Scientific Principles and Philosophy Flashcards
(153 cards)
1
Q
What are the characteristic of defenders of old theories (denialists)?
A
Often older
No longer feel relevant
2
Q
Definition
a system of medicine detailing the makeup and workings of the human body, adopted by Ancient Greek and Roman physicians and philosophers, positing that an excess or deficiency of any of four distinct bodily fluids in a person—known as humors or humours—directly influences their temperament and health
A
Define four humours
3
Q
Definition
the quality of seeming reasonable or probable
A
Define Plausibility
4
Q
Roughly what time span was the Renaissance era?
A
1000AD to 1800AD
5
Q
Definition
a Franciscan friar who was an influential philosopher. Occam is most widely known today for a principle named after him: “Occam’s Razor”
A
Define William of Occam
6
Q
Which two people drove the concept of evolution?
A
Darwin
Wallace
7
Q
Who ordered the translation of complete works of Aristotle into Latin?
A
Thomas Aquinas
8
Q
What sort of mathematics is Euclid known for?
A
- Geometry - Deductive treatment - Logic - Proofs - Rationalism
9
Q
Which areas has Chinese innovations had a huge impact on?
A
Astronomy Navigation Communication
10
Q
Definition
The two twentieth-century biologists who discovered the double helix of DNA
A
Watson and Crick
11
Q
What are the hallmarks of pseudoscience?
A
- claims to be science
- looks like science
- uses lots of ‘scientific’ terminology
- often ignores new data, but may cite old data
- relies on old data (often very old data) and/or testimonials
- rarely modifies itself
- usually very selective
- often relies on “experts” and authorities
- does not lend itself to independent testing
- often very subjective and as such could be “beliefs” rather than science.
12
Q
Define Descartes
A
French philosopher and mathematician. He provided a mechanistic basis for the philosophical theory of dualism and is regarded as the founder of modern philosophy. He also founded analytical geometry and contributed greatly to the science of optics
13
Q
What does FiLCHeRS stand for?
A
Falsifiable
Logical
Comprehensive
Honest
Replicable
Sufficient
14
Q
Define
Naive realism
A
the human tendency to believe that we see the world around us objectively, and that people who disagree with us must be uninformed, irrational, or biased
15
Q
What is the correspondance theory of truth?
A
states that the truth or falsity of a statement is determined only by how it relates to the world and whether it accurately describes (i.e., corresponds with) that world
16
Q
Define
Tycho Brahe
A
Danish astronomer whose observations of the planets provided the basis for Kepler’s laws of planetary motion
17
Q
Definition
a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.
A
Paradigm shift
18
Q
Definition
the scientist who proposed the Continental Drift Theory in the early twentieth century. Simply put, his hypothesis proposed that the continents had once been joined, and over time had drifted apart
A
Alfred Wegener
19
Q
Define Avicenna
A
a Persian polymath who is regarded as one of the most significant physicians, astronomers, thinkers and writers of the Islamic Golden Age
20
Q
Define
Pangenesis
A
a disproven hypothetical mechanism of heredity in which the cells throw off particles that collect in the reproductive products or in buds so that the egg or bud contains particles from all parts of the parent
21
Q
What are magnetic anomalies? Why were the important in the continental drift theory?
A
a local variation in the Earth’s magnetic field resulting from variations in the chemistry or magnetism of the rocks. They have a mirrored pattern as they move away from mid-ocean ridges and were important for the concept of seafloor spreading being developed
22
Q
Define Replicable
A
part of the acronym FiLCHeRS - refers to any evidence in support of a given claim should not be able to be explained as ‘coincidental’, must be able to be repeated
23
Q
The ancient Chinese placed emphasis on data collection rather than theory. Which central component of scientific thinking does this contribute to?
A
Empiricism
24
Q
When was the word “scientist” first used? Why was the word created?
A
- Scientists used to be called ‘men of science’. As females began contributing to scientific discoveries this become inappropriate so the word ‘scientist’ was made
25
# Define
Ernest Rutherford
British physicist (born in New Zealand) who discovered the atomic nucleus and proposed a nuclear model of the atom
26
What are some of the observations made by ancient Chinese cultures that fed into 'modern science'?
