A consistency check for the beliefs you hold about mind, self, freedom, and society
This test presents you with 30 statements drawn from the six modules of this course. For each one, simply indicate whether you agree or disagree. If you are unsure, choose whichever response is closest to your view.
The test does not judge whether your responses are right or wrong. What it does is check for tensions — pairs of beliefs that are logically inconsistent, or that require significant philosophical work to hold together simultaneously.
At the end, you will receive a Tension Quotient score and a detailed analysis of any tensions in your beliefs, with explanations drawn from the course readings.
Topics covered:
The Tension Quotient measures the percentage of possible tensions actually present in your beliefs (lower is better). A score of 0% means no detectable tensions — your stated beliefs are fully consistent. A higher score means more philosophical work is needed to reconcile what you believe.
Remember: tensions are not moral failures. They are invitations to think more carefully. As the course asks you to practice reflective equilibrium — the process of revising beliefs until they cohere — the tensions identified here are precisely the places to start.
Pick the tension that surprised you most. In 2–3 sentences: which belief would you give up, and why? Or, describe the philosophical move you would make to reconcile them. This can seed your discussion post for Module 1's sharing assignment.