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Key Facts: Madrid PAU History of Philosophy Exam

Exam Duration: 90 minutes (1.5 hours)

Grades: 0.00 to 10.00 points

Syllabus: 2º Bachillerato LOMLOE (Community of Madrid)

Administering Body: Madrid PAU Commission / Complutense University of Madrid (UCM)

Compulsory Fee: EUR 93.02 base registration

Madrid PAU History of Philosophy (2026) is a 90-minute university admission paper testing text commentary, conceptual definitions, author comparisons, and thematic synthesis based on LOMLOE standards.

Sample Madrid PAU History of Philosophy Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Madrid 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 fundamental relationship between physical objects in the sensible world and the Forms in the intelligible world?
A.Sensible objects participate in or imitate eternal, immutable Forms, which exist independently of the material world.
B.Sensible objects generate Forms through human sensory perception and abstract generalization.
C.Forms are physical atomic components contained directly inside material objects.
D.Sensible objects and Forms are identical in substance, differing only in temporary appearance.
Explanation: Plato's dualism posits two distinct realms: the sensible world of temporal, changing objects and the intelligible world of eternal, immutable Forms (Ideas). Material objects exist only by participating in (methexis) or imitating (mimesis) these perfect archetype Forms.
2In the Allegory of the Cave from Plato's Republic, what does the sun outside the cave symbolize?
A.The physical fire casting shadows on the cave wall
B.The Form of the Good, which is the supreme source of truth, reality, and intelligibility
C.The rational part of the individual soul exercising sensory imagination
D.The chaotic sensory realm of constant physical flux and illusion
Explanation: In Plato's Allegory of the Cave, the sun outside represents the Form of the Good (Agathon). Just as the physical sun enables sight and illuminates visible objects, the Form of the Good grants truth and intelligibility to all other Forms in the intelligible realm.
3According to Plato's Tripartite Soul theory in the Republic, which cardinal virtue corresponds to the harmonious governance of the rational part over the irascible and appetitive parts?
A.Courage (Fortitude)
B.Temperance (Moderation)
C.Justice (Dikaiosyne)
D.Wisdom (Prudence)
Explanation: In Plato's psychological and political philosophy, Justice (Dikaiosyne) is the overarching virtue that arises when each of the three parts of the soul (rational, irascible, appetitive) performs its proper function under the ruler-ship of reason.
4Why does Plato advocate that philosophers should become kings in the ideal state (Kallipolis)?
A.Philosophers possess true knowledge (episteme) of the Form of the Good and are free from self-interested ambition.
B.Philosophers are skilled in Sophistic rhetoric and persuasion necessary to control public democratic voting.
C.Philosophers hold inherited aristocratic wealth required to fund state military defense.
D.Philosophers strictly enforce religious rituals and traditional ancestral customs.
Explanation: Plato argues in the Republic that political rule must be guided by genuine wisdom (episteme) rather than mere opinion (doxa). Only philosophers who have contemplated the Form of the Good possess the objective knowledge and disinterested virtue needed to govern justly.
5Plato's doctrine of Anamnesis (Reminiscence) in dialogues such as Meno and Phaedo asserts that:
A.Learning is the passive reception of external empirical impressions through physical senses.
B.Learning is an artificial human invention based on linguistic social agreements.
C.Learning is the recollection of innate knowledge that the immortal soul contemplated before incarnation.
D.Learning occurs exclusively through divine prophetic revelation during mystical visions.