- Earth revolved around the Sun (Mo Tzu) - Ideas similar to Newton's 1st law (Mo Tzu) - Earliest record of Haley's comet 613BC
27
Define astrology
a pseudoscience relating to the study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and the natural world
28
Define placebo effect
a beneficial effect produced by a placebo drug or treatment, which cannot be attributed to the properties of the placebo itself, and must therefore be due to the patient's belief in that treatment
29
How should you go about designing a test for a pseudoscience claim?
* Ask a specific question,
* Consider blind/double blind experiments and the use of controls,
* Collect quantitative data – which variables are meaningful and what will you measure?
* How many replicates/subjects will you use?
* How will you recruit them?
* How long will the experiment/test run?
* Can your hypothesis be falsified?
30
Define Haley's comet
a short-period comet visible from Earth every 74–79 years. Halley's returns to the inner Solar System have been observed and recorded by astronomers since at least 240 BC.
31
# Define
Marie Tharp
an American geologist and oceanographic cartographer who, in partnership with Bruce Heezen, created the first scientific map of the Atlantic Ocean floor
32
# Define
Rosalind Franklin
an English chemist and X-ray crystallographer who made contributions to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA (ribonucleic acid), viruses, coal, and graphite
33
Define Water Divining
attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials without the use of scientific apparatus
34
# Definition
part of the acronym FiLCHeRS - refers to any argument offered as evidence in support of a given claim being valid and sound
Define Logical
35
Why does pseudoscience arise?
* to increase the credibility of a claim. Overall, we accept that science has greatly improved our health and delivered us technological advances such as those in communication. This gives claims based on science greater weight than opinions.
* because pseudoscience is easier and cheaper (much) than doing real science
* frequently, but not always, it is used for financial gain - that is, to promote a product or service
* to support something people want to believe.
36
# Definition
Greek philosopher and mathematician who theorized that numbers constitute the essence of all natural things. He developed the Pythagorean theorem and was one of the first to apply mathematical order to observations of the stars
Define Pythagoras
37
# Define
Copernicus
Polish astronomer who produced a workable model of the solar system with the sun in the center
38
Define pseudoscience
a collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as being based on scientific method
39
Who developed rules for deductive reasoining?
Aristotle
40
Who was a significant figure who opposed the idea of evolution?
Richard Owen (founded the Natural History Museum)
41
Who discovered pi?
Archimedes
42
# Definition
an English philosopher and Franciscan friar who placed considerable emphasis on the study of nature through empiricism
Define Roger Bacon
43
# Definition
Greek philosopher. A pupil of Plato, the tutor of Alexander the Great, and the author of works on logic, metaphysics, ethics, natural sciences, politics, and poetics, he profoundly influenced Western intellectual and scientific thought
Define Aristotle
44
Why did the idea of continental drift regain currency in the 1960s?
Mapping of the ocean floor by Marie Tharp and the discovery of 'mountains' in the ocean
45
After the flowering of philosophy, geometry and detailed observations of the Greek period, there was a lull until the European Renaissance. What was this era known as?
Middle Ages
46
# Definition
an eminent English naturalist, explorer and botanist, noted for his promotion of natural sciences
Joseph Banks
47
Who showed that the Earth is spherical?
Aristotle
48
In regards to pseudoscience, what are you obligations as a scientist?
You must:
* Separate what you want to be true from what is true
* Report what the data tells you, not what your boss or anyone else tells you
49
# Definition
alternative medicine supported by pseudoscience involving a detoxifying and nutritional programme designed to stimulate the immune system
Define Gerson therapy
50
Define Aristotle
Greek philosopher. A pupil of Plato, the tutor of Alexander the Great, and the author of works on logic, metaphysics, ethics, natural sciences, politics, and poetics, he profoundly influenced Western intellectual and scientific thought
51
Define Giovanni Schuaparelli
Italian astronomer and senator whose reports of groups of straight lines on Mars touched off much controversy on the possible existence of life on that planet
52
Why was Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift rejected?
* Skepticism
* Not enough data
* No mechanism
* Huge forces required, "impossible"
* No 'need' for it
53
Prior to the theory of continental drift, what was the belief about continents?
Continents had fixed positions
54
# Definition
English mathematician and physicist; remembered for developing the calculus and for his law of gravitation and his three laws of motion
Define Newton
55
Define Renaissance
the period of European history marking the waning of the Middle Ages and the rise of the modern world: usually considered as beginning in Italy in the 14th century
56
# Definition
a beneficial effect produced by a placebo drug or treatment, which cannot be attributed to the properties of the placebo itself, and must therefore be due to the patient's belief in that treatment
Define placebo effect
57
Who was considered more of a scientist: Leonardo da Vinci or Galileo? Why?
