BSC150 Flashcards
What is the key principle of Platos rationalist view of knowledge?
A) Platos rationalism stated that nothing could be proven by thought or observation, and that the world we live in could be imaginary.
B) Platos approach to rational knowledge was that it could be obtained only by quiet meditation, during which knowledge would come to him from the whole of the universe.
C) Platos rationalism stated that knowledge is innate (present at birth), and can be found through logic and reasoning.
D) Platos form of rationalism claimed that the world is so complex, the only rational explanation was that it had been created by an all-powerful being or God.
E) Plato claimed that all knowledge must come from direct experience of the world around us.
Correct answer: C - Platos rationalism stated that knowledge is innate (present at birth), and can be found through logic and reasoning.
Plato was a rationalist, and considered that knowledge was innate (given at birth) and comes from within.
While Aristotle was an empiricist, who believed knowledge came from examining with ours sense around us.
What is the main advantage of mysticism as a pathway to knowledge?
A) Mystical knowledge can easily be tested and confirmed by others directly.
B) Mysticism accepts only knowledge that has been confirmed under numerous different conditions by many different people.
C) Mysticism involves a process of debating the views of other people to arrive at the most rational conclusion.
D) Mysticism draws on personal experience, so knowledge may feel more personally satisfying.
E) Mysticism is a religious form of knowledge, and so its practices and rules are well-defined in religious texts.
The correct answer: D - Mysticism draws on personal experience, so knowledge may feel more personally satisfying.
Mysticism is often involved or associated with crystal power, witchcraft, typically involving unusual experiences or states of mind/awareness.
What is ‘epistemology’?
A) The interpretation of ancient texts.
B) A disease, claimed by conspiracy theorists to be curable, although drug companies kept this a secret to maintain profits.
C) The radical doubting of all things.
D) The belief in divine power who knows all things.
E) The theory of how we know things.
The correct answer: E - The theory of how we know things.
What is the major point of difference between Platos rationalist approach to knowledge and Aristotle empirical approach?
A) Plato preferred to gain knowledge by direct observations of the natural world. Aristotle argued that examining the world through our senses is unreliable.
B) Aristotle argued that experience of real objects and events is necessary for building valid knowledge. In contrast, Plato argued that direct experience from our senses could be misleading, and knowledge should be derived from logic and reasoning alone.
C) Aristotle used only mathematical proof to Aquire knowledge, while Plato used his own senses to gain knowledge by observing he said was the ‘real’ world.
D) Plato argued that he could doubt the existence of everything except his own mind, whereas Aristotle claimed that this was nonsensical.
The correct answer: B - Aristotle argued that experience of real objects and events is necessary for building valid knowledge. In contrast, Plato argued that direct experience from our senses could be misleading, and knowledge should be derived from logic and reasoning alone.
Which of the following represents a major difference between the empirical and the religious pathways to knowledge?
A) Scientists taking the empirical approach can be corrupted by fame and funding, whereas religious authorities cannot be corrupted.
B) Believing the world of authority figures plays a central role in the religious pathway, whereas empiricist a rely on direct sensory experience.
C) Religious knowledge constantly changes as new facts come to light, whereas empirically-based scientific theories do not change over time.
D) The religious pathways assumes that the truth is self-evident, while empiricism teaches us to doubt our own senses.
E) Religious authorities can blue corrupted by money and power, whereas scientists taking the empirical approach cannot be corrupted.
The correct answer: B - Believing the world of authority figures plays a central role in the religious pathway, whereas empiricist a rely on direct sensory experience.
Which trend today is likely to make science more open to the public?
A) Increasing concern over the misuse of science by terrorists.
B) The discovery of ways to use science to gain military advantage.
C) Scientists posting their raw data on the worldwide web.
D) Strong competition among scientists for research funding.
E) Commercial organisations increasingly seeing the need to invest in research.
The correct answer: C - Scientists posting their raw data on the worldwide web.
Which one of the following questions can science most easily answer?
A) Does God exist?
B) Would investment in solar energy or wind energy be better economically for Australia?
C) Does fatigue play a casual role in obesity?
D) What is the meaning of our dreams?
E) Should we allow genetically modified crops in Australia?
The correct answer: C - Does fatigue play a casual role in obesity?
