TOK TEST - NATURAL SCIENCES EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
Pseudo-science vagueness: - ANSWER-If a statement is sufficiently vague, it will be
impossible to verify/falsify it, we need measurable criteria
Ad hoc exceptions - ANSWER-A good scientific hypothesis is general in nature and
does not keep from making exceptions every time it meets counter examples
Inductivism - ANSWER-Observation, hypothesis, experiment, analyze data to
accept/reject hypothesis, theory
Inductive method - ANSWER-Controllability, measurability, repeatability
Problems with observation - ANSWER-Relevance, expectations, expert seeing,
observer effect
Problems with testing hypothesis - ANSWER-Confirmation bias, background
assumptions, under-determination, (principle discrepancy)
Problems of induction - ANSWER-How many observations are needed before a
generalization can be made?
Main difference between natural science and human science - ANSWER-Natural
science has concrete laws and more dependent on exact experimentation and doesn't
involve humans
Falsification - ANSWER-Inherent ability to prove that a statement, theory, hypothesis is
false
Auxiliary hypothesis - ANSWER-Extra hypothesis that you can make about a topic so it
can't be falsified
Kuhn's Revolution cycle - ANSWER-Normal science - anomaly - crisis - change in world
view - pre-paradigm phase - new paradigm
Knowledge framework - ANSWER-Scope/applications, concepts/language,
methodology, historical development, links to personal knowledge
Science - ANSWER-refers to a system of acquiring knowledge, this system uses
observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena
Limitations of natural science - ANSWER-it does not have a monopoly on truth and
there may be equally valid ways of making sense of the world
, science is... - ANSWER-a stamp of approval or quality, but we should be cautious about
some of the more extravagant claims that are made on science's behalf
Natural science and certainty - ANSWER-we might wonder how far the natural sciences
really do give us certainty since scientific beliefs change over time
Pseudo-science - ANSWER-body of knowledge or practice that is claimed to be
scientific, but does not adhere to the scientific method and lacks supporting evidence
Pseudo - ANSWER-false or pretending
Scientia - ANSWER-knowledge
Karl Popper criterion of falsiability - ANSWER-something is falsiable if it is possible to
conceive of an observation or an argument which negates the statement in question
(ex: god created the universe)
Scientific hypotheses are testable... - ANSWER-pseudo-scientific ones are not
What distinguishes a pseudo-science from a science? - ANSWER-it claims the status of
a science while lacking its substance
How do pseudo sciences avoid being tested? - ANSWER-vagueness: if a statement is
sufficiently vague, it will be impossible to verify of falsify it. ad hoc exceptions: (swan
examples)
What does a good scientific hypothesis have? - ANSWER-general in nature, does not
keep making exceptions every time it meets counter-examples, stated clearly, makes
precise predictions
Science as a system of acquiring knowledge - ANSWER-Ideals (reliability, precision,
objectivity), Method (problem, hypothesis, observations...) Objectives (describe, explain,
understand)
Induction - ANSWER-the process of deriving general laws from a number of particular
instances. the degree of certainty is tied with the number of observations that would
confirm it and additional info that would make the conclusion stronger.
Steps of the Scientific Method - ANSWER-Observation, hypothesis, experiment, law,
theory
Features a good experiment should have - ANSWER-Controllability (helps you isolate
the cause of the phenomenon you see investigating), measureability (you can measure
the relevant variables, adds precision and objectivity to your experiment), repeatability
(it can be repeated by other people to confirm your results, this ensures your results
have some kind of objectivity)
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
Pseudo-science vagueness: - ANSWER-If a statement is sufficiently vague, it will be
impossible to verify/falsify it, we need measurable criteria
Ad hoc exceptions - ANSWER-A good scientific hypothesis is general in nature and
does not keep from making exceptions every time it meets counter examples
Inductivism - ANSWER-Observation, hypothesis, experiment, analyze data to
accept/reject hypothesis, theory
Inductive method - ANSWER-Controllability, measurability, repeatability
Problems with observation - ANSWER-Relevance, expectations, expert seeing,
observer effect
Problems with testing hypothesis - ANSWER-Confirmation bias, background
assumptions, under-determination, (principle discrepancy)
Problems of induction - ANSWER-How many observations are needed before a
generalization can be made?
Main difference between natural science and human science - ANSWER-Natural
science has concrete laws and more dependent on exact experimentation and doesn't
involve humans
Falsification - ANSWER-Inherent ability to prove that a statement, theory, hypothesis is
false
Auxiliary hypothesis - ANSWER-Extra hypothesis that you can make about a topic so it
can't be falsified
Kuhn's Revolution cycle - ANSWER-Normal science - anomaly - crisis - change in world
view - pre-paradigm phase - new paradigm
Knowledge framework - ANSWER-Scope/applications, concepts/language,
methodology, historical development, links to personal knowledge
Science - ANSWER-refers to a system of acquiring knowledge, this system uses
observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena
Limitations of natural science - ANSWER-it does not have a monopoly on truth and
there may be equally valid ways of making sense of the world
, science is... - ANSWER-a stamp of approval or quality, but we should be cautious about
some of the more extravagant claims that are made on science's behalf
Natural science and certainty - ANSWER-we might wonder how far the natural sciences
really do give us certainty since scientific beliefs change over time
Pseudo-science - ANSWER-body of knowledge or practice that is claimed to be
scientific, but does not adhere to the scientific method and lacks supporting evidence
Pseudo - ANSWER-false or pretending
Scientia - ANSWER-knowledge
Karl Popper criterion of falsiability - ANSWER-something is falsiable if it is possible to
conceive of an observation or an argument which negates the statement in question
(ex: god created the universe)
Scientific hypotheses are testable... - ANSWER-pseudo-scientific ones are not
What distinguishes a pseudo-science from a science? - ANSWER-it claims the status of
a science while lacking its substance
How do pseudo sciences avoid being tested? - ANSWER-vagueness: if a statement is
sufficiently vague, it will be impossible to verify of falsify it. ad hoc exceptions: (swan
examples)
What does a good scientific hypothesis have? - ANSWER-general in nature, does not
keep making exceptions every time it meets counter-examples, stated clearly, makes
precise predictions
Science as a system of acquiring knowledge - ANSWER-Ideals (reliability, precision,
objectivity), Method (problem, hypothesis, observations...) Objectives (describe, explain,
understand)
Induction - ANSWER-the process of deriving general laws from a number of particular
instances. the degree of certainty is tied with the number of observations that would
confirm it and additional info that would make the conclusion stronger.
Steps of the Scientific Method - ANSWER-Observation, hypothesis, experiment, law,
theory
Features a good experiment should have - ANSWER-Controllability (helps you isolate
the cause of the phenomenon you see investigating), measureability (you can measure
the relevant variables, adds precision and objectivity to your experiment), repeatability
(it can be repeated by other people to confirm your results, this ensures your results
have some kind of objectivity)
