Question 1

When we evaluate explanations, we typically ask two questions.The first is:

Accepted Answer

A) Would some other hypothesis be more obvious? 
B) Does the person providing the explanation know much about the explanandum? 
C) Is the conclusion true? 
D) Is the explanandum true? 
E) Is the hypothesis adequate? 
A) Would some other hypothesis be more obvious? 
B) Does the person providing the explanation know much about the explanandum? 
C) Is the conclusion true? 
D) Is the explanandum true? 
E) Is the hypothesis adequate?

Question 2

Which of the following explanations is most plausible?

Accepted Answer

A) Sun spots are caused by human industrial activity. 
B) The vending machine is empty because Jerry ate all of the food in it. 
C) The vase broke because a leprechaun knocked it off the table. 
D) We didn't notice the snake because it blended in with the dried leaves. 
E) The hamburgers are overcooked because this campfire is 50 times hotter than usual. 
A) Sun spots are caused by human industrial activity. 
B) The vending machine is empty because Jerry ate all of the food in it. 
C) The vase broke because a leprechaun knocked it off the table. 
D) We didn't notice the snake because it blended in with the dried leaves. 
E) The hamburgers are overcooked because this campfire is 50 times hotter than usual.

Question 3

Usually, in order to connect a hypothesis to its explanandum, we must make a few additional assumptions.These are called _____ assumptions.

Accepted Answer

A) partial 
B) auxiliary 
C) connective 
D) arbitrary 
E) hypothetical 
A) partial 
B) auxiliary 
C) connective 
D) arbitrary 
E) hypothetical

Question 4

An explanation is considered logically complete when:

Accepted Answer

A) the person providing it has stopped talking 
B) it accounts for every possible detail of the explanandum 
C) it accounts for every significant detail of the explanandum 
D) it makes use of every conceivable hypothesis that might be relevant 
E) the number of hypotheses is at least as great as the number of explananda 
A) the person providing it has stopped talking 
B) it accounts for every possible detail of the explanandum 
C) it accounts for every significant detail of the explanandum 
D) it makes use of every conceivable hypothesis that might be relevant 
E) the number of hypotheses is at least as great as the number of explananda

Question 5

In an explanation, can the same hypothesis be used to explain two different explananda?

Accepted Answer

A) No, because each diagram is limited to a single explanandum. 
B) No, since that would require two different propositions to be true at the same time. 
C) Yes, but never any more than two explananda. 
D) Yes, and possibly even more than two explananda. 
E) Yes, but only one of the explananda can be true. 
A) No, because each diagram is limited to a single explanandum. 
B) No, since that would require two different propositions to be true at the same time. 
C) Yes, but never any more than two explananda. 
D) Yes, and possibly even more than two explananda. 
E) Yes, but only one of the explananda can be true.

Question 6

What is the most obvious flaw in the following explanation? Ernie has very white teeth because he practices good dental hygiene.

Accepted Answer

A) It lacks strength. 
B) It is incomplete. 
C) It is uninformative. 
D) It is implausible. 
E) There is no obvious flaw. 
A) It lacks strength. 
B) It is incomplete. 
C) It is uninformative. 
D) It is implausible. 
E) There is no obvious flaw.

Question 7

Which of the following explanations is the most informative?

Accepted Answer

A) Dogs are easier to train than cats because dogs are canines. 
B) Children enjoy candy because it is sweet. 
C) Salamander grocery stores are the most successful in our town, because they are the best. 
D) The Washington Monument is quite tall, since the designers wanted to build it very high. 
E) Soup is not a good supper food, since it is inappropriate for an evening meal. 
A) Dogs are easier to train than cats because dogs are canines. 
B) Children enjoy candy because it is sweet. 
C) Salamander grocery stores are the most successful in our town, because they are the best. 
D) The Washington Monument is quite tall, since the designers wanted to build it very high. 
E) Soup is not a good supper food, since it is inappropriate for an evening meal.

Question 8

Is it possible to construct an explanation for a false explanandum?

