue many ends, often unrelated and even contradictory.
D) They subordinate all knowledge to a single central vision.
- 11. What is a key characteristic of the 'hedgehog' thinker?
A) They are adaptable and open to new experiences.
B) They relate everything to a single central vision.
C) They are focused on small, practical details.
D) They are scattered and lack a coherent worldview.
- 12. For Berlin, the dichotomy is best understood as a...
A) A literal description of cognitive styles.
B) A rigid scientific classification system.
C) A moral judgment on the value of a thinker's work.
D) A helpful spectrum for understanding thinkers.
- 13. Which philosopher's ideas on history is Berlin contrasting with Tolstoy's views?
A) Locke
B) Hegel
C) Kant
D) Nietzsche
- 14. Berlin's essay is considered a classic work in the history of...
A) Chemistry
B) Biology
C) Economics
D) Ideas
- 15. According to Berlin's essay, which of the following is a classic example of a 'hedgehog'?
A) Shakespeare
B) Montaigne
C) Aristotle
D) Dante
- 16. For Tolstoy, what was the true, unknowable force that moved history?
A) The conscious plans of kings and generals.
B) The countless small actions of innumerable people.
C) The divine will of God.
D) The economic base of society.
- 17. What did Tolstoy believe was inaccessible to the 'foxes' of the world?
A) Political power.
B) Literary success.
C) The ultimate truth or reality of things.
D) Happiness.
- 18. According to Berlin, Tolstoy's gift for empirical observation made him a supreme:
A) Idealist
B) Symbolist
C) Realist
D) Romantic
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