, Chapter 1 – Philosophy of Science: An Introduction
1. Why are natural sciences also referred to as “pure” sciences?
A. They are considered stand-alone bodies of unique knowledge.
B. They are the only sciences to which the scientific method can be applied.
C. They are the original sciences upon which all others are based.
D. They are not affected by subjectivity in the way other sciences are.
Ans: A
2. Which is not an example of an applied science as used in health care today?
A. Social work
B. Psychotherapy
C. Examination of care disparities
D. Pathology
Ans: D
3. Roberta firmly believes that individual experiences are the source of all knowledge in
the world. As a scientist, she acknowledges her role as a participant in the experiments she
performs and does consider herself merely a disconnected observer of phenomenon.
Roberta’s views are most closlyreflectiveof whichschool of scientific thought?
A. Natural Science
B. Human Science
C. Applied Science
D. Soft Science
Ans: B
4. What is the ultimate goal of the scientific method?
A. Application of scientific results to a related body of knowledge in order to meet some
,type of human need.
B. Examination of the decisions made by a scientist to understand the ways in
which subjectivity was introduced to the experiment.
C. Reproducible experimental results that do not take researcher individuality into account.
D. Improving the situation or process used in the experiment to yield more accurate
results in repeat experiments.
Ans: C
5. Which of the following best describes the aim of natural sciences?
A. Affirmation of the importance of cultural understanding by uncovering the
common subjective biases of different disciplines.
B. Improvement of the quality of life by understanding what helps people maximize
their functional abilities.
C. Utilization of knowledge by applying it to a specific purpose in order to better a
situation or change viewpoints.
D. Development of knowledge for the sake of developing knowledge, discovering truth,
and controlling outcomes.
Ans: D
6. Gretchen and Peter are graduate students in the same Physics lab. Their supervisor has
asked both of them to perform the same experiment using the same procedure and
equipment. After they’ve both completed their task, the compare their results and
discover that they are nearly identical. Which of the five criteria for science does
Gretchen and
Peter’s discovery exemplify?
A. Intersubjective testability
B. Reliability
, C. Definiteness and precision
D. Coherence
Ans: A
7. Which statement does not describe a general characteristic of philosophy?
A. Thinking for the sake of thinking.
B. Utilization of process and outcome.
C. Demarcation of wholeness and holism.
D. Application of epistemology and ontology.
Ans: C
8. Repetitive patterns of behavior dictated by past experiences is an example of which source
of knowledge?
A. Doctrine
B. Common sense
C. Tradition
D. Authority
Ans: C
1. Why are natural sciences also referred to as “pure” sciences?
A. They are considered stand-alone bodies of unique knowledge.
B. They are the only sciences to which the scientific method can be applied.
C. They are the original sciences upon which all others are based.
D. They are not affected by subjectivity in the way other sciences are.
Ans: A
2. Which is not an example of an applied science as used in health care today?
A. Social work
B. Psychotherapy
C. Examination of care disparities
D. Pathology
Ans: D
3. Roberta firmly believes that individual experiences are the source of all knowledge in
the world. As a scientist, she acknowledges her role as a participant in the experiments she
performs and does consider herself merely a disconnected observer of phenomenon.
Roberta’s views are most closlyreflectiveof whichschool of scientific thought?
A. Natural Science
B. Human Science
C. Applied Science
D. Soft Science
Ans: B
4. What is the ultimate goal of the scientific method?
A. Application of scientific results to a related body of knowledge in order to meet some
,type of human need.
B. Examination of the decisions made by a scientist to understand the ways in
which subjectivity was introduced to the experiment.
C. Reproducible experimental results that do not take researcher individuality into account.
D. Improving the situation or process used in the experiment to yield more accurate
results in repeat experiments.
Ans: C
5. Which of the following best describes the aim of natural sciences?
A. Affirmation of the importance of cultural understanding by uncovering the
common subjective biases of different disciplines.
B. Improvement of the quality of life by understanding what helps people maximize
their functional abilities.
C. Utilization of knowledge by applying it to a specific purpose in order to better a
situation or change viewpoints.
D. Development of knowledge for the sake of developing knowledge, discovering truth,
and controlling outcomes.
Ans: D
6. Gretchen and Peter are graduate students in the same Physics lab. Their supervisor has
asked both of them to perform the same experiment using the same procedure and
equipment. After they’ve both completed their task, the compare their results and
discover that they are nearly identical. Which of the five criteria for science does
Gretchen and
Peter’s discovery exemplify?
A. Intersubjective testability
B. Reliability
, C. Definiteness and precision
D. Coherence
Ans: A
7. Which statement does not describe a general characteristic of philosophy?
A. Thinking for the sake of thinking.
B. Utilization of process and outcome.
C. Demarcation of wholeness and holism.
D. Application of epistemology and ontology.
Ans: C
8. Repetitive patterns of behavior dictated by past experiences is an example of which source
of knowledge?
A. Doctrine
B. Common sense
C. Tradition
D. Authority
Ans: C
