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Key Facts: Canary Islands PAU History of Philosophy Exam

90 Min

Exam duration for PAU History of Philosophy in Canary Islands

COPAU / Gobierno de Canarias

4.0 / 10

Minimum mark required in Access Phase to blend with Bachillerato GPA

BOE / Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

EUR 76.12

Base PAU Access Phase registration fee

Gobierno de Canarias Regulations

100

Original practice questions in this OpenExamPrep subject bank

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Canary Islands PAU History of Philosophy (COPAU 2026) is a mandatory 90-minute university entrance test assessing text commentary, conceptual clarity, author comparison, and historical-philosophical reasoning.

Sample Canary Islands PAU History of Philosophy Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Canary Islands PAU History of Philosophy exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In Plato's Theory of Forms (Ideas), what is the relationship between physical objects in the sensible world and the intelligible Forms?
A.Sensible objects create Forms through human mental abstraction.
B.Sensible objects participate in or imitate eternal, immutable Forms.
C.Sensible objects and Forms are identical in substance and properties.
D.Forms are physical components contained inside sensible material bodies.
Explanation: Plato asserts that the sensible world consists of temporal, changing objects that participate in (methexis) or imitate (mimesis) the eternal, perfect, and non-material Forms (Ideas) residing in the intelligible realm. The intelligible realm is the true reality, whereas the physical world is merely an imperfect shadow.
2In the Allegory of the Cave from Plato's Republic, what does the sun outside the cave represent?
A.The human soul's rational part exercising imagination
B.The physical fire that tricks the prisoners
C.The sensory realm of changing material phenomena
D.The Form of the Good, the supreme cause of truth and knowledge
Explanation: In the Allegory of the Cave, the sun outside the cave represents the Form of the Good (Agathon). Just as the physical sun illumines physical objects and enables vision, the Form of the Good illuminates intelligible reality and grants truth and intelligibility to all other Forms.
3How does Plato explain learning in the Meno through the doctrine of Anamnesis (reminiscence)?
A.Learning is the passive reception of sensory empirical impressions.
B.Learning is the recollection of knowledge the immortal soul possessed before incarnation.
C.Learning is an artificial invention of linguistic conventions.
D.Learning occurs purely through divine intervention and revelation.
Explanation: Plato's doctrine of Anamnesis (reminiscence) posits that the human soul is immortal and contemplated the Forms prior to being embodied. Inquiry and learning are not acquiring brand-new information, but rather recalling (reminiscing) innate knowledge already possessed by the soul.
4What are the three parts of the human soul according to Plato's Republic, and which virtue corresponds to the rational part?
A.Vegetative (nutrition), sensitive (perception), and intellective (courage).
B.Sensory (temperance), imaginative (wisdom), and moral (justice).
C.Rational (wisdom), irascible (courage), and appetitive (temperance).
D.Theoretical (prudence), practical (justice), and poetic (fortitude).
Explanation: Plato divides the soul into three parts: the rational part (logistikon), which seeks truth and is governed by wisdom (sophia); the irascible part (thymoeides), which seeks honor and is governed by courage (andreia); and the appetitive part (epithymetikon), which seeks physical desires and is governed by temperance (sophrosyne).
5According to Plato's ideal political state in the Republic, who should rule the polis and why?
A.The wealthy merchants, because they ensure economic prosperity.
B.Philosopher-kings, because their rational soul has achieved knowledge of the Form of the Good.
C.The general populace through direct democracy, because all citizens are equal.
D.Military commanders, because physical strength ensures state security.
Explanation: Plato argues in the Republic that justice in the state requires that philosophers become kings or kings practice philosophy. Because philosopher-kings are guided by reason and possess knowledge of the Form of the Good, they govern selflessly for the common good of the entire polis.
6On Plato's Divided Line (Politeia VI), what represents the lowest level of cognitive awareness (eikasia)?
A.Mathematical reasoning based on hypotheses (dianoia)
B.Illusion, shadow-perception, and images (eikasia)
C.Empirical belief in physical objects (pistis)
D.Direct dialectical intuition of first principles (noesis)
Explanation: Plato's Divided Line maps degrees of reality and cognition. Eikasia (conjecture or illusion) is the lowest level of cognition within the visible realm (doxa), dealing with shadows, reflections, and superficial images.
7How does Aristotle critique Plato's separate world of transcendent Forms?
A.Aristotle asserts that essences (forms) are immanent and exist only within individual substances (hylomorphism).
B.Aristotle argues that Forms exist in a separate divine realm beyond the heavens.
C.Aristotle denies that objects have any essence or formal cause whatsoever.
D.Aristotle claims that forms are subjective human linguistic conventions.
Explanation: Aristotle rejects Platonic transcendentalism. Through his hylomorphic theory, he contends that matter (hyle) and form (morphe) are inseparable components of individual concrete substances (ousia). Essences do not exist in a separate realm but are immanent within physical things.
8In Aristotle's doctrine of the Four Causes, what does the final cause (telos) refer to?
A.The raw material out of which a thing is made
B.The agent or force that initiates movement or change
C.The essence, shape, or definition of a thing
D.The end, purpose, or ultimate goal for which a thing exists
Explanation: Aristotle identifies four causes explaining change and existence: material cause (matter), formal cause (structure/essence), efficient cause (agent/initiator), and final cause (telos, the goal, end, or purpose for which a thing exists).
9How does Aristotle resolve Parmenides' denial of change in his Metaphysics?
A.By claiming that matter disappears completely during transformation
B.By agreeing that non-being can spontaneously produce being
C.By introducing the distinction between potentiality (dynamis) and actuality (entelecheia/energeia)
D.By asserting that change is an absolute sensory illusion with no reality
Explanation: Parmenides claimed change was impossible because being cannot arise from non-being. Aristotle resolves this by distinguishing between potentiality (dynamis) and actuality (energeia/entelecheia). Change is not something coming from absolute non-being, but the transition from potential being to actual being.
10What is Eudaimonia in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics?
A.Fleeting physical pleasure derived from immediate sensory satisfaction
B.Passive resignation and emotional detachment from worldly affairs
C.Human flourishing or happiness achieved through a life of virtuous rational activity
D.Accumulation of material wealth and political power
Explanation: For Aristotle, Eudaimonia (often translated as happiness or flourishing) is the ultimate end (summum bonum) of human life. It is not a temporary emotion or pleasure, but an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue (arete) over a complete life.

