Question 1

Inductive reasoning is problematic because it relies on

Accepted Answer

A)   affirming the antecedent.
B)   denying the antecedent.
C)   affirming the consequent.
D)   denying the consequent. C

Question 2

Imagine that an analyst is interested in understanding why civil wars occur. If the analyst chooses to study some cases in which civil war occurred (Greece, Spain, and Yugoslavia. and some cases in which they did not (Belgium, Italy, Switzerland), then he is using

Accepted Answer

A)   Mill's Method of Agreement.
B)   Mill's Method of Difference.
C)   Mill's Method of Agreement and Method of Difference. B

Question 3

"The sun revolves around the earth." Is a scientific statement?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 4

"Dictators are more likely to provide public goods for their citizens than democratic leaders are." Is a scientific statement?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Major premise: If a country has a participant culture, then democracy in that country will be stable.
Minor premise: Democracy in country X is stable.
Conclusion: Therefore, country X has a participant culture.
Is a valid argument?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Major premise: If a country has a participant culture, then democracy in that country will be stable.
Minor premise: Democracy in country X is stable.
Conclusion: Therefore, country X has a participant culture.
What form (what type of categorical syllogism) does this argument take?

Accepted Answer

A)   affirming the antecedent
B)   denying the antecedent
C)   affirming the consequent
D)   denying the consequent

Question 7

Necessary and Sufficient Conditions
-"IF A COUNTRY'S POPULATION IS ETHNICALLY HETEROGENEOUS, then it will experience political conflict." Are the conditions shown in capital letters sufficient or necessary to produce the effects described?

Accepted Answer

A)   Sufficient
B)   Necessary

Question 8

"Smoking causes people to be taller than six feet." Is a scientific statement?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

The deductive approach to learning

Accepted Answer

A)   starts with a set of observations and then tries to ascertain a pattern in the observations that can be used to generate an explanation.
B)   formulates an expectation about what we ought to observe in light of a particular theory about the world and then sets out to see if the observations are consistent with that theory.

Question 10

Necessary and Sufficient Conditions
-"If a DEMOCRACY IS WEALTHY, then it will stay a democracy." Are the conditions shown in capital letters sufficient or necessary to produce the effects described?

Accepted Answer

A)   Sufficient
B)   Necessary

Question 11

Major premise: If a country's electoral rules are permissive, then votes should be translated into seats in a fairly proportional manner.
Minor premise: In the most recent election, votes were not translated into seats in a proportional manner.
Conclusion: Therefore, the country's electoral rules are not permissive.
What form (what type of categorical syllogism) does this argument take?

Accepted Answer

A)   affirming the antecedent
B)   denying the antecedent
C)   affirming the consequent
D)   denying the consequent

Question 12

Necessary and Sufficient Conditions
-"A country cannot maintain democracy UNLESS IT HAS A TOLERANT CULTURE." Are the conditions shown in capital letters sufficient or necessary to produce the effects described?

Accepted Answer

A)   Sufficient
B)   Necessary

Question 13

Scientists never prove that their theories are correct. However, they can

Accepted Answer

A)   demonstrate that their theories are logically valid.
B)   use empirical evidence to show that their theories are wrong.
C)   claim that some theories have more empirical support than others.
D)   all of these.

Question 14

"Education spending increases under left-wing governments." Is a scientific statement?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

If I derive some implications from a theory and collect observations to see if they are consistent with that theory, I am practicing ______ approach to learning.

Accepted Answer

A)   deductive
B)   inductive
C)   deterministic
D)   probabilistic

Question 16

"All good students get high grades." Is this statement scientific if "good" is defined in terms of a student's grade?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

"Smoking increases the probability of getting cancer." Is a scientific statement?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Major premise: If a country has a strong economy, the government will be popular.
Minor premise: The government is not popular.
Conclusion: Therefore, the country does not have a strong economy.
What form (what type of categorical syllogism) does this argument take?

Accepted Answer

A)   affirming the antecedent
B)   denying the antecedent
C)   affirming the consequent
D)   denying the consequent

Question 19

"Iceland is a country." Is a scientific statement?

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Necessary and Sufficient Conditions
-"A country cannot maintain a democratic form of government unless IT HAS A CULTURE THAT PROMOTES CIVIC PARTICIPATION." Are the conditions shown in capital letters sufficient or necessary to produce the effects described?

Accepted Answer

A)   Sufficient
B)   Necessary

Exam 1: What Is Science

Inductive reasoning is problematic because it relies on

Imagine that an analyst is interested in understanding why civil wars occur. If the analyst chooses to study some cases in which civil war occurred (Greece, Spain, and Yugoslavia. and some cases in which they did not (Belgium, Italy, Switzerland) , then he is using

"The sun revolves around the earth." Is a scientific statement?

"Dictators are more likely to provide public goods for their citizens than democratic leaders are." Is a scientific statement?

Major premise: If a country has a participant culture, then democracy in that country will be stable. Minor premise: Democracy in country X is stable. Conclusion: Therefore, country X has a participant culture. Is a valid argument?

Major premise: If a country has a participant culture, then democracy in that country will be stable. Minor premise: Democracy in country X is stable. Conclusion: Therefore, country X has a participant culture. What form (what type of categorical syllogism) does this argument take?

Necessary and Sufficient Conditions -"IF A COUNTRY'S POPULATION IS ETHNICALLY HETEROGENEOUS, then it will experience political conflict." Are the conditions shown in capital letters sufficient or necessary to produce the effects described?

"Smoking causes people to be taller than six feet." Is a scientific statement?

The deductive approach to learning

Necessary and Sufficient Conditions -"If a DEMOCRACY IS WEALTHY, then it will stay a democracy." Are the conditions shown in capital letters sufficient or necessary to produce the effects described?

Necessary and Sufficient Conditions -"A country cannot maintain democracy UNLESS IT HAS A TOLERANT CULTURE." Are the conditions shown in capital letters sufficient or necessary to produce the effects described?

Scientists never prove that their theories are correct. However, they can

"Education spending increases under left-wing governments." Is a scientific statement?

If I derive some implications from a theory and collect observations to see if they are consistent with that theory, I am practicing ______ approach to learning.

"All good students get high grades." Is this statement scientific if "good" is defined in terms of a student's grade?

"Smoking increases the probability of getting cancer." Is a scientific statement?

Major premise: If a country has a strong economy, the government will be popular. Minor premise: The government is not popular. Conclusion: Therefore, the country does not have a strong economy. What form (what type of categorical syllogism) does this argument take?

"Iceland is a country." Is a scientific statement?

Necessary and Sufficient Conditions -"A country cannot maintain a democratic form of government unless IT HAS A CULTURE THAT PROMOTES CIVIC PARTICIPATION." Are the conditions shown in capital letters sufficient or necessary to produce the effects described?