767 Midterm Notes (Imported) Flashcards
How does science differ from common sense?
- Not reality - best approximation of reality 2. Test hypotheses/theories 3. Control variables/causes 4. Pursue relations 5. Focus on testable not metaphysical
Charls Sanders Peirce’s 4 methods of knowing/fixing belief (+ 1)
- Method of tenacity 2. Method of authority 3. Priori method / method of intuition 4. Method of science 5. one’s own direct experiences
method of tenacity (method of knowing)
people hold firmly to the truth because they’ve always believed it to be the truth
method of authority (method of knowing)
believing in “established beliefs”, i.e. from others, particular authority; superior method to tenacity because there can be slow progress through findings
priori method/method of intuition (method of knowing)
propositions that “agree with reason” and not necessarily with experience; people have natural inclinations toward truth. Difficulty lies in—whose reason is right?
method of science (method of knowing)
beliefs not determined by anything human, whereby the method can yield conclusions that are the same for every man. Includes the characteristic of self-correction/build-in checks along the way to be unbiased
2 broad views of science
- static view 2. dynamic view/heuristic view
static view of science
science as an activity that contributes systematized information to the world (common to laypeople); emphasis on the present state of knowledge and adding to it
dynamic/heurisitic view of science
science as an activity that scientists perform, emphasis on theory and approaches that are fruitful for further research; discovery
2 views on function of science
1) science as a discipline or activity aimed at improving things/making progress
2) science is to establish general laws/theories that explain phenomena to create predictability
Sampson’s 2 opposing views of science
1) conventional/traditional perspective
2) nontraditional/sociohistorical perspective
Conventional/traditional perspective in Sampson’s view of science
science as a mirror of nature that presents nature without bias; goal is to describe with accuracy what the world is like
Nontraditional/sociohistorical perspective in Sampson’s view of science
scientists as storytellers and not neutral arbitrators
What is purpose of science?
Theory
What is theory?
- A set of interrelated concepts that present a systematic view of phenomena by specifying relations among variables, with the purpose of explaining and predicting the phenomena
- good theory is one that can’t fit all phenomena, should be able to find an occurrence that would contradict it; modest, limited, and specific research aims are good
- simple explanation is preferred (Occam’s Razor)
Scientific approach
special systematized form of reflective thinking and inquiry based on Dewey’s analysis
Scientific problem
is a statement that asks “what relationship exists between 2+ variables?
Criteria of good scientific problem
- Problem should express a relationship between 2+ variables
- Should be stated clearly and unambiguously in question form
- Statement should imply possibilities of empirical testing to be scientific
Hypothesis
conjectural statement of the relationship between 2+ variables
Criteria for good hypothesis
1) Hypothesis as statement about the relations between variables
2) Hypothesis carry clear implications for testing the stated relations
3 reasons why hypotheses are important tools of scientific research
1) They are working instruments of theory
2) Can be tested and shown to be probably true or false (predictive)
3) They are tools for advancement of knowledge b/c it allows non-bias of thinkers
What are errors of a hypothesis/problem?
1) They are not ethical questions/value questions (no should, better than, ought)
2) Problems that are too general/vague cannot be tested
3) Problems that are too specific are not generalizable
4) Probs/hyps need to reflect multivariable nature of reality
2 levels on which scientists operate
- theory-hypothesis-construct 2. observations
What is a concept?
expresses an abstraction formed by generalization from particulars, i.e. weight