Philosophy of Science in Marketing Research

Flashcards covering the fundamentals of the philosophy of science, including epistemology, reasoning types, and research methodologies within a marketing context.

What does the abbreviation Ph.D literally mean?

Doctorate in Philosophy

What is the definition of Epistemology?

Epistemology is the philosophy of knowledge which asks "how do you know what you know?" and "how certain are you that you know it?"

What are the common methods used to demonstrate "truth"?

Approaching it empirically, creating and testing hypotheses using measurement, using the ability to predict consequences, and seeking consensus.

What are the foundations of Verificationism?

Empirics are the foundation, meaning things that count as knowledge must be physically verifiable through the senses.

What is required for something to be considered empirical?

It must be relating to the senses.

What is embodied knowledge?

Knowledge that is implicit to experiences and extremely hard to articulate, such as knowing how to ride a bike or how to type.

How do objective and subjective properties differ?

Objective properties are physically verifiable characteristics (e.g., age), while subjective properties are mental constructs that cannot be directly observed (e.g., attitudes or intentions).

What is a construct in philosophy of science?

An abstract idea or concept composed of a set of related attitudes or behaviors that depends entirely on the mind (e.g., happiness or brand loyalty).

How does Positivism differ from Verificationism?

Positivism includes Verificationism but adds things that can be "logically proven" through deductive reasoning, allowing for the examination of constructs and theories that escape the senses.

What is deductive reasoning?

The process of using a general theory to infer detailed, specific predictions to see if a conclusion follows an initial assumption.

What is inductive reasoning?

The process of making multiple specific observations over a period to draw a general conclusion.

How are hypotheses defined in the context of research?

Statements taken as true for investigation, often written as "if-then" statements to demonstrate cause; they are required for experiments.

What was Karl Popper's contribution to current scientific epistemology?

He argued that we can never truly prove anything, only disprove it; therefore, theories must be falsifiable to be accepted.

What is Falsificationism?

The currently dominant epistemology which assumes it is impossible to prove anything, focuses on disproving theories, and serves as the basis for the Scientific Method.

What is Occam's Razor?

The principle that when a theory becomes too complex, a simpler explanation may take its place as the prevailing theory.

What are the three core components of the Scientific Method based on Falsificationism?

Skepticism of observations, formulation of hypotheses, and falsification of incorrect hypotheses.

What is Qualitative Research?

The examination of qualities without measurement, focusing on subjective points of view and inductive reasoning to find observable patterns.

What is Quantitative Research?

Research concerned with measuring objects and constructs by assigning numbers, seeking "objective" truth through deductive reasoning and hypothesis testing.

Why is knowledge transmission considered vital in marketing research?

Because findings are meaningless unless they can be communicated effectively to others through writing and presentations.

According to the transcript, how did Aristotle measure the circumference of the Earth in approximately $300\,\text{BC}$?

By using two sticks to measure their shadows relative to the lengths of the sticks at varying latitudes.

In the provided flight example, what were the distances for Flight A and Flight B to Reykjavik?

Flight A from JFK was $3,724\,\text{Miles}$ ($7:30\,\text{Hours}$) and Flight B from PDX was $2,585\,\text{Miles}$ ($5:50\,\text{Hours}$).