History & Metatheory Questions
While the conceptual foundations of psychology came from philosophy, the inspiration for the
creation of an independent science of psychology came from: - ANS Biology
Isaac Newton's critics argued that he never explained how gravity actually worked. Newton's
response was "Hypotheses non fingo", which essentially means: - ANS I do not feign hypotheses
Which of the following is NOT a primary function of science according to the positivists (e.g. Auguste
Comte)? - ANS explanation
According to Karl Popper, a discipline that claims to be a science is really a pseudoscience like
astrology if it: - ANS offers no refutable predictions
Positivism and Popper's philosophy of science share a common flaw: - ANS Neither is true to the way
science is actually practiced.
According to the semantic approach to theories, scientific theory is not directly about the real world.
It is really about: - ANS an idealized model of the world
One innovative aspect of T. S. Kuhn's analysis of science was that it: - ANS stressed the social nature
of science
In a Kuhn's view of science, __________ provides scientists with a blueprint and foundation for
scientific enterprises. - ANS a paradigm
Problems for Kuhn's analysis of science include: - ANS a. little historical evidence for change in a
revolutionary manner.
b. his own retreat from the theme of revolution in his analysis.
c. all of the above. (Tick)
d. none of the above.
Sir Karl Popper formulated his demarcation criterion as a rule: - ANS for telling real science from fake
science.
,When two scientific theories clash over their ability to explain some phenomena there are two
possible outcomes. One of these outcomes is when one theory is right and the other is wrong and
the wrong theory is discarded. This outcome is known as: - ANS replacement
In terms of how science changes, one could argue that Historian Thomas Kuhn's analysis uses a
___________ approach that emphasis the human dimension of science. In contrast, Sir Karl Popper
offered an interesting theory of scientific change because Popper tackles the question of how
science changes from a ________ rather than a historical point of view. - ANS naturalistic, normative
Which of the following is most clearly a reason-as opposed to a cause-for Bill murdering Sam? - ANS
Bill wanted to marry Sam's wife.
Popper's demarcation criterion of falsifiability runs into two difficulties. One of which is? - ANS
scientific theories actually compete with each other as well as with nature.
The Historian Thomas Kuhn proposed the concept of a paradigm among scientists. Paradigms can
__________. - ANS a. provide scientists with assumptions about the nature of reality
b. provide a blueprint that will guide experimental procedures
c. influence and shape how scientists view the world
d. all of the above (Tick)
A somewhat controversial aspect of Thomas Kuhn's picture of science is the idea: - ANS that science
can undergo radical change in short periods of time resulting in "revolutions" of thought.
The "New History" criticizes the "Old History" for: - ANS often excluding women, minorities and
ordinary people.
Which of the following is true of the "Old History" as opposed to the "New History"? - ANS narrative
in form
The author of the text notes that the most important historical source of science's view from
nowhere was ________. - ANS the Cartesian conception of consciousness and its relation to the
world.
,According to Thomas Kuhn, most eras in science are dominated by a single Weltanschauung called
a(n): - ANS paradigm
In terms of two scientific theories clashing with each other to explain phenomena, which of the
following is an example of reduction: - ANS Mendelian genetics to molecular genetics.
If a scientist believes that his or her theory may actually be true, then he or she is a(n): - ANS realist
23-25. Philosophy of Science: Match philosophical school or person to basic idea. - ANS 23.
positivism (a) a. description basis of science
24. T. S. Kuhn (c) b. falsificationism
25. K. Popper (b) c. paradigms and revolutions
According to Isaac Newton, to explain something scientifically meant: - ANS showing how
phenomena could be deduced from a few mathematical laws
In the Hempel and Oppenheim covering-law model of explanation, the explanadum is the: - ANS
thing to be explained
Which of the following explanations most clearly does NOT violate the Iron Law of Explanation? -
ANS Depression is caused by a neurochemical imbalance in the brain
In the Hempel and Oppenheim covering-law model of explanation, explanation is basically the same
as: - ANS prediction
From the causal perspective on scientific explanation, the chief failure of the covering-law model is
its: - ANS emphasis on explanation as merely logical deduction
To the positivist, a shortcoming of the causal perspective or explanation is: - ANS not having an
adequate account of causation itself
The perspective on explanation that focuses on the social context of explanations is the: - ANS
pragmatic
, 33-35.Match model of explanation to description. - ANS 33. covering law (c) a. analysis of
explanation as question-answering
34. causal (b) b. search for hidden truth
35. pragmatic (a) c. emphasis on laws of nature
Your friend Joe says that Sally is outgoing, has many friends, and is the life of any party. When asked
to explain why Sally behaves this way he explains that Sally is an extravert. A good student of
psychology would point out that Joe appears to be violating _______ in his explanation for Sally's
behavior. - ANS Iron law of explanation
The thesis that unobserved, theoretically postulated entities actually exist is called: - ANS realism
38-40. Match philosophical account of theories to its description. - ANS 38. syntactic (b)
39. semantic (a)
a. theories are about models of the world
b. theories are collections of sentences
c. theories consist of a world-view suitable example equals
Which of the following is the BEST example of an operational definition? - ANS Intelligence is a score
on an IQ test.
