Exam 11: Explorations in Inductive Reasoning: The Logic of Science

If a hypothesis is scientific, then it is possible to derive observable predictions from it.

Scientific theories are ultimately justified on the basis of the same criteria that govern inference to the best explanation.

Imagination may be used when scientists formulate a hypothesis.

Use Mill's Methods to draw a conclusion. -Every time I drink a milkshake, I get dizzy.

Use Mill's Methods to draw a conclusion. -Six times I ate a hotdog with mustard on it, and each time I got sick. But when I ate a hotdog without mustard, I did not get sick.

In each case, which of Mill's Methods is being used? -A cook tries adding five different ingredients to different batches of cookies in an attempt at discovering a new taste. Ingredients are added one at a time per batch. All the added ingredients that contain chemical X produce cookies that are as hard as rocks. The other chemicals do not produce this result. The cook concludes that the chemical X makes the cookies hard.

In each case, which of Mill's Methods is being used? -A patient keeps getting sick when he eats fast foods, so the doctor has the patient eliminate all greasy foods. The symptoms disappear. Then greasy foods are added back into the diet, one at a time. When the cheeseburger is added back, the symptoms reappear. The doctor concludes that the cheeseburger caused the reaction.

If a prediction is derived from a hypothesis and the prediction is verified, we say the hypothesis has been "confirmed."

If observable predictions cannot be derived from a hypothesis, then it is not a scientific hypothesis.

Which of the following is not one of the criteria for evaluating scientific theories?