Philosophy of Science

Question 1

What is the Heliocentric model?

Answer 1

Describes that the sun revolves around the earth, with 5 elements (air, water, fire, earth, aether (Copernicus)

Question 2

What was the movement after Geocentrism?

Answer 2

Scientific revolution, where Heliocentrism (Galileo) was proposed

Question 3

What is Geocentrism? (Aristotle)

Answer 3

The earth is the centre of the universe

Question 4

What did Descartes propose?

Answer 4

Dualism- mind is independent of the body

Question 5

What is the scientific method?

Answer 5

Bacon (1660s) developed it: 1. Interaction between systematic observation and reasoning will lead to progress 2. Conduct experiments to test claims 3. Standardise experiments so others can replicate

Question 6

Who discovered the age of Enlightenment?

Answer 6

Comte (18/19th cent): knowledge obtained by scientific method & known as Positivism

Question 7

What 3 things happened in the emergence of psychology (18/19th century)?

Answer 7

1. Darwin’s theory of natural evolution (natural selection, survival of the fittest)
2. Kant’s ideas on anthropology (self-consciousness, mental processes, emotions)
3. Statistics were developed

Question 8

What are the three common sense views of science?

Answer 8

1. Facts are given to careful and objective observers
2. Facts are prior to and independent of theory
3. Facts constitute a firm and reliable foundation for scientific knowledge

Question 9

What is the response to ‘psychology is not common sense’?

Answer 9

Science is also not common sense then e.g. Believing that listening to Mozart can improve intelligence

Question 10

What is the response to ‘psychology doesn’t use scientific methods’?

Answer 10

Science follows the *willingness to rule out errors and *the implementation to safeguards against confirmation bias-Psychology uses many controls

Question 11

What is the response to ‘psychology doesn’t yield respectable results’?

Answer 11

Hedges (1987) compared empirical cumalativeness of psych and physicians they both use similar methods and stats

Question 12

Response to ‘psychology not useful in society!

Answer 12

Is useful in boosting brain power, beating fear,road safety, criminal justice system, overcoming prejudice

Question 13

Who proposed the Geocentric model?

Answer 13

Aristotle

Question 14

Who argued for the position of psychology as a science?

Answer 14

Lilienfeld (2012)