Week 14

Question 1

Scenario: A doctor is examining two possible explanations for a patient’s fever. One is a common virus; the other is a rare disease. The doctor chooses to test for the virus first as it is the simpler explanation. -

Answer 1

Occam’s Razor

Question 2

Scenario: A financial analyst notices that the stock market has always rebounded after past economic downturns and predicts it will recover again after a recession -

Answer 2

Bacon’s Chickens

Question 3

Scenario: A friend suggests that it might rain tomorrow simply because it rained on the same day last year. -

Answer 3

Bacon’s Chickens

Question 4

Scenario: In a debate, someone argues that we can’t have real knowledge of things we’ve never directly experienced, like what life is like in other galaxies. -

Answer 4

Hume’s Fork

Question 5

Scenario: A computer technician troubleshooting an issue suspects that the most common cause of this problem is a hardware failure and checks that first. -

Answer 5

Occam’s Razor

Question 6

Scenario: A philosopher argues that while we can make guesses about what we haven’t experienced we can’t confirm them without seeing or testing directly. -

Answer 6

Hume’s Fork

Question 7

Scenario: While trying to understand a complicated family dispute a therapist advises against assuming the worst without clear evidence to keep things simple and avoid misunderstandings. -

Answer 7

Occam’s Razor

Question 8

Scenario: A gambler, convinced they will win because they’ve been lucky all week, bets heavily on the next game. -

Answer 8

Bacon’s Chickens

Question 9

Scenario: When looking at a job candidate’s past behavior, a hiring manager assumes they’ll continue to perform as they did previously, even though circumstances may have changed. -

Answer 9

Bacon’s Chickens

Question 10

Scenario: A person avoids attempting to solve a problem because they believe they’ll never finish if it involves endless small steps like organizing a massive collection one item at a time. -

Answer 10

Zeno’s Paradox

Question 11

The researcher seeks knowledge based on observable data rather than assumptions, emphasizing empirical evidence over speculation. -

Answer 11

Hume’s Fork

Question 12

The researcher designs a study that avoids unnecessary complexity, focusing only on essential factors to ensure clear results. -

Answer 12

Occam’s Razor

Question 13

The researcher uses past data patterns (inductive reasoning) to draw conclusions, aware that predictions are not absolute. -

Answer 13

Bacon’s Chickens

Question 14

The detective prioritizes observable evidence over untested theories, understanding that true knowledge depends on empirical confirmation. -

Answer 14

Hume’s Fork

Question 15

The detective begins with the simpler theory, avoiding unnecessary assumptions in the investigation. -

Answer 15

Occam’s Razor

Question 16

The advisor acknowledges that predictions based on past performance cannot guarantee future outcomes, showing the limits of empirical knowledge. -

Answer 16

Hume’s Fork

Question 17

The advisor uses historical data to make educated predictions, though aware that induction lacks certainty. -

Answer 17

Bacon’s Chickens

Question 18

The advisor recommends simpler investments initially, avoiding unnecessary complexity and risk for clients. -

Answer 18

Occam’s Razor