Critical Rationalism Flashcards
Who developed critical rationalism?
Karl Popper (1902–1994)
Popper’s work emphasized the importance of falsification in scientific inquiry.
What is the key idea of critical rationalism regarding scientific knowledge?
Knowledge grows through falsification rather than confirmation.
This contrasts with the traditional view that knowledge is gained through observation.
What does Popper argue is necessary for a theory to be considered scientific?
Theories must be falsifiable.
Pseudo-sciences do not meet this criterion as they cannot be proven wrong.
What is the problem of induction in traditional science?
It relies on generalizing from specific observations.
This method is criticized by Popper for not guaranteeing future outcomes.
According to Popper, what is the nature of observation?
Observation is theory-laden.
What we see is influenced by our expectations.
What does Popper propose instead of inductive reasoning?
Deductive reasoning.
This involves moving from general theories to specific testable hypotheses.
How does science progress according to critical rationalism?
By systematically trying to falsify theories.
A theory is accepted temporarily if it withstands severe tests.
What is the Duhem Problem?
Identifying the source of error in scientific tests.
It raises questions about whether a falsified theory is wrong or if the methodology contains errors.
What is the Problem of Theory Preference?
Competing theories may exist without clear falsification.
This creates challenges in choosing between theories.
What is debated regarding ‘severe tests’ in critical rationalism?
What constitutes a rigorous test.
There is no clear standard for decisive falsification.
What did Thomas Kuhn argue about scientific progress?
It is socially influenced and involves paradigm shifts.
Kuhn emphasized that scientific revolutions occur through intellectual changes.
How does critical rationalism differ from positivism in geographical research?
It emphasizes deductive falsification rather than inductive confirmation.
Critical rationalism is more open to critique and refinement.
What did Haines-Young and Petch (1986) promote in physical geography?
Rigorous hypothesis testing based on Popper’s ideas.
They encouraged the application of critical rationalism in geographical research.
What did Mitchelson et al. (2007) examine regarding streets named after Martin Luther King Jr.?
The myth that these streets are economically marginalized.
Their statistical analysis revealed variations across different locations.
Fill in the blank: Science progresses by __________ rather than confirmation.
falsification.
True or False: Critical rationalism argues that theories can be proven definitively true.
False.
Theories can only be temporarily accepted until falsified.
What is a foundational principle of critical rationalism?
Fallibility, skepticism, and open debate.
These principles are essential to scientific inquiry.
