Philosophy of Science — practice quiz (Okasha 2nd ed. · McGrath · Owens · Pfeffer & Sutton)
Philosophy of Science
Practice quiz — 40 multiple-choice questions
Sources: Samir Okasha, Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction, 2nd
edition (OUP, 2016), chapters 1–7 (28 questions); Rita McGrath, 'Management's
Three Eras' (HBR, 2014) (3); John Owens, 'An Introduction to Critical Realism'
(KCL, 2011) (6); Pfeffer & Sutton, Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths, and Total
Nonsense (2006), via Castellion's review (3).
How to use
Each question has four options and exactly one correct answer. Write your letter in the box
beside each question, then check the answer key at the end: it gives the correct letter for
every question together with a short explanation of why it is right and why the distractors are
wrong. The questions focus on terminology, names and the book's own examples, which is
what exam questions tend to test.
Pre-master Philosophy of Science · Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University
Page 1
, Philosophy of Science — practice quiz (Okasha 2nd ed. · McGrath · Owens · Pfeffer & Sutton)
Questions
Okasha ch.1
1. Eddington's 1919 eclipse expeditions to Brazil and Príncipe tested
Einstein's prediction that starlight bends near the sun. In Popper's
terms this makes general relativity an example of a theory that is…
A. Falsifiable: it made a definite prediction that experience could have shown false
B. Verified deductively: the observations proved the theory true
C. Unfalsifiable: it could be reconciled with any observation
D. Ad hoc: it was adjusted after the data came in
Okasha ch.1
2. In 1846 Adams and Leverrier kept Newton's theory despite Uranus's
anomalous orbit, postulated an unseen planet, and Neptune was
found. Okasha uses this case to show that…
A. Falsifiability correctly separates science from pseudo-science
B. Newton's theory had been falsified and should have been abandoned
C. Good scientists routinely 'explain away' conflicting data, so Popper's demarcation
criterion is too simple
D. Induction cannot be rationally justified
Okasha ch.2
3. 'The first five eggs in the box were good; all have the same
best-before date; therefore the sixth egg will be good too.' This is an
example of…
A. Deductive inference: the premises entail the conclusion
B. Inference to the best explanation
C. Inductive inference: from examined to unexamined instances, the premises do not entail
the conclusion
D. A covering law explanation
Okasha ch.2
4. Hume's 'uniformity of nature' assumption is best described as…
A. The assumption that objects we have not examined will resemble, in relevant respects,
objects of the same sort that we have examined
B. The claim that all natural laws are deterministic
C. The rule that a theory must be falsifiable
D. The principle that indiscernible objects are identical
Okasha ch.2
5. The cheese has vanished from the larder except for crumbs and
scratching noises were heard; you conclude a mouse ate it rather than
the 'maid and boiler' hypothesis. This illustrates…
A. Hume's problem of induction
B. Inference to the best explanation, with simplicity/parsimony favouring the one-cause
hypothesis
C. Deductive inference from true premises
D. The rule of conditionalization
Page 2
Philosophy of Science
Practice quiz — 40 multiple-choice questions
Sources: Samir Okasha, Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction, 2nd
edition (OUP, 2016), chapters 1–7 (28 questions); Rita McGrath, 'Management's
Three Eras' (HBR, 2014) (3); John Owens, 'An Introduction to Critical Realism'
(KCL, 2011) (6); Pfeffer & Sutton, Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths, and Total
Nonsense (2006), via Castellion's review (3).
How to use
Each question has four options and exactly one correct answer. Write your letter in the box
beside each question, then check the answer key at the end: it gives the correct letter for
every question together with a short explanation of why it is right and why the distractors are
wrong. The questions focus on terminology, names and the book's own examples, which is
what exam questions tend to test.
Pre-master Philosophy of Science · Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University
Page 1
, Philosophy of Science — practice quiz (Okasha 2nd ed. · McGrath · Owens · Pfeffer & Sutton)
Questions
Okasha ch.1
1. Eddington's 1919 eclipse expeditions to Brazil and Príncipe tested
Einstein's prediction that starlight bends near the sun. In Popper's
terms this makes general relativity an example of a theory that is…
A. Falsifiable: it made a definite prediction that experience could have shown false
B. Verified deductively: the observations proved the theory true
C. Unfalsifiable: it could be reconciled with any observation
D. Ad hoc: it was adjusted after the data came in
Okasha ch.1
2. In 1846 Adams and Leverrier kept Newton's theory despite Uranus's
anomalous orbit, postulated an unseen planet, and Neptune was
found. Okasha uses this case to show that…
A. Falsifiability correctly separates science from pseudo-science
B. Newton's theory had been falsified and should have been abandoned
C. Good scientists routinely 'explain away' conflicting data, so Popper's demarcation
criterion is too simple
D. Induction cannot be rationally justified
Okasha ch.2
3. 'The first five eggs in the box were good; all have the same
best-before date; therefore the sixth egg will be good too.' This is an
example of…
A. Deductive inference: the premises entail the conclusion
B. Inference to the best explanation
C. Inductive inference: from examined to unexamined instances, the premises do not entail
the conclusion
D. A covering law explanation
Okasha ch.2
4. Hume's 'uniformity of nature' assumption is best described as…
A. The assumption that objects we have not examined will resemble, in relevant respects,
objects of the same sort that we have examined
B. The claim that all natural laws are deterministic
C. The rule that a theory must be falsifiable
D. The principle that indiscernible objects are identical
Okasha ch.2
5. The cheese has vanished from the larder except for crumbs and
scratching noises were heard; you conclude a mouse ate it rather than
the 'maid and boiler' hypothesis. This illustrates…
A. Hume's problem of induction
B. Inference to the best explanation, with simplicity/parsimony favouring the one-cause
hypothesis
C. Deductive inference from true premises
D. The rule of conditionalization
Page 2
