Midterm 1 Multiple Choice Flashcards
What is the genetic fallacy?
The fallacy of evaluating a statement based on who asserts it, not on the basis of the evidence
Why is fire not considered a living organism?
It is not surrounded by a selectively permeable barrier
According to the article “The Advocacy Trap”, what is the advocacy trap?
The tendency to get so invested in your position that you come to believe your opponents are evil
According to the article “Seeing Reason”, what is motivated reasoning?
Biased fact collection and reasoning driven by an assumed conclusion
Scientists studying Mars have been particularly excited about the possible biogenic origin of what gas or gasses in the Martian atmosphere?
Methane (and O2)
Why is the Streetlight Effect (also known as the Drunkard’s Search) relevant to our search for life on other planets and moons?
It wars us that our understanding of life here on earth might handicap us in our search for alien life
Classes of large bio molecules, such as starch, proteins, and DNA
A. Each serve a single function
B. Do not have a repeating structure
C. Are usually combinations of more than one class of macromolecule
D. Are made up of smaller units that are similar or identical to one another
E. Are made up of vitamins - which is why we need vitamins
D
The Martian atmosphere is only 1% as dense as the Earth’s atmosphere. Why is it so thin?
The molten core of Mars cooled and solidified, causing it’s magnetosphere to weaken and allowing the solar wind to blast the atmosphere away
The moon Titan resembles Earth in that both possess A. Large water oceans B. Warm surface temperatures C. Rivers, lakes, and an atmosphere D. Oxygen in the atmosphere E. Lightning as a source of energy
C
The interior of the moon Europa is kept warm by
Tidal deformations and friction due to the gravitational influence of its parent Jupiter
According to the article “Science gods for skeptics”, the author, Michael Sherman, cites research that suggests
A. People who believe in extraterrestrial intelligences (ETIs) are more likely to believe in a major religion than people who do not believe in ETIs
B. ETIs must be godlike isn’t heir abilities
C. Belief in ETIs offers meaning to existence similar to the meaning some people find in religion
D. If we ever do make contact with any ETIs, that will spell the end of organized religion on earth
E. The founders of major religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism might have been ETIs come to earth to help us solve our problems
C
In “The cosmonaut and the pope”, General O’Toole and John :Paul V discuss the aliens (the Ramans) with a focus on the issue of
Redemption
According to the article “Lend an Ear”, we might send sensing devices to the moon Europa in order to hear
Ice quakes
The mission that returned the most detailed and interesting data from the Saturn system was A. Explorer B. Mariner IV C. Cassini/Huygens D. Galileo E. Kepler
C