Explanation: Anamnesis posits that the human soul is immortal and gained direct knowledge of the Forms prior to being embodied. Inquiry and learning are therefore not the acquisition of unfamiliar external data, but the recollection (reminiscence) of innate knowledge already within the soul.
6On Plato's Divided Line in Republic Book VI, which level of cognitive operation corresponds to understanding mathematical entities (dianoia)?
A.Eikasia (Imagination of shadows and reflections)
B.Pistis (Belief in physical material objects)
C.Dianoia (Discursive thinking relying on mathematical hypotheses)
D.Noesis (Direct intuitive dialectical understanding of unhypothetical Forms)
Explanation: The Divided Line splits knowledge into sensible (opinion/doxa) and intelligible (episteme) realms. Dianoia (discursive thought) occupies the lower section of the intelligible realm, using visible diagrams and hypotheses to reason toward mathematical conclusions.
7How does Platonic anthropological dualism characterize the relationship between the human body and the soul?
A.The soul is the mortal, biological product generated by physical bodily organs.
B.The soul is an immortal, spiritual entity trapped inside the mortal body, which acts as a prison (sema/soma).
C.The body and soul are two inseparable aspects of a single material substance.
D.The body is eternal while the soul is temporary and perishes at biological death.
Explanation: Platonic dualism views the human soul as divine, rational, and immortal, whereas the physical body is temporal, sensible, and subject to decay. The body is famously described as the prison of the soul (soma sema), from which philosophy seeks liberation.
8What was the fundamental point of disagreement between Socrates/Plato and the Sophists (such as Protagoras and Gorgias)?
A.The Sophists defended objective moral values, whereas Socrates advocated radical subjective relativism.
B.The Sophists claimed that truth and morality are conventional and relative, while Socrates insisted on objective, universal truth.
C.Socrates argued that nature (physis) was governed by mathematical law, while Sophists focused exclusively on theology.
D.Plato believed virtue could be bought with money, whereas Sophists taught philosophy for free.
Explanation: Sophists like Protagoras ('Man is the measure of all things') championed moral and epistemological relativism (nomos). Socrates and Plato vigorously opposed this, defending the existence of universal, objective truth and moral virtues grounded in reality (physis).
9In Plato's Phaedrus, what does the allegory of the Charioteer and the two winged horses represent?
A.The struggle of the soul: a rational charioteer steering a noble white horse (irascible part) and a rebellious black horse (appetitive part)
B.The division of Athenian society into merchants, soldiers, and farmers
C.The mechanical motion of celestial bodies revolving around the earth
D.The three stages of historical political evolution from monarchy to democracy
Explanation: In the Phaedrus, Plato illustrates the soul as a charioteer (Reason) controlling two winged steeds: a noble, spirited white horse (Irascible/spirited element) and an unruly, rebellious black horse (Appetitive element).
10In Plato's Gorgias, how does Socrates distinguish true political art from Sophistic rhetoric?
A.Rhetoric aims at justice and truth, while political art aims at public entertainment.
B.Political art (legislation and justice) aims at the genuine good of the soul, whereas rhetoric is a knack for flattery (kolakeia) seeking mere pleasure.
C.Rhetoric is a rigorous mathematical science, whereas political art is based on empirical guessing.
D.Both political art and rhetoric are identical forms of persuasive speech.
Explanation: Socrates argues in the Gorgias that political art seeks the true health and moral goodness of the citizen's soul (through medicine/justice), whereas rhetoric is merely a deceptive knack for flattery (kolakeia) akin to cookery, aiming at superficial pleasure rather than goodness.