Galileo; he emphasised the importance of collecting data through observation and experimentation. da Vinci did not
58
# Define
Paradigm shift
a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.
59
# Definition
a collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as being based on scientific method
Define pseudoscience
60
What are the four famous great Chinese inventions?
Paper Printing Magnetic Compass Gunpowder
61
Define falsifiable
part of the acronym FiLCHeRS - refers to is being possible to produce quantitative evidence that would prove a claim false
62
# Definition
The theory that the earth revolves around the Sun
Heliocentric theory
63
# Definition
a pseudoscience relating to the study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and the natural world
Define astrology
64
# Definition
French philosopher and mathematician. He provided a mechanistic basis for the philosophical theory of dualism and is regarded as the founder of modern philosophy. He also founded analytical geometry and contributed greatly to the science of optics
Define Descartes
65
Define False dichotomy
A situation in which two alternative points of view are presented as the only options, when others are available
66
Roughly what time span was the Ancient Greek era?
1000BC to 0AD
67
During the Tang and Song dynasties, _______ was the world leader in technology and science (600 AD to 1500 AD).
China
68
How did Greek knowledge get lost?
When the Roman Empire took over they could not read the texts that were in Greek
69
Define Middle Ages
the period of European history from the fall of the Roman Empire in the West (5th century) to the fall of Constantinople (1453)
70
# Definition
the process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth
Evolution
71
Roughly what time span was the Middle Ages era?
0AD to 1000AD
72
# Define
Darwin
English natural scientist who formulated a theory of evolution by natural selection
73
Who developed logic, made observations and developed mathematics?
Ancient Greeks
74
# Definition
an acronym useful to determine if a claim is based on pseudoscience or science Falsifiable i Logical Comprehensive Honest e Replicable Sufficient
Define FiLCHeRS
75
Which well known Europeans contributed the development of science in the Middle Ages?
Roger Bacon William of Ockham
76
Define Plausibility
the quality of seeming reasonable or probable
77
Define utility
the state of being useful, profitable, or beneficial
78
Which well known figures contributed the development of science in the Renaissance?
Leonardo da Vinci Francis Bacon Galileo
79
# Definition
a Persian polymath who is regarded as one of the most significant physicians, astronomers, thinkers and writers of the Islamic Golden Age
Define Avicenna
80
# Define
Linnaeus
a Swedish botanist who created the current system for classifying plants and animals
81
Define validity
the quality of being logically or factually sound
82
# Definition
the human tendency to believe that we see the world around us objectively, and that people who disagree with us must be uninformed, irrational, or biased
Naive realism
83
Define Gerson therapy
alternative medicine supported by pseudoscience involving a detoxifying and nutritional programme designed to stimulate the immune system
84
Define Pythagoras
Greek philosopher and mathematician who theorized that numbers constitute the essence of all natural things. He developed the Pythagorean theorem and was one of the first to apply mathematical order to observations of the stars
85
What are the three eras of the development of science?
Ancient Greece Middle Ages Renaissance
86
What were the notable characteristics of Wegener?
Young
Outside the field
Ignored/ridiculed by the establishment
87
# Define
Alfred Wallace
a British naturalist, biogeographer, author and humanitarian best known for developing a theory of evolution through natural selection independently of Charles Darwin
88
# Definition
Arab mathematician and astronomer who compiled an early work on arithmetic and the oldest astronomical tables. His work was widely translated into Latin, introducing Arabic numerals and algebraic concepts to Western mathematics
Define Al-Khwarizmi
89
# Definition
a short-period comet visible from Earth every 74–79 years. Halley's returns to the inner Solar System have been observed and recorded by astronomers since at least 240 BC.