Like Wittgenstein, the Weltanschauung approach to science views science as being: - ANS a form of
life
The author of the text argues that, "Science describes the natural world with soul- consciousness,
and subjectivity subtracted. Science describes the natural world as it is from no perspective, as if
there were no people in it at all". The author's statement summarizes the idea of_________? - ANS
The View From Nowhere
When in the development of science an old theory's laws are found to be explainable in terms of the
laws of a more basic theory, then the latter theory has _________ the former. - ANS reduced
The author of the text points out that there is often tension between reasons and causes in
explaining human action. Furthermore, the author argues that this tension also exists in the field of:
- ANS history
While the conceptual foundations of psychology came from philosophy, the inspiration for the
creation of an independent science of psychology came from: - ANS Biology
Isaac Newton's critics argued that he never explained how gravity actually worked. Newton's
response was "Hypotheses non fingo", which essentially means: - ANS I do not feign hypotheses
Which of the following is NOT a primary function of science according to the positivists (e.g. Auguste
Comte)? - ANS explanation
According to Karl Popper, a discipline that claims to be a science is really a pseudoscience like
astrology if it: - ANS offers no refutable predictions
Positivism and Popper's philosophy of science share a common flaw: - ANS Neither is true to the way
science is actually practiced.
According to the semantic approach to theories, scientific theory is not directly about the real world.
It is really about: - ANS an idealized model of the world
One innovative aspect of T. S. Kuhn's analysis of science was that it: - ANS stressed the social nature
of science
In a Kuhn's view of science, __________ provides scientists with a blueprint and foundation for
scientific enterprises. - ANS a paradigm
Problems for Kuhn's analysis of science include: - ANS a. little historical evidence for change in a
revolutionary manner.
b. his own retreat from the theme of revolution in his analysis.
c. all of the above. (Tick)
d. none of the above.
Sir Karl Popper formulated his demarcation criterion as a rule: - ANS for telling real science from fake
science.
,When two scientific theories clash over their ability to explain some phenomena there are two
possible outcomes. One of these outcomes is when one theory is right and the other is wrong and
the wrong theory is discarded. This outcome is known as: - ANS replacement
In terms of how science changes, one could argue that Historian Thomas Kuhn's analysis uses a
___________ approach that emphasis the human dimension of science. In contrast, Sir Karl Popper
offered an interesting theory of scientific change because Popper tackles the question of how
science changes from a ________ rather than a historical point of view. - ANS naturalistic, normative
Which of the following is most clearly a reason-as opposed to a cause-for Bill murdering Sam? - ANS
Bill wanted to marry Sam's wife.
Popper's demarcation criterion of falsifiability runs into two difficulties. One of which is? - ANS
scientific theories actually compete with each other as well as with nature.
The Historian Thomas Kuhn proposed the concept of a paradigm among scientists. Paradigms can
__________. - ANS a. provide scientists with assumptions about the nature of reality
b. provide a blueprint that will guide experimental procedures
c. influence and shape how scientists view the world
d. all of the above (Tick)
A somewhat controversial aspect of Thomas Kuhn's picture of science is the idea: - ANS that science
can undergo radical change in short periods of time resulting in "revolutions" of thought.
The "New History" criticizes the "Old History" for: - ANS often excluding women, minorities and
ordinary people.
Which of the following is true of the "Old History" as opposed to the "New History"? - ANS narrative
in form
The author of the text notes that the most important historical source of science's view from
nowhere was ________. - ANS the Cartesian conception of consciousness and its relation to the
world.
,According to Thomas Kuhn, most eras in science are dominated by a single Weltanschauung called
a(n): - ANS paradigm
In terms of two scientific theories clashing with each other to explain phenomena, which of the
following is an example of reduction: - ANS Mendelian genetics to molecular genetics.
If a scientist believes that his or her theory may actually be true, then he or she is a(n): - ANS realist
23-25. Philosophy of Science: Match philosophical school or person to basic idea. - ANS 23.
positivism (a) a. description basis of science
24. T. S. Kuhn (c) b. falsificationism
25. K. Popper (b) c. paradigms and revolutions
According to Isaac Newton, to explain something scientifically meant: - ANS showing how
phenomena could be deduced from a few mathematical laws
In the Hempel and Oppenheim covering-law model of explanation, the explanadum is the: - ANS
thing to be explained
Which of the following explanations most clearly does NOT violate the Iron Law of Explanation? -
ANS Depression is caused by a neurochemical imbalance in the brain
In the Hempel and Oppenheim covering-law model of explanation, explanation is basically the same
as: - ANS prediction
From the causal perspective on scientific explanation, the chief failure of the covering-law model is
its: - ANS emphasis on explanation as merely logical deduction
To the positivist, a shortcoming of the causal perspective or explanation is: - ANS not having an
adequate account of causation itself
The perspective on explanation that focuses on the social context of explanations is the: - ANS
pragmatic
, 33-35.Match model of explanation to description. - ANS 33. covering law (c) a. analysis of
explanation as question-answering
34. causal (b) b. search for hidden truth
35. pragmatic (a) c. emphasis on laws of nature
Your friend Joe says that Sally is outgoing, has many friends, and is the life of any party. When asked
to explain why Sally behaves this way he explains that Sally is an extravert. A good student of
psychology would point out that Joe appears to be violating _______ in his explanation for Sally's
behavior. - ANS Iron law of explanation
The thesis that unobserved, theoretically postulated entities actually exist is called: - ANS realism
38-40. Match philosophical account of theories to its description. - ANS 38. syntactic (b)
39. semantic (a)
a. theories are about models of the world
b. theories are collections of sentences
c. theories consist of a world-view suitable example equals
Which of the following is the BEST example of an operational definition? - ANS Intelligence is a score
on an IQ test.
Like Wittgenstein, the Weltanschauung approach to science views science as being: - ANS a form of
life
The author of the text argues that, "Science describes the natural world with soul- consciousness,
and subjectivity subtracted. Science describes the natural world as it is from no perspective, as if
there were no people in it at all". The author's statement summarizes the idea of_________? - ANS
The View From Nowhere
When in the development of science an old theory's laws are found to be explainable in terms of the
laws of a more basic theory, then the latter theory has _________ the former. - ANS reduced
The author of the text points out that there is often tension between reasons and causes in
explaining human action. Furthermore, the author argues that this tension also exists in the field of:
- ANS history
