PHIL 1200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Human Geography, Slippery Slope
Scientific Reasoning
What is scientific reasoning, as opposed to, say, philosophical reasoning, or everyday reasoning?
Look to the various sciences: physics, biology, economics, human geography
-many methods and approaches
-any way to give a strict definition of science
Science: a rigorous attempt to generate evidence that allows us to draw conclusions about the subjects
of scientific study
Scientific Method
Scientific method described here aims to cover a broad range of scientific reasoning, but not all of it.
In brief: scientific inquiry generally proceeds by formulating hypotheses, identifying what follows form
those hypotheses, and then checking to see whether or not those consequences are correct
i) understanding the issue
ii) formulating the hypothesis
Hypothesis: a statement that can be true or false, answers our question, should be testable. No
hard and fast rules for coming up with them. Think of similarities to and differences from other cases;
general principles; changes to our principles; or just get lucky.
iii) identifying the implications of the hypothesis
iv) testing the hypothesis
Perform the relevant tests to determine whether the implications of the hypothesis are correct.
v) revisit the hypothesis
If the test contradicts the implications of the hypothesis: reject or reformulate the hypothesis to
accommodate the results. If the test agrees with the implications of the hypothesis: don’t be too hasty.
Provisionally accept the hypothesis.
Slippery Slope Arguments
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Look to the various sciences: physics, biology, economics, human geography. Any way to give a strict definition of science. Science: a rigorous attempt to generate evidence that allows us to draw conclusions about the subjects of scientific study. Scientific method described here aims to cover a broad range of scientific reasoning, but not all of it. In brief: scientific inquiry generally proceeds by formulating hypotheses, identifying what follows form those hypotheses, and then checking to see whether or not those consequences are correct: understanding the issue, formulating the hypothesis. Hypothesis: a statement that can be true or false, answers our question, should be testable. No hard and fast rules for coming up with them. Think of similarities to and differences from other cases; general principles; changes to our principles; or just get lucky: identifying the implications of the hypothesis, testing the hypothesis. Perform the relevant tests to determine whether the implications of the hypothesis are correct: revisit the hypothesis.