Define Haley's comet
90
Name 3 Greeks that contributed to modern western science
Euclid Archimedes Aristotle
91
Define Sufficient
part of the acronym FiLCHeRS - refers to any evidence offered in support of a claim being adequate o establish the truth of that claim
92
# Definition
the language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region
Vernacular
93
Define Thomas Aquinas
an Italian Dominican friar, Catholic priest and Doctor of the Church. Thomas embraced several ideas put forward by Aristotle—whom he called "the Philosopher"—and attempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity
94
Define Roger Bacon
an English philosopher and Franciscan friar who placed considerable emphasis on the study of nature through empiricism
95
# Definition
an American geologist and oceanographic cartographer who, in partnership with Bruce Heezen, created the first scientific map of the Atlantic Ocean floor
Marie Tharp
96
# Definition
attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, gravesites, and many other objects and materials without the use of scientific apparatus
Define Water Divining
97
# Definition
British physicist (born in New Zealand) who discovered the atomic nucleus and proposed a nuclear model of the atom
Ernest Rutherford
98
# Define
Johannes Kepler
German astronomer and mathematician who is considered the founder of celestial mechanics. He was first to accurately describe the elliptical orbits of Earth and the planets around the Sun and demonstrated that planets move fastest when they are closest to the Sun
99
# Definition
Italian astronomer and mathematician who was the first to use a telescope to study the stars; demonstrated that different weights descend at the same rate; perfected the refracting telescope that enabled him to make many discoveries
Define Galileo
100
# Definition
part of the acronym FiLCHeRS - refers to any evidence offered in support of a claim being adequate o establish the truth of that claim
Define Sufficient
101
# Definition
an Italian Dominican friar, Catholic priest and Doctor of the Church. Thomas embraced several ideas put forward by Aristotle—whom he called "the Philosopher"—and attempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity
Define Thomas Aquinas
102
# Definition
a typical example or pattern of something; a model
Paradigm
103
# Definition
Greek mathematician and inventor, of Syracuse. He is famous for his discovery of Archimedes' principle (legend has it that he made this discovery while taking a bath, and ran through the streets shouting ‘Eureka!’); among his mathematical discoveries are the ratio of the radius of a circle to its circumference, and formulas for the surface area and volume of a sphere and of a cylinder
Define Archimedes
104
Define Newton
English mathematician and physicist; remembered for developing the calculus and for his law of gravitation and his three laws of motion
105
What are the hallmarks of science?
* corrects and updates itself
* embraces new results
* is not selective
* does not depend on authorities
* welcomes testing and verification
* is objective.
106
Define epoch
a particular period of time in history or a person's life
107
# Definition
part of the acronym FiLCHeRS - refers to any evidence in support of a given claim should not be able to be explained as 'coincidental', must be able to be repeated
Define Replicable
108
# Definition
a disproven hypothetical mechanism of heredity in which the cells throw off particles that collect in the reproductive products or in buds so that the egg or bud contains particles from all parts of the parent
Pangenesis
109
# Definition
the quality of being logically or factually sound
Define validity
110
# Define
Paradigm
a typical example or pattern of something; a model
111
# Definition
part of the acronym FiLCHeRS - refers to any evidence offered in support of a given claim being evaluated without deception
Define Honest
112
What were some key contributions from Greek culture to modern western science?
- Rationalism - Mathematics - Empiricism - Communication
113
# Definition
an English chemist and X-ray crystallographer who made contributions to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA (ribonucleic acid), viruses, coal, and graphite
Rosalind Franklin
114
Define homeopathy
a system of complementary medicine in which ailments are treated by minute doses of natural substances that in larger amounts would produce symptoms of the ailment backed by pseudoscience
115
Define Galileo
Italian astronomer and mathematician who was the first to use a telescope to study the stars; demonstrated that different weights descend at the same rate; perfected the refracting telescope that enabled him to make many discoveries
116
# Define
Evolution
the process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth
117
Define FiLCHeRS
an acronym useful to determine if a claim is based on pseudoscience or science Falsifiable i Logical Comprehensive Honest e Replicable Sufficient
118
What were the two important breakthroughs in mathematics? Where did they originate?
- Development of the Arabic numerals - Invention of the decimal system Both of these have their origins in India and the Middle East
119
# Definition
a Swedish botanist who created the current system for classifying plants and animals
Linnaeus
120
Who used the 60-base number system first: the Greeks or the Babylonians?
Babylonians
121
# Definition
French naturalist who introduced the taxonomic distinction between vertebrates and invertebrates. His theory that the acquired characteristics of a species could be inherited by later generations was a forerunner to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, although it was eventually discredited
Lamarck
122
# Definition
Greek mathematician who applied the deductive principles of logic to geometry, thereby deriving statements from clearly defined axioms. His Elements remained influential as a geometry textbook until the 19th century
Define Euclid
123
Who first drove the theory of continental drift?
