This will be part objective knowledge (match scientist to theory, define technical terms, etc.) part essay questions on explanation, confirmation and theory.

Midterm Examination

Complete Group One as accurately as you can as quickly as you can. Then divide the remaining time between groups Two and Three so that you spend approximately twice the time on the essay answer in Group Three as you do on the account in Group Two.

Group One.

Relate the following names to the following concepts, theories, or views in the philosophy of science (give your answers as A1, C5 etc.)

  1. deductive-nomological theory of explanation
  2. pragmatic theory of explanation
  3. falsification
  4. positive instance theory of confirmation
  5. the metaphorical account of explanation
  6. the grue paradox
  7. probability theory
  8. the bootstrap clause
  9. the problem of induction
  10. paradigm shift
  11. Realism
  12. Instrumentalism
  13. Mathematics as analytic a priori
  14. Truth as coherence/correspondence
  1. Nelson Goodman
  2. Carl Hempel
  3. David Hume
  4. Paul Oppenheim
  5. Clark Glymour
  6. Bas van Fraassen
  7. Karl Popper
  8. Thomas Bayes
  9. Mary Hesse
  10. Thomas Kuhn
  11. John Kemeny
  12. Bertrand Russell
  13. F. H. Bradley
  14. Grover Maxwell
  15. Ian Hacking

(You will be given seven of the above examples)

Group Two.

Give a brief account of one of the following views or theories. Raise any well-known problems with the view.

  1. Deductive-Nomological theory of explanation
  2. Causal Statistical theory of explanation
  3. Confirmation by simple enumeration
  4. Falsification
  5. Bayes’ Theorem of Probability
  6. The "bootstrap" account of confirmation
  7. Classical view of theories
  8. The Semantic View of Theories
  9. Operationalism OR Instrumentalism
  10. The Reality of Theoretical Entities
  11. Mathematics as analytic a priori
You will be given five of the above options to chose from.

Group Three.

Write an essay on one of the following topics. Do not rush into this. Choose your topic carefully.

  1. Compare and contrast any two of the accounts we have had of explanation OR confirmation OR of theories.

  2. Apply the falsification theory of corroboration to any two of the suggested theories of explanation.

  3. Discuss the "grue paradox" and the "raven paradox" as problems of the positive instance account of confirmation.

  4. How would N. R. Campbell’s classical view of scientific theories as "hypotheses" and a "dictionary" apply to the probability theory of confirmation?

  5. Discuss one specific scientific experiment that either confirmed or disconfirmed a scientific theory. Explain its relevance to a particular theory of confirmation.

  6. Discuss one specific scientific theory with reference to the topics of explanation and confirmation. What does it explain, how is it confirmed?

  7. Consider the role of "modeling" in the philosophy of science. Involve as many different types of models as you can.

  8. Are Scientific entities necessarily real? Discuss this with reference to the material we have covered in the section on theories.

E-mail comments to:
Dr. Bryan Rennie


Back