Phil 105 Final Exam

Front 1

Criteria for judging competing explanatory theories

Back 1

1. internally consistent

2. empirical adequacy

3. fit

4. scope

5. novel predictive power

6. simplicity

Front 2

Direction of causation

Back 2

If A causes B then the direction of causation is from A to B

Front 3

Causal Pathway

Back 3

If A causes B then there should be some way in which A brings B about

Front 4

Empirical Adequacy

Back 4

Theory is consistent w/ facts and strongly predicts facts

Front 5

Constant conjunction

Back 5

If 2 things always turn up together, it may be that one causes another

Front 6

temporal succession

Back 6

If A causes B then typically A occurs before B

Front 7

Method of Residues

Back 7

Subtract from the effect the known contributions of all but one cause. What remains in the effect can be attributed to the one remaining cause.

Front 8

Direct

Back 8

An increase in one is accompanied by an increase in the other and vice versa.

Front 9

Remote cause

Back 9

There is at least 1 cause that comes between A and B

Front 10

Proximate Cause

Back 10

A causes B and no other causes come between A and B

Front 11

P if and only if Q means that Q is a ______ condition for P

Back 11

necessary and sufficient

Front 12

P only if Q means that Q is a _____ condition for P

Back 12

necessary

Front 13

P if Q means that Q is a ____ condition for P

Back 13

sufficient

Front 14

individually necessary and jointly sufficient

Back 14

In some cases there is a set of conditions each of which must be satisfied in order that something occur and when all of these conditions are satisfied, their combination is sufficient for the occurrence of this thing.

Front 15

sufficient

Back 15

A --> B

Enough by itself but not the only way

Front 16

Necessary

Back 16

B --> A

Requirement but not enough on its own

Front 17

Characteristics of pseudoscience

Back 17

1. persecution complex

2. spend a lot of time talking about what mainstream science cannot explain

3. made up/misused technical jargon

4. claim they have all the answers

Front 18

Concomitant Variation

Back 18

If a change in one variable is always accompanied by a change in another variable, then we posit - tentatively - that the 2 things are causally connected.