PS295 Lecture Notes - Falsifiability, Epistemological Pluralism
Document Summary
What is providing the structure for observations is theories and hypothesis"s. Theory: a set of propositions that attempt to specify the interrelationships among a set of concepts. Explains a large number of facts, findings and observations. Hypothesis: a specific proposition that logically follows from the theory. A statement of the relation thought to exist between two or more characteristics. Prediction: what expected result from a specific study. How two things are likely to relate together (hypotheses) A hypotheses can be specific proposition that logically follows from a theory based on deduction; the logical implications of a theory. Hypothesis is ideas put to a test can be expressed as an if than statement. Two main functions: explanation of findings/observations that already exist to help find new information, guide future research to suggest new studies to be conducted. Induction: reasoning from specific instances to a general propositions. Deduction: reasoning from a general proposition to a specific implication of that proposition.