Short answers- Scientific method

Intuition- What is intuition as a method of knowing?

Knowing because it "feels" true; guided by guts, emotions, and/or instincts.

Intuition- What are the benefits and drawbacks of intuition?

Benefit: rapid results. Drawbacks: cognitive and motivational biases may lead to incorrect assumptions.

Authority- What is authority as a method of knowing?

Knowing because an authority figure (parents, media, doctors) says it's true.

Authority- What are the benefits and drawbacks of authority?

Benefit: saves time since you don't need to independently research. Drawback: authority figures can't always be trusted.

Rationalism- What is rationalism as a method of knowing?

Using logic and reasoning to know what is true; belief in innate ideas, reason, and deduction.

Rationalism- What are the benefits and drawbacks of rationalism?

Advantage: clear rules and process. Drawback: if premises are wrong or logic is flawed, the conclusion will not be valid.

Empiricism- What is empiricism as a method of knowing?

Acquiring knowledge through observation and experience; belief in sense perception and induction.

Empiricism- What are the benefits and drawbacks of empiricism?

Benefit: incorporates the world outside our heads. Drawbacks: illusions can trick our senses and biases can color perception.

Scientific method- What is the scientific method?

Combines elements of the other four ways of knowing and uses systematic empiricism to test ideas under controlled conditions.

Scientific method- What are the benefits and drawbacks of the scientific method?

Benefits: most likely of all methods to produce valid knowledge. Drawbacks: requires time and resources; only works on empirical questions.

Scientific method- What is systematic empiricism?

Observing the natural world in an organized way with insistence on checking ideas against observations.

Scientific method- What are empirical questions?

Questions about how the world is that can be answered through observation.

Scientific method- How does the scientific method create public knowledge?

Through scientific publication, which describes methods, presents results, and allows exchange of ideas and self-correction.

Scientific method- What are the characteristics of a good scientist?

Curiosity, imagination, and independence.

Scientific method- What are the "social" skills of good scientists?

Writing, public speaking, teamwork, and cooperation.

Scientific process- What are the steps of the scientific process?

Identify something interesting, develop hypothesis, design a study, collect data, analyze data, synthesize findings, tell others.

Scientific process- What is a hypothesis?

A specific prediction based upon a theory.

Scientific process- What is a research objective?

An answer to a question or the development/refinement of a theory.