Whitehead Nerd Quiz
A playful but serious quiz
aimed at stimulating thought
aimed at stimulating thought
The Whitehead Nerd Quiz was created by ChatGPT with help from Jay McDaniel. It is for those who enjoy diving into the details of Alfred North Whitehead’s philosophy, especially as articulated in Process and Reality. It’s playful but serious—meant both for people who already know Whitehead and want to test their grasp, and for those just beginning and eager to stretch their minds.
Participants in the larger process movement—artists, school teachers, poets, business people, farmers, physicians, and more—get along quite well without these specifics. They are nourished by the broader spirit of process philosophy rather than by its technical details. See Twenty Key Ideas in Process Thought.
It goes without saying that doing well on the quiz is not a sign of wisdom. Knowledge? Yes. But wisdom? No. Whatever wisdom is offered by Whitehead has to do with intuition, feeling, and ideas that are not reducible to technical terms or detailed specifics. You don't need to know the word "concrescence" to know that the universe is contained in each moment; or to know the phrase "consequent nature of God" to know that there is something in reality that feels the feelings of each and all with tender care. Still, for those who wish to dig into the weeds, the exercise can be mind-stretching and even playful, sparking fresh ideas and new ways of thinking.
There is no need to take the whole quiz. That would take too long for most. Just a few multiple-choice or true/false questions - here and there, and from time to time - can spark reflections of your own. The quiz itself is in process and will be revised in light of feedback from those who take it. Some questions may admit of different interpretations, and a few answers may even seem wrong. Jay McDaniel would be glad to hear from you about such matters and will make adjustments as needed. He can be reached at mcdaniel (@) hendrix (dot) edu.
Test your grasp of Alfred North Whitehead with . Choose a mode, shuffle if you like, then start. You’ll get instant feedback and brief explanations.