Alfred Wegener
124
# Definition
the period of European history marking the waning of the Middle Ages and the rise of the modern world: usually considered as beginning in Italy in the 14th century
Define Renaissance
125
Define Euclid
Greek mathematician who applied the deductive principles of logic to geometry, thereby deriving statements from clearly defined axioms. His Elements remained influential as a geometry textbook until the 19th century
126
Define Logical
part of the acronym FiLCHeRS - refers to any argument offered as evidence in support of a given claim being valid and sound
127
# Definition
English natural scientist who formulated a theory of evolution by natural selection
Darwin
128
Define four humours
a system of medicine detailing the makeup and workings of the human body, adopted by Ancient Greek and Roman physicians and philosophers, positing that an excess or deficiency of any of four distinct bodily fluids in a person—known as humors or humours—directly influences their temperament and health
129
Define comprehensive
part of the acronym FiLCHeRS - refers to the evidence offered in support of a given claim being exhaustive, with all evidence being analysed
130
# Definition
German astronomer and mathematician who is considered the founder of celestial mechanics. He was first to accurately describe the elliptical orbits of Earth and the planets around the Sun and demonstrated that planets move fastest when they are closest to the Sun
Johannes Kepler
131
# Define
Vernacular
the language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region
132
Prof Peter Doherty called Archimedes the first scientist. Why?
There was a problem Archimedes used logic He built a model based on known information He made a prediction/hypothesis He tested it Publically announced results
133
# Definition
Polish astronomer who produced a workable model of the solar system with the sun in the center
Copernicus
134
# Define
Watson and Crick
The two twentieth-century biologists who discovered the double helix of DNA
135
Define Honest
part of the acronym FiLCHeRS - refers to any evidence offered in support of a given claim being evaluated without deception
136
# Definition
A situation in which two alternative points of view are presented as the only options, when others are available
Define False dichotomy
137
# Definition
the period of European history from the fall of the Roman Empire in the West (5th century) to the fall of Constantinople (1453)
Define Middle Ages
138
# Define
Lamarck
French naturalist who introduced the taxonomic distinction between vertebrates and invertebrates. His theory that the acquired characteristics of a species could be inherited by later generations was a forerunner to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, although it was eventually discredited
139
Define Al-Khwarizmi
Arab mathematician and astronomer who compiled an early work on arithmetic and the oldest astronomical tables. His work was widely translated into Latin, introducing Arabic numerals and algebraic concepts to Western mathematics
140
# Definition
part of the acronym FiLCHeRS - refers to is being possible to produce quantitative evidence that would prove a claim false
Define falsifiable
141
# Define
Joseph Banks
an eminent English naturalist, explorer and botanist, noted for his promotion of natural sciences
142
# Definition
the state of being useful, profitable, or beneficial
Define utility
143
Define William of Occam
a Franciscan friar who was an influential philosopher. Occam is most widely known today for a principle named after him: “Occam’s Razor”
144
# Define
Alfred Wegener
the scientist who proposed the Continental Drift Theory in the early twentieth century. Simply put, his hypothesis proposed that the continents had once been joined, and over time had drifted apart
145
# Define
Heliocentric theory
The theory that the earth revolves around the Sun
146
# Definition
a particular period of time in history or a person's life
Define epoch
147
Define Archimedes
Greek mathematician and inventor, of Syracuse. He is famous for his discovery of Archimedes' principle (legend has it that he made this discovery while taking a bath, and ran through the streets shouting ‘Eureka!’); among his mathematical discoveries are the ratio of the radius of a circle to its circumference, and formulas for the surface area and volume of a sphere and of a cylinder
148
# Definition
part of the acronym FiLCHeRS - refers to the evidence offered in support of a given claim being exhaustive, with all evidence being analysed
Define comprehensive
149
# Definition
Danish astronomer whose observations of the planets provided the basis for Kepler's laws of planetary motion
Tycho Brahe
150
Who translated many Greek texts into Arabic?
Avicenna
151
# Definition
a British naturalist, biogeographer, author and humanitarian best known for developing a theory of evolution through natural selection independently of Charles Darwin
Alfred Wallace
152
# Definition
Italian astronomer and senator whose reports of groups of straight lines on Mars touched off much controversy on the possible existence of life on that planet
Define Giovanni Schuaparelli
153
# Definition
a system of complementary medicine in which ailments are treated by minute doses of natural substances that in larger amounts would produce symptoms of the ailment backed by pseudoscience
Define homeopathy