About the Madrid PAU History of Philosophy Exam

The Madrid PAU History of Philosophy examination assesses 2º de Bachillerato students across the Community of Madrid on key philosophical authors, concepts, and texts from Antiquity to the Contemporary era. Organized by the Madrid PAU Commission and UCM, the test evaluates textual analysis, precise definition of philosophical vocabulary, author comparisons, and historical-philosophical essay synthesis.

Exam sponsor: PAU Organising Commission of the Community of Madrid / Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Written 90-minute examination consisting of text analysis with term definitions, author comparison, and thematic synthesis based on the LOMLOE 2º Bachillerato 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 93.02 base registration fee for compulsory Access Phase in Community of Madrid (or ~11.63 € per optional subject in voluntary phase).

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.

20%

Ancient Philosophy (Plato, Aristotle)

Presocratic background, Socratic Intellectualism, Platonic Theory of Ideas, Divided Line, Allegory of the Cave, Tripartite Soul, Aristotelian Hylomorphism, Four Causes, Teleology, Nicomachean Ethics, and Political Philosophy.

20%

Medieval & Early Modern Philosophy (Augustine, Aquinas, Descartes)

Augustinian synthesis of Faith and Reason, Divine Illumination, Problem of Evil, Thomistic Quinque Viae (Five Ways), Natural Law, Cartesian Methodical Doubt, Cogito, Rationalism, Dualism, and proofs of God.

25%

Enlightenment & 19th Century (Kant, Marx, Nietzsche)

Kantian Transcendental Idealism, Synthetic A Priori Judgments, Categorical Imperative, Marxist Historical Materialism, Infrastructure/Superstructure, Alienation, Nietzschean Vitalism, Death of God, Will to Power, and Master/Slave Morality.

20%

20th Century & Spanish Thought (Ortega y Gasset, Habermas, Arendt)

Ortega y Gasset's Raciovitalism, Circumstance, Perspectivism, Habermasian Communicative Action, Discourse Ethics, Public Sphere, Hannah Arendt's Vita Activa (Labor, Work, Action), Totalitarianism, and Banality of Evil.

15%

Philosophical Text Analysis & Philosophical Terms

Analysis of canonical excerpt passages, identification of arguments, structural text commentary, precise vocabulary definitions (Arkhé, Episteme, Cogito, Categorical Imperative, Alienation, Circumstance, Communicative Action).

Preparing for the Madrid 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: Written 90-minute examination consisting of text analysis with term definitions, author comparison, and thematic synthesis based on the LOMLOE 2º Bachillerato curriculum.
  • Time limit: 90 minutes (1.5 hours)
  • Exam / certification fees: EUR 93.02 base registration fee for compulsory Access Phase in Community of Madrid (or ~11.63 € per optional subject in voluntary phase). 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

Madrid PAU History of Philosophy: Suggested Study Strategy

1Focus on the exact definition of key terms (e.g. Platonic Mimesis, Aristotelian Phronesis, Cartesian Cogito, Kantian Synthetic A Priori, Marxist Alienation).
2Outline clear comparative charts highlighting contrasts between Rationalism and Empiricism, Dualism and Monism, or Idealism and Materialism.
3Analyze original text fragments daily to improve your ability to contextualize quotes and identify central philosophical theses rapidly.
4Structure your essay responses with a concise introduction, clear conceptual development, author comparison, and contextual conclusion.
5Manage your 90 minutes carefully: dedicate ~30 minutes to text commentary & terms, ~30 minutes to author comparison, and ~30 minutes to the synthesis essay.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the structure of the Madrid PAU History of Philosophy exam?

The Madrid PAU exam is a 90-minute written exam consisting of a text commentary section with term definitions, an author comparison question, and a synthetic essay topic based on the 2º Bachillerato curriculum.

Which authors are included in the 2026 Madrid PAU syllabus?

The LOMLOE Madrid syllabus covers ancient figures (Plato, Aristotle), medieval and early modern thinkers (Augustine, Aquinas, Descartes), Enlightenment and 19th century philosophers (Kant, Marx, Nietzsche), and 20th century/Spanish thinkers (Ortega y Gasset, Habermas, Hannah Arendt).

How is the exam scored?

The exam is graded on a 0 to 10 scale. A score of 4.0 or higher is required in the compulsory Access Phase to calculate the overall university entrance mark (PAU mark = 60% Bachillerato GPA + 40% Access Phase mark).

Are these multiple-choice practice questions representative of the exam content?

Yes. While the official PAU exam is written essay-based, these 100 multiple-choice study questions test the exact key concepts, text excerpts, term definitions, and comparative arguments required by the Madrid syllabus.

Can History of Philosophy be taken in the Voluntary Phase for weight boosting?

Yes! Depending on the degree program (especially Humanities, Social Sciences, Law, and Journalism), History of Philosophy can serve as an optional subject to gain up to 2 extra points in the admission score (weighted at 0.1 or 0.2).