Instructions

Analyse the following passage and provide appropriate answers for the questions that follow:

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 21

Which of the following is the ESSENCE of ‘The law of Causality’?

Solution

The Law of Causality, as described in the passage, is derived from the Law of Identity, which states that "to be is to be something." This means that everything has a specific nature, and its actions are determined by what it is. Regarding The Law of Causality, the author states, "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." This aligns with option E, which captures the essence of causality—an entity acts according to its inherent characteristics.

Option A: This refers to the Law of Identity, from which the Law of Causality is derived, but it does not capture the exact essence of the Law of Causality

Option B: The Law of Causality states that an entity’s actions are determined by its nature, not merely that it cannot change by wishing. While Objectivism rejects the idea of altering reality through desire, this option does not directly capture causality, making it incorrect.

Option C: The two are related but distinct. The Law of Identity states that "a thing is itself," while the Law of Causality states that "a thing acts according to its nature."

Option D:The Law of Causality is about how things behave based on their nature, not merely the essence of existence itself.


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