Accepted Answer

A) Yes, but at least one hypothesis would have to be false or inadequate. 
B) Yes, but it could not have any hypotheses that are true or adequate. 
C) Yes, and it could have hypotheses that are all true and adequate. 
D) No, since such a construction would be an argument rather than an explanation. 
E) No, since an explanandum is not an explanandum unless it is true. 
A) Yes, but at least one hypothesis would have to be false or inadequate. 
B) Yes, but it could not have any hypotheses that are true or adequate. 
C) Yes, and it could have hypotheses that are all true and adequate. 
D) No, since such a construction would be an argument rather than an explanation. 
E) No, since an explanandum is not an explanandum unless it is true.

Question 9

Which of the following explanations is probably the most complete?

Accepted Answer

A) Becky lost 43 pounds because she started taking the stairs instead of the elevator. 
B) The Larosas are getting a divorce because of an argument over a lawn ornament. 
C) The old post office building was condemned because some of the windows were broken. 
D) Since Albert made a left turn without signaling, he is spending eight years in prison. 
E) The hotel is closing because it wasn't getting enough business. 
A) Becky lost 43 pounds because she started taking the stairs instead of the elevator. 
B) The Larosas are getting a divorce because of an argument over a lawn ornament. 
C) The old post office building was condemned because some of the windows were broken. 
D) Since Albert made a left turn without signaling, he is spending eight years in prison. 
E) The hotel is closing because it wasn't getting enough business.

Question 10

Which of the following explanations is the most informative?

Accepted Answer

A) Sailing is a fun pastime because it is an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. 
B) Because the Taj Mahal is a popular tourist destination, it receives many visitors each year. 
C) Playing the piano is relaxing, because it gently occupies your muscles and produces soothing sounds. 
D) Large quantities of almonds are not good for you, because my doctor said so. 
E) Ballet requires a lot of concentration, because to do it well, you must stay focused. 
A) Sailing is a fun pastime because it is an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. 
B) Because the Taj Mahal is a popular tourist destination, it receives many visitors each year. 
C) Playing the piano is relaxing, because it gently occupies your muscles and produces soothing sounds. 
D) Large quantities of almonds are not good for you, because my doctor said so. 
E) Ballet requires a lot of concentration, because to do it well, you must stay focused.

Question 11

Could a hypothesis be inadequate for one explanation, yet adequate for another?

Accepted Answer

A) Yes, because a hypothesis is usually only inadequate for a small number of explanations, and adequate for all others. 
B) Yes, because adequacy is not a property of the hypothesis but of its relationship to the particular explanandum. 
C) No, because adequacy is a property of the hypothesis that would follow it into any explanation. 
D) No, because if the hypothesis is not adequate, it lacks strength, completeness, or informativeness. 
E) No, because no hypothesis is adequate for only one explanation. 
A) Yes, because a hypothesis is usually only inadequate for a small number of explanations, and adequate for all others. 
B) Yes, because adequacy is not a property of the hypothesis but of its relationship to the particular explanandum. 
C) No, because adequacy is a property of the hypothesis that would follow it into any explanation. 
D) No, because if the hypothesis is not adequate, it lacks strength, completeness, or informativeness. 
E) No, because no hypothesis is adequate for only one explanation.

Question 12

Evaluating the strength of an explanation requires us to identify its:

Accepted Answer

A) implicit assumptions 
B) creator 
C) time of creation 
D) secondary explanandum 
E) ulterior motive 
A) implicit assumptions 
B) creator 
C) time of creation 
D) secondary explanandum 
E) ulterior motive

Question 13

Which of the following explanations is most plausible?

Accepted Answer

A) The water in the pool is burning people's eyes because it has too much chlorine. 
B) The cow died because it choked to death on a large lizard it was eating. 
C) This diet drink tastes sweet because the company is lying about it not containing sugar. 
D) The ancient Egyptians were able to build the pyramids because they knew how to levitate stone. 
E) The ostrich has never been observed flying because ostriches are afraid to fly in front of humans. 
A) The water in the pool is burning people's eyes because it has too much chlorine. 
B) The cow died because it choked to death on a large lizard it was eating. 
C) This diet drink tastes sweet because the company is lying about it not containing sugar. 
D) The ancient Egyptians were able to build the pyramids because they knew how to levitate stone. 
E) The ostrich has never been observed flying because ostriches are afraid to fly in front of humans.