About the Canary Islands PAU History of Philosophy Exam

The Canary Islands PAU History of Philosophy examination tests 2º de Bachillerato students across the archipelago on fundamental philosophical movements, concepts, and texts. Formatted in accordance with LOMLOE standards and administered jointly by ULPGC and ULL under COPAU, the syllabus emphasizes critical reading, conceptual precision, and comparative evaluation of key figures including Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Descartes, Locke, Kant, Marx, Nietzsche, Ortega y Gasset, and Hannah Arendt.

Exam sponsor: Canary Islands PAU Organising Commission (COPAU) / ULPGC & ULL. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Official 90-minute written paper evaluating text comprehension, concept definition, author comparison, and contextual essay writing based on the 2º Bachillerato LOMLOE curriculum.

Time Limit

90 minutes (1.5 hours)

Passing Score

Marked on a 0–10 scale. Minimum 4.0 required in Access Phase to combine with Bachillerato GPA (60% Bachillerato + 40% PAU >= 5.0 to pass).

Exam / Certification Fees

EUR 76.12 base registration fee for PAU Access Phase (set by Gobierno de Canarias / COPAU).

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

25%

Ancient Philosophy

Presocratic metaphysics and Arkhé, Socratic intellectualism, Platonic Dualism and Theory of Ideas, Aristotelian Hylomorphism, Physics, Ethics, and Politics.

