Philosophy Exam

Front 1

Theories or hypotheses that try to explain why something is the way it is, why something is the case, why something happened

Back 1

Theoretical Explanation

Front 2

Where we reason from premises about a state of affairs to an explanation for that state of affairs

Back 2

Inference to the best explanation

Front 3

What is the argument pattern for inference to the best explanation?

Back 3

Phenomenon Q

E provides the best explanation for Q

Therefore, it is probable that E is true

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That which is to be explained in an explanation

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Explanadum

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That which does the explaining in an explanation

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Explanans

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Tries to explain the purpose of something, how it functions, or how it fits into a plan

Back 6

Teleological explanation

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Concerns the meaning of terms or states of affairs. Seek to understand not something's purpose or cause, but rather its sense or semantic meaning

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Interpretive Explanation

Front 8

Tries to explain how something is done or how an action is carried out

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Procedural Explanation

Front 9

We first have to make sure a theory in question meets the minimum requirement of ____

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Consistency

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A theory is ____ if it is consistent with itself- it's free of contradictions

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Internally consistent

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A theory is ____ if it is consistent with the data it's supposed to explain- it fully accounts for the phenomenon to be explained

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externally consistent

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The best theory is the eligible theory that meets the ______ better than any of its competitors

Back 12

Criteria of adequacy

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What are the 5 criteria of adequacy

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1. Testability

2. Fruitfulness

3. Scope

4. Simplicity

5. Conservatism

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There is some way to determine whether the theories are true or false

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Testable

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What makes a theory testable?

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If it predicts something other than what it was introduced to explain

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The number of novel predictions made

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Fruitfulness

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The amount of diverse phenomena explained

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Scope

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The number of assumptions made

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Simplicity

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How well a theory fits with existing knowledge

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Conservatism

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Something that cannot be verified independently of the phenomenon it's supposed to explain

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Ad hoc hypothesis

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State the TEST Formula

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Step 1: State the Theory and check for consistency

Step 2: Assess the Evidence for the theory

Step 3: Scrutinize alternative theories

Step 4: Test the theories with the criteria of adequacy

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Science is not:

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Technology

Ideology

Scientism

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The view that science is the only reliable way to acquire knowledge

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Scientism

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Science is reliable because it is ______

Back 24

self-correcting

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Name the 7 warning signs of bogus science

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1. The discoverer pitches the claim directly to the media

2. The discoverer says that a powerful establishment is trying to suppress his or her work

3. The scientific effect involved is always at the very limit of detection

4. Evidence for a discovery is anecdotal

5. The discoverer says a belief is credible because it has endured for centuries

6. The discoverer has worked in isolation

7. The discoverer must propose new laws of nature to explain an observation

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Scientific Method

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1. Identify the problem or pose a question

2. Devise a hypothesis to explain the event or phenomenon

3. Derive a test implication or prediction

4. Perform the test

5. Accept or reject the hypothesis

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Neither the subjects nor the experimenters know who receives the real treatment and who the inactive one

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Double-blind study

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When hypotheses are tested without direct intervention in people's lives

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Nonintervention study

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The repeating of an experiment by different groups of scientists

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Replication

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3 Common Errors in Evaluating Extraordinary Theories

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1. Believing that just because you can't think of a natural explanation, a phenomenon must be paranormal

2. Thinking that just because something seems real, it is real

3. Misunderstanding logical possibility and physical possibility

Front 31

Something is logically impossible if _______

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it violates a principle of logic (it involves a logical contradiction)

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Something is physically impossible if _____

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it violates a law of science

Front 33

Concerns beliefs about right and wrong, good and bad, and just and unjust

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Morality

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Defines for us what exists, what should be, and what we can know

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Worldview

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Moral statements are just not the kinds of things that can be true or false

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Emotivism

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A statement asserting that an action is right or wrong or that something is good or bad

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Moral Statement

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Acknowledge the extent to which an action produces beneficial consequences for the individual in question

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Personal Benefit

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Help those in need

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Principle of Benevolence

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Do not harm others

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Principle of Harm

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Do not deceive others

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Principle of honesty

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Do not violate the law

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Principle of lawfulness

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Acknowledge a person's freedom over his/her actions or physical body

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Principle of autonomy

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Acknowledge a person's right to due process, fair compensation for harm done, and fair distribution of benefits

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Principle of justice

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Acknowledge a person's rights to life, information,privacy,free expression, and safety

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Rights

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3 sources moral premises get support from

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1. Other moral principles

2. Moral theories

3. Considered moral judgements

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moral judgments that we consider credible after we carefully and dispassionately reflect on them

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Considered moral judgements

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Criteria of Adequacy for Moral Theories

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1. Consistency with considered moral judgments

2. Consistency with our experience of the moral life

3. Workability in real-life situations

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A moral theory is ____ if it helps guide our actions and reconcile clashing moral beliefs

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workable

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Failings of Ptolomey's system

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Simplicity

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Merits of Ptolemy's system

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Conservative

Testable

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Copernicus' theory

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Simplicity

Front 52

Evolution

Back 52

Testable

Fruitful

Simplistic

Scope

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Creationism

Back 53

Testable

Not Conservative

Not fruitful

No scope

Not simplistic