lecture 9 / 10 + chapter 9

Question 1

wittgenstein

Answer 1

Most influential philosopher in 20th century. There is wittgenstein 1 and 2 with two very different views

Question 2

logical positivist

Answer 2

a group in vienna against traditional vague philosophy to make it scientific.

Question 3

the linguistic turn

Answer 3

philosophy is given a new purpose: clarification fo language and assessment of which sentences are meaningful

Question 4

positivism

Answer 4

scientific knowledge based on empirical evidence. rejects metaphysics (ideele werkelijkheid)

Question 5

logical positivism (/empiricism)

Answer 5

experiences are gained through sensory perception: sense data. philos should stop thinking about metaphysics and instead understand the essence of scientific approach. central theme: verification principle

Question 6

manifesto of logical positivism

Answer 6

1. meaningful claims are either empirical or logical in nature
2. Logical claims are verifiable by looking at their form and help represent the world
3. Empirical claims are about the world and can be verified by observation
4. Only claims that are verifiable are meaningful

Question 7

verification criterion

Answer 7

1. If you cant find out the truth of a sentence by looking at reality, then the sentence is meaningless: the soul is immortal.
2. meaningful sentence: there are 350 people in this room
3. using verifiability to demarcate science

Question 8

verifiability and sense data

Answer 8

logical positivist make strict separation between observation and theory. Think about the structure of science picture

Question 9

problems verifiablity

Answer 9

1. separation of theory and observation.
2. theory ladenness
3. underdetermination of theory by data
4. induction
5. unobservable entities

Question 10

separation of theory and observation. (problem verification)

Answer 10

observational vocab (mass is 100 kg) is attached to theoretical vocab (meaning of mass) through correpsondence rules. The meaning of mass is not reducible to observations. theoretical statements are richer than observational statements

Question 11

theory ladenness

Answer 11

observations are neutral according to LP. But there is a lot of theory and assumptions in it. But big difference between observing x and observing that x has property y. The latter type of observation is important but relies on a theory that defines property y. Also, observations are based on instruments and their accuracy is based on theory. So observation and theory are not so separated. Example: with fMRI scan you say ‘ I see a lot of brain activity’, but you actually see a black/white picture with dark and white parts.

Question 12

Underdetermination of theory by data

Answer 12

For same data, multiple theories. To choose between theories, scientists use other criteria but those criteria are theoretical as well.

Question 13

induction (problem verification)

Answer 13

General statements are not verifiable (like f = m x a). With the verification criterion, causal relationship cant be part of science, because it is induction.

Question 14

why does LP fail

Answer 14

1. separation of theory and observation.
2. theory ladenness
3. underdetermination of theory by data
4. induction
5. unobservable entities

Question 15

unobservable entities (problem verification)

Answer 15

Statements about unobservable entities such as microbes are neither verifiable nor reducible to observations.

Question 16

wittgenstein 1

Answer 16

tractatus logico philosophica: de wereld bestaat uit feiten. alles moet logisch zijn. waarover men niet spreken kan, daarover moet men zwijgen. doel: begrijpen hoe taal de werkelijkheid spiegelt. taal heeft vaste structuur. meaningful statements depicts possible states of affairs, but can be either true or false. Starting point of logical positivism.

Question 17

wittgenstein 2

Answer 17

taal is geen statisch systeem maar veel flexibler. taal heeft verschillende functies aghankelijk van de context (een regel, een vraag, een grap). begrip van woord afhankelijk van situatie. Opposing the view of logical positivist.

Question 18

the sayabel

Answer 18

proposities (uitspraken) die een logische structuur hebben en iets over de werkelijkheid zeggen. Ze beschrijven feiten van de wereld.

Question 19

the unsayable

Answer 19

alles wat buiten logische en feitelijke uitspraken valt. bijvoorbeeld ethiek. dit kan niet geverifieerd worden

Question 20

einstein inspo voor popper

Answer 20

einsteins theory is wrong, because prediction didnt come true so he changes theory. popper: strong theory because it cant explain everything –> essence of science. (adler and freud could explain everything with their theory and that was the weakness). The more precise, the more informative

Question 21

falsificationism (popper)

Answer 21

• theories’ predictions can be tested against observations
• theory free observation is impossible
• induction is impossible: you cant induce theories from observations. THus deduction.
• doesnt matter where theories come from

Question 22

hypothetico-deductive model

Answer 22

theory, hypothese, testen, falsify theory or corroboration

Question 23

corroboration

Answer 23

It means the theory is not falsified because the predictions came true. however, it is not verified. theory can still be falsified.

Question 24

context of discovery (falsificationism)

Answer 24

Het maakt niet uit hoe men aan een theorie komt (als het maar falsifiable is)

Question 25

context of justification (falsificationism)

Answer 25

een theorie is gerechtvaardigd als het openstaat voor weerlegging en empirische toetsing

Question 26

why is falsificationism rationalism

Answer 26

It is rationalism because theories come from our mind, but those theories are tested, hence critical rationalism.

Question 27

Demarcation criterion

Answer 27

distinguishes science from pseudoscience. Such as verification and falsification criterion.

Question 28

Falsification criterion

Answer 28

- Statements or theories are scientific only if they are in conflict with possible observations. - A theory must be falsifiable - A more precise and general theory excludes more. Precise = making precise predictions. general = less conditional, more general)

Question 29

philosophy of science

Answer 29

a branch of filo that studies the foundations of scientific research

Question 30

wat lost popper op met falsification

Answer 30

inductie probleem,

Question 31

problems falsification

Answer 31

- no distinction between better or less supported theories - all knowledge is hypothetical and can never be established : popper - hard falisification is difficult

Question 32

duhem-quine thesis

Answer 32

If a prediction doesn’t come true it could be because of the theory, or due to wrong measurements, wrong tests. A theory is never in isolation.

Question 33

ad hoc modifications

Answer 33

modifications to a theory that according to popper make the theory less falsifiable and decrease the scientific value.

Question 34

Thomas kuhn

Answer 34

there are no rules for something to be science or not. there are paradigm shifts. example: the meaning of the word time has changed. There is no progress in science, only changes of theories.

Question 35

stages of science

Answer 35

- Pre science: chaotic collection of facts, observations and models. no agreement. - Normal science 1: general framework - Anomalies and crisis: too many anomalies, open to alternatives - Revolution: paradigm shift - Normal science 2

Question 36

degenerative research program (revolution)

Answer 36

paradigm that doesnt allow new predictions and increaisng ad hoc modifications

Question 37

progressive research program

Answer 37

paradigm that allows new predictions that can be tested

Question 38

science wars

Answer 38

debate between scientists and postmodernists. postmodernists: 'science is a social construction; it isnt objective but a story told by a particular community on the basis of ist language and culture'

Question 39

epistemological anarchism

Answer 39

Feyeraben is against methods, galileo would not have been scientific because he didnt follow the methods (he prooved heliocentric model).

Question 40

lakatos

Answer 40

- student of popper - tries to save rationality from kuhn's relativism and feyerabend anarchism. - sophisticated falsificationism

Question 41

sophisticated falsificationism.

Answer 41

Lakatos combines normative elements of popper’s philosophy and descriptive elements of Kuhn’s philosophy. direct falsification is rare: Theories won’t be directly thrown away if falsified, but wait for a better alternative.

Question 42

lakatos research programs

Answer 42

Progressive programs: growth, new techniques and facts. Degenerative programs: shrinkage, no new techniques and facts. Normative component: a rational scientist should stick with a progressive programme but abandon a degenerative programme.