15%

Medieval Philosophy

Augustinian synthesis of Faith and Reason, Illumination theory, Problem of Evil, Thomistic Quinque Viae (Five Ways), Natural Law, and Scholastic realism.

30%

Modern Philosophy

Cartesian Rationalism, Methodical Doubt and Cogito, Locke's Empiricism and Social Contract, Humean empiricism, Kantian Epistemology and Moral Imperative.

30%

Contemporary Philosophy

Marxist Historical Materialism and Alienation, Nietzschean vitalism and Critique of Metaphysics, Ortega y Gasset's Raciovitalism and Perspectivism, Hannah Arendt's Political Theory and Banality of Evil.

Preparing for the Canary Islands PAU History of Philosophy Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Marked on a 0–10 scale. Minimum 4.0 required in Access Phase to combine with Bachillerato GPA (60% Bachillerato + 40% PAU >= 5.0 to pass).
  • Assessment: Official 90-minute written paper evaluating text comprehension, concept definition, author comparison, and contextual essay writing based on the 2º Bachillerato LOMLOE curriculum.
  • Time limit: 90 minutes (1.5 hours)
  • Exam / certification fees: EUR 76.12 base registration fee for PAU Access Phase (set by Gobierno de Canarias / COPAU). Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Canary Islands PAU History of Philosophy: Suggested Study Strategy

1Practice text commentary by clearly identifying thesis, secondary arguments, and author-specific technical terms.
2Master contrast tables between key thinkers (e.g. Plato vs Aristotle, Descartes vs Locke, Kant vs Nietzsche).
3Be prepared to define precise concepts in 2-3 sentences (e.g., Reminiscence, Hylomorphism, Cogito, Categorical Imperative, Perspectivism, Banality of Evil).
4Relate historical philosophical problems to contemporary ethical, social, and political contexts as required by LOMLOE standards.
5Manage your 90 minutes carefully: dedicate around 30 minutes to text analysis, 20 minutes to definitions, and 40 minutes to comparison and essay synthesis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this practice bank in the same format as the real Canary Islands PAU exam?

No, and it is important to know the difference. The official Canary Islands PAU paper is a 90-minute examination sat in Spanish and built around commentary on a philosophical text plus structured and extended written argumentation. Under the 2026 PAU design rules agreed by COPAU and the CRUE, open and semi-constructed responses must account for at least 70% of every paper, so the real exam contains no multiple-choice section. This bank is an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation of the same official 2º Bachillerato syllabus — not an official translation, not a past paper, and not a simulation of the exam format. Use it to drill the underlying knowledge and reasoning quickly, then practise writing philosophical text commentaries and argued essays in Spanish separately, because that is what the examiners actually mark.

What is the structure of the PAU History of Philosophy exam in the Canary Islands?

The exam is a 90-minute written assessment coordinated by COPAU (ULPGC and ULL). It includes text analysis, definition of key philosophical terms, direct comparison between authors, and an extended conceptual synthesis.

Which authors are covered in the Canary Islands 2º Bachillerato syllabus?

The curriculum spans four main eras: Ancient (Plato, Aristotle), Medieval (Augustine, Thomas Aquinas), Modern (Descartes, Locke, Kant), and Contemporary (Marx, Nietzsche, Ortega y Gasset, Hannah Arendt).

How does scoring work for university admission in the Canary Islands?

The PAU Access Phase mark (0–10 scale) counts for 40% of the final university admission grade, while the Bachillerato GPA counts for 60%. A minimum score of 4.0 in the Access Phase is required.

What is the registration fee for the PAU in the Canary Islands?

The base registration fee for the Access Phase is EUR 76.12, regulated by the Gobierno de Canarias with exemptions for large families (Familia Numerosa) and eligible grant recipients.

Are these practice questions official COPAU exam papers?

No. These 100 practice questions are designed independently by OpenExamPrep to match the LOMLOE curriculum for 2º Bachillerato History of Philosophy in the Canary Islands.