Print
Word
PDF
|
| Name: _________________________ | Period: ___________________ |
This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. How many conditions must a statement satisfy in order to be falsifiable?
2. What types of statements have no logical justification in which to draw conclusions?
3. What can observation do for science?
4. What does Popper use to check his investigations?
5. What type of rule do positivists and reductionists adhere to, according to Popper?
Short Essay Questions
1. What is Fries' trilemma?
2. How does Popper define a scientist?
3. What are three characteristics of theories?
4. Why does Popper state that observability is not psychological?
5. Popper states that scientific statements cannot be conclusively disproved. If this is the case what can be determined with these statements?
6. How does metaphysics factor into the scientific process?
7. How does one make a statement falsifiable?
8. What does Popper state is not the goal of science?
9. What argument does Popper present against conventionalists and positivists regarding the testing of a theory?
10. What is the task of the logic of scientific discovery?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
How does one differentiate between a conventionalist and an empirical theory? Based on this, how can one avoid conventionalist theories? Why would one want to avoid a conventionalist theory?
Essay Topic 2
In Popper's discussion on simplicity, he mentions ad hoc hypotheses. Describe in detail what an ad hoc hypothesis is. Can it be used in this framework? Why or why not? What is the purpose of the ad hoc hypotheses? Provide support for you answers from the readings.
Essay Topic 3
Discuss the difference between falsifiability and falsification. How is each used in research and theory development? How can one tell the difference between a falsifiable statement and a falsification statement?
|
This section contains 688 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |
|
