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Flashcards in Problem 6 Deck (31)
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1
Q

Deductive reasoning

A

Starting from known statements, then deducing new conclusions

–> stressed in rationalism

ex.: children younger than 6 can’t speak

Hattie is 5, she therefore can’t speak

2
Q

Inductive reasoning

A

Conclusions are drawn on the basis of convergent observations

–> stressed in empiricism

3
Q

Demarcation criteria

A

Refer to the lines that will define science + its boarders

–> used to define the specificity of science

4
Q

Philosophy of science

A

Refers to a branch of science dealing with questions related to the status + uniqueness of science

5
Q

Vienna circle

Wiener Kreis

A

Was a group of scholars in vienna that were logical positivists

–> found prominence with their publication of the “manifesto”

6
Q

Logical positivism

A

Refers to a movement that tried to reconcile the practical success of sciences with the methodological cones formulated by philosophers

–> due to major criticism only had little impact

7
Q

1929 Manifesto of the Vienna Circle put forward important demarcation criterion.

Name them.

A
  1. Theres 2 types of truth
    - -> empirical + logical
  2. Empirical truths are established through EMPIRICAL VERIFICATION
  3. Logical truths are based on DEDUCTIVE REASONING
  4. Statement not belonging to one of the categories are meaningless
8
Q

Empirical verification

Verificationism

A

States that a proposition is only meaningful if it can be verified as true or false through objective + value-free observation

9
Q

Ciriticisms on empirical verification ?

A
  1. Verification is logically impossible
    - -> inductive reasoning
  2. Scientific theories are full of non observable variables
  3. Sometimes things aren’t observable until one knows how to search for them
  4. How should we define “observable” ?
10
Q

What is the difference between science + non-science ?

Popper

A
  1. Science: Based on facts + constantly questions its explanations
    e. g.: observations + verifications
  2. Non-science: Based on ideas
    e. g.: dogmas, prejudices
11
Q

Falsificationsim

Popper

A

States that statements are only scientific if they can be falsified empirically

–> a theory would therefore rule out a range of outcomes

ex.: if a researches repeatedly tried to reject a theory and failed, this would be strong evidence for the correctness

=> alternative to verificationism

12
Q

Hypothetico-deductive method

A

Refers to a method that involves a combination of inductive + deductive reasoning

  1. A theory is formulated in the basis of inductive reasoning
  2. A testable prediction/Hypotheses is formulated on the basis of deductive reasoning
  3. Prediction is put to the falsification test
13
Q

When does a theory reach high scientific status according to Popper ?

A

When the degree of falsifiability is high

–> the clearer + more precise a theory, the higher the status if it tends repeated falsification tests

14
Q

Conformation bias

A

The tendency people have to search for evidence that confirm their opinions

15
Q

Should theories be thrown away as soon as they are falsified ?

A

No,

often times it is better to adapt an existing, good theory so that it is no longer contradicted by the available empirical evidence

BUT: modified theories should become more falsifiable

16
Q

Ad hoc modifications

A

Refer to modifications that are not stable or made a theory less falsifiable

–> unacceptable

17
Q

Why is falsification a better criterion than verification ?

A

Because, it is logically possible to falsify a statement based on inductive reasoning

–> the more falsifiable the better

18
Q

What are the different stages of Kuhns theory of scientific progress ?

A
  1. Pre science
    - -> discipline without a general theory
  2. Normal science
  3. Crisis
  4. Scientific revolution

=> all scientific knowledge is relative + time-dependent

19
Q

Stage of normal science

A
  1. Theory is formed, which includes a paradigm
  2. Scientists solve puzzles within the paradigm + defend it
  3. Modifications have to stay within paradigm
20
Q

Stage of crisis

A
  1. Abnormalities have accumulated in normal science + modifications become increasingly adhoc
  2. Triggers crisis
  3. Scientists are now more open to an alternative
21
Q

Scientific revolution

A

Occurs when an alternative to the old paradigm is found (paradigm shift)

–> DRP is replaced by the PRP, which is why scientific progress is not steady

22
Q

Paradigm

A

Refers to a set of common views of what the discipline is about + how the problems must be approached

–> start of science

23
Q

Degenerative research program

DRP

A

Refers to a paradigm that doesn’t allow researches to make new predictions

–> requires an increasing number of as hoc modifications tp account for the empirical findings

24
Q

Progressive research programme

PRP

A

Refers to a paradigm that allows the researchers to make new unexpected predictions that can be testes empirically

25
Q

Postmodernists

A

Movement that thought that science was in no way superior because it consists of social constructions made up by scientists

26
Q

Social construction

A

Refers to the notion that scientific knowledge isn’t objective knowledge discovering the workings of an external reality

–> rather a story told by a particular scientific community on the basis of its language + culture

27
Q

Pragmatism

Peirce

A

Human knowledge is info about how to cope with the world + arises from the interaction of the individual with the world

–> arises from NEITHER realism nor idealism

28
Q

Why was the pragmatic view overlooked for a long time ?

A

Doesnt draw a distinction between scientific + non scientific knowledge

29
Q

Peirce differentiated between 4 separate methods of knowledge acquisition.

Which were those ?

A
  1. Methode of tenacity
    - -> holding assumptions + beliefs because they’ve been around for a long time
  2. Method of authority
    - -> forming opinions by consulting experts
  3. A priori method
    - -> using own logic to form opinions
  4. Scientific method
30
Q

Idealism

A

View that human knowledge is a construction of the mind

–> doesnt necessarily correspond to outside world

31
Q

Realism

A

View that human knowledge tries to reveal links in the world

–> looks for correspondence of knowledge with the real world