Back to the full dot-point answer
QLDPhilosophy and ReasonQuick questions
Unit 3: Reason and formal logic
Quick questions on The hypothetico-deductive method and falsification: QCE Philosophy and Reason
5short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is the hypothetico-deductive method?Show answer
The hypothetico-deductive (H-D) method describes science as follows: form a hypothesis, deduce an observable prediction from it, then test that prediction by observation or experiment. If the prediction comes true, the hypothesis is corroborated (supported, not proven). If it fails, the hypothesis is refuted. Crucially, the testing step is deductive: the prediction follows logically from the hypothesis, which lets a failed prediction strike back at the theory.
What is the demarcation problem?Show answer
The demarcation problem asks what distinguishes science from non-science or pseudoscience. Popper's answer: a theory is scientific only if it is falsifiable, that is, it forbids some observable outcome and so could in principle be proven wrong. Einstein's relativity made risky predictions (light bending by a precise amount) that could have failed, so it is scientific. Popper argued that some theories are framed so that no observation could ever count against them, making them unfalsifiable and, by his criterion, non-scientific however true they might feel.
What is q1?Show answer
Explain the logical asymmetry between confirming and refuting a universal law. [4 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
State Popper's demarcation criterion and give an example of a scientific theory by it. [3 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Explain how the Duhem-Quine thesis challenges falsificationism. [3 marks]
Have a question we have not covered?
This dot-point answer is short enough that we have not extracted many short questions yet. Read the full dot-point answer or ask Mo, our study assistant, in the chat for follow ups.