Lecture 3 Flashcards
3 Main Ways of Defining Science
1) Inductivism
2) Falsification
3) Kuhn’s paradigms
4 Characteristics of Naive Inductivism
1) Science derived from facts
2) Based on singular statements from singular observations
3) Multiple observations lead to ‘universal statements’ (laws)
4) We generalise from singular to universal statements by induction
3 Conditions of Induction
1) Large number observations
2) Repetition in variety of conditions
3) Complete conformity with the universal statement
2 Pros of Naive Inductivism
1) Made popular conceptions of science formal
2) Supports idea of objectivity
5 Cons of Naive Inductivism
1) Observation guided by knowledge
2) Observation guided by theory
3) Reporting observations
4) Logical problem of induction
5) Induction does not equal deduction
4 Basic Principles of Falsification
1) Falsifying evidence more powerful than confirming evidence (Karl Popper)
2) Falsification logical, quicker and easier to look for disconfirmatory evidence
3) What we observe is guided by theory
4) Theories are speculative and improved by trial and error
4 Implications of Falsification
1) A theory can never be proved true, only the most true
2) If theories are falsifiable, than so are hypotheses
3) Some unscientific theories claim scientific status
4) More falsifiable the better
4 Problems with Falsification
1) All based an idea that observations are not always objective/valid
2) Do we discard observation and not theory
3) Historically inadequate as a way of observing knowledge
4) Possibility of invalid observations makes it difficult to conclusively falsify a theory
4 Kuhn’s Paradigms Stages
1) Pre-paradigm
2) Normal science
3) Crisis
4) Revolution
Paradigm
Set of general laws and assumptions
Pre-paradigm
No paradigm and not science as not governed by laws
Normal Science
Eventually one theory dominates and becomes ‘normal science’ it is a single paradigm with research testing the paradigm when wrong usually treated as anomalies
Crisis
Multiple anomalies lead to a crisis where anomalies attack fundamental assumptions of original paradigm and leads to radical attempts to solve problem and then dissatisfaction
Revolution
New paradigm attracts followers if it better addresses social needs and can solve puzzles of interest
Crotty’s 4 Level for Developing a Research Study
1) Paradigm worldview
2) Theoretical Lens
3) Methodological Approach
4) Methods of data collection