Question 14

Are the hypotheses in an explanation dependent on each other or independent of each other?

Accepted Answer

A) always dependent 
B) always independent 
C) sometimes dependent, sometimes independent 
D) neither-only premises can be dependent or independent; hypotheses can't 
E) always dependent in one respect, but independent in another 
A) always dependent 
B) always independent 
C) sometimes dependent, sometimes independent 
D) neither-only premises can be dependent or independent; hypotheses can't 
E) always dependent in one respect, but independent in another

Question 15

Which of the following is most clearly an explanation, rather than an argument?

Accepted Answer

A) Because there is a tornado watch in our county, we ought to go to our basement. 
B) The virus was able to spread very rapidly because the residents of the town were not washing their hands frequently. 
C) You shouldn't invest in that company because it has a track record of failure. 
D) Contrary to popular belief, medieval people couldn't have believed that the Earth was flat, because they could see its round shadow on the moon during any lunar eclipse. 
E) The snails in your box must be dead, because they have been in there for three days and you haven't given them any food. 
A) Because there is a tornado watch in our county, we ought to go to our basement. 
B) The virus was able to spread very rapidly because the residents of the town were not washing their hands frequently. 
C) You shouldn't invest in that company because it has a track record of failure. 
D) Contrary to popular belief, medieval people couldn't have believed that the Earth was flat, because they could see its round shadow on the moon during any lunar eclipse. 
E) The snails in your box must be dead, because they have been in there for three days and you haven't given them any food.

When we evaluate explanations, we typically ask two questions.The first is:

Which of the following explanations is most plausible?

Usually, in order to connect a hypothesis to its explanandum, we must make a few additional assumptions.These are called _____ assumptions.

An explanation is considered logically complete when:

In an explanation, can the same hypothesis be used to explain two different explananda?

What is the most obvious flaw in the following explanation? Ernie has very white teeth because he practices good dental hygiene.

Which of the following explanations is the most informative?

Is it possible to construct an explanation for a false explanandum?

Which of the following explanations is probably the most complete?

Which of the following explanations is the most informative?

Could a hypothesis be inadequate for one explanation, yet adequate for another?

Evaluating the strength of an explanation requires us to identify its:

Which of the following explanations is most plausible?

Are the hypotheses in an explanation dependent on each other or independent of each other?

Which of the following is most clearly an explanation, rather than an argument?

Classification

Definitions

Propositions

Argument Analysis

Fallacies

Categorical Propositions

Categorical Syllogisms

Reasoning With Syllogisms

Propositional Logic-Propositions

Propositional Logic-Arguments

Predicate Logic

Inductive Generalizations

Argument by Analogy

Statistical Reasoning

Probability

Filters

Exam 15: Explanation

When we evaluate explanations, we typically ask two questions.The first is:

Which of the following explanations is most plausible?

Usually, in order to connect a hypothesis to its explanandum, we must make a few additional assumptions.These are called _____ assumptions.

An explanation is considered logically complete when:

In an explanation, can the same hypothesis be used to explain two different explananda?

What is the most obvious flaw in the following explanation? Ernie has very white teeth because he practices good dental hygiene.

Which of the following explanations is the most informative?

Is it possible to construct an explanation for a false explanandum?

Which of the following explanations is probably the most complete?

Which of the following explanations is the most informative?

Could a hypothesis be inadequate for one explanation, yet adequate for another?

Evaluating the strength of an explanation requires us to identify its:

Which of the following explanations is most plausible?

Are the hypotheses in an explanation dependent on each other or independent of each other?

Which of the following is most clearly an explanation, rather than an argument?

Classification

Definitions

Propositions

Argument Analysis

Fallacies

Categorical Propositions

Categorical Syllogisms

Reasoning With Syllogisms

Propositional Logic-Propositions

Propositional Logic-Arguments

Predicate Logic

Inductive Generalizations

Argument by Analogy

Statistical Reasoning

Probability

Filters