The most reliable question that can be answered just by science.
What is meant by sharing tacit knowledge?
A) Providing the reasoning behind your hypothesis in a journal article.
B) Using a web application to gather research data collaboratively with other scientists around the world.
C) Doing rigorous statistical tests before publishing research.
D) Providing the reasoning behind your hypothesis online.
E) Providing tips for building scientific apparatus and how best to use it through a blog.
The correct answer: E - Providing tips for building scientific apparatus and how best to use it through a blog.
Tacit knowledge is generally hard to put in writing, and is best gained by experience and practical training.
What is an inherent strength of the scientific research process?
A) Scientific results are generally kept secret, because it is safer this way.
B) Science has a form of self-regulation, in which research is critically commented upon by another scientist before it is published.
C) Scientists publish their work freely, without any comment from others, because it’s is more fair this way.
D) Science never develops incorrect theories.
E) Science is good for studying very rare events.
The correct answer: B - Science has a form of self-regulation, in which research is critically commented upon by another scientist before it is published.
Science must be peer-reviewed before being published.
What is the main reason why “radical openness” in science is considered risky in the 21st century?
A) Because discoveries in the 21st century science and technology enable knowledge-based mass destruction in a way that 20th century discoveries did.
B) Because scientists put the public at risk, and also risk professional ridicule, if they bypass the peer review process and post their poorly thought out ideas online.
C) Because most people do not have the training to use scientific knowledge safety (e.g. They may accidentally blow themselves up).
D) Because scientists risk arrest for publishing their work if government agencies decide that it should be kept secret.
E) Because scientists risk losing their jobs or missing out on grants and promotions if others find out about and take credit for their work.
The correct answer: A - Because discoveries in the 21st century science and technology enable knowledge-based mass destruction in a way that 20th century discoveries did.
Which ONE of the following is a true statement about scientific theories?
A) Good scientific theories should have both explanatory and predictive powers.
B) A good scientific theory doesn’t actually have to explain how things are, as long as it predicts events correctly.
C) The best evidence for a theory would be the results of a single confirming experiment, repeated many times under exactly the same conditions.
D) A good scientific theory should seek to explain a narrow, focused range of phenomena.
E) Good scientific theories should predict new phenomena, but don’t need to explain how or why things work as they do.
The correct answer: A - Good scientific theories should have both explanatory and predictive powers.
In the context of scientific theory, what is “parsimony”?
A) Farming hypotheses so that they are falsifiable
B) Always preferring simple theories over complex theories, irrespective of their explanatory and predictive powers.
C) Conducting research in an economically sustainable way.
D) Always preferring complex theories over simple theories.
E) Explaining as many phenomena as possible with reference to as few constructs, objects or forces as possible.
The correct answer: E - Explaining as many phenomena as possible with reference to as few constructs, objects or forces as possible.
According to the Kuhn cycle, when do revolutionary changes occur in how phenomena are understood?
A) They occur after the dominant theory encounters too many problems which can no longer be adequately explained by that theory, which enters a crisis phase.
B) A revolution gradually develops during a period of ‘normal science’.
C) When a scientist disagrees with the current paradigm or theory.
D) They occur even when current research generally supports the dominant model.
E) They occur approximately every 20 years.
The correct answer: A - They occur after the dominant theory encounters too many problems which can no longer be adequately explained by that theory, which enters a crisis phase.
What did Paul Feyerabend mean by claiming that “anything goes” in science?
A) Everyone accepts scientific research as true once it is published.
B) Even theories which don’t explain past data, or predict new data, are accepted as good science.
C) Scientists can easily publish anything they want, even if it is ‘bad’ science.
D) There is no single set of rules for conducting scientific research.
E) A theory will persist even when lots of data contradict it.
The correct answer: D - There is no single set of rules for conducting scientific research.
Which ONE of the following hypotheses would be the one most preferred by Karl Popper, as a falsification?
A) Black swans can be found in Western Australia.
B) All swans are white.
C) Most swans are white.
D) Swans can be any colour.
E) Swans can be white.
The correct answer: B - All swans are white.
This can easily be disproved as soon as you see a different coloured swan. The idea of falsification is that it is logically impossible to prove a theory true, because the next finding could disprove a theory.
