Flashcards
An Introduction to Science
Cards in this deck (17)
- 1What is Science?A method of investigating nature and discovers reliable knowledge about it.
- 2What is Reliable knowledge?Knowledge that has a high chance of being true because its accuracy/truthfulness has been justified by a reliable method.
Aka justified true belief - 3What's the difference between reliable and justified?Something is not reliable if it's not justified
- 4What is scientific thinking?Using a scientific method to study or investigate nature or the universe
- 5What is critical thinking?Thinking correctly (scientific thinking) for oneself which successfully leads to the most reliable answers to questions and problems in everyday life.
- 6What's the difference between scientific thinking and critical thinking?Scientific thinking is getting reliable knowledge about nature and only done by scientists
whereas
Critical thinking is reliable knowledge about all aspects of your life and society and done by everybody - 7Are critical and scientific thinking the same thing?Yes
- 8What is the most important skill for STUDENTS to learn?Critical thinking
You know how to think successfully and reach reliable conclusions
Valuable in many areas like humanities,
commerce, law, journalism, and scientific pursuits. - 9What are the 3 central components of Scientific and Critical thinking?Empiricism - empirical evidence
Rationalism - logical reasoning
Skepticism - skeptical attitude - 10EmpiricismThe use of empirical evidence (evidence people can see, hear, touch, taste, or smell)
This evidence can be experienced by others so, it's repeatable - 11What are some unreliable forms of evidenceHearsay
Testimonial
Circumstantial (means/motive/opportunity)
Revelatory (someone says something was revealed to them by a supernatural power
Spectral evidence )
Spectral evidence (manifested by ghosts, spirits, and other paranormal entities)
Emotional (from one's subjective feelings) - 12What's another name for empirical evidence?Natural evidence
- 13RationalismThe Practice of Logical Reasoning
Logic allows us to reason correctly - 14Why is it hard to think logically?Logic is not an ability that humans are born with
Logic sometimes forces one to deny one's emotions and face reality - 15How to learn to think more logically?study logic and reasoning in a philosophy class, take mathematics and science courses that force you to use logic
- 16SkepticismPossessing a Skeptical Attitude
The constant questioning of your beliefs and conclusions - 17What is a skeptic?Open to new evidence and rational arguments about their beliefs
Undogmatic, i.e., they are willing to change their minds, but only in the face of new reliable evidence or sound reasons
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence
Information
- Description
- An Introduction to Science Scientific Thinking and the Scientific Method by Steven D. Schafersman Department of Geology Miami University January, 1997 http://www.muohio.edu/~schafesd/documents/intro-to-sci.htmlx
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- Lilly Ray
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