HPL 112

Hume’s theory of causation

Argues that causation is inferred from patterns of regularity in observations, not directly observed.

Realism vs Anti-realism

Realism posits an objective reality independent of perception, while anti-realism denies such reality.

Kuhn’s paradigm

Set of beliefs defining normal science within a scientific community.

Kuhn’s revolution

Fundamental change in scientific thought due to a paradigm shift.

Kuhn’s normal science

Periods of research within an established paradigm.

Gambler’s paradox

Contradictory outcomes in probability theory from independent events.

Reductionism

Complex phenomena understood by breaking them down into simpler components.

Emergence

Complex phenomena arising unpredictably from interactions among simpler components.

Explanatory reductionism

Complex phenomena explained at a more fundamental level.

Ontological reductionism

Belief that complex entities are the sum of their parts.

Unification models

Theories explaining diverse phenomena under a single set of principles.

Consilience

Evidence from different sources converging to support a conclusion.

Pragmatic model

Emphasizes practical consequences in determining the validity of beliefs.

Credit Economy

Distribution of credit among scientists for contributions to scientific knowledge.

Thought experiments

Mental exercises to explore hypothetical scenarios and test theories.

Maxwell’s demon

Thought experiment challenging the second law of thermodynamics.

Newton’s bucket

Thought experiment exploring absolute rotation.

Galileo’s falling bodies

Thought experiment studying the motion of falling objects.

EPR Paradox

Thought experiment highlighting perceived incompleteness of quantum mechanics.

Relativism and perspectivism

Emphasize knowledge dependence on perspective or context.

General theory of relativity

Einstein's theory describing gravity as spacetime curvature.

Deductive Nomological Explanation

Scientific explanation deducing events from general laws and initial conditions.

Counterfactual reasoning

Reasoning about alternative outcomes under different circumstances.

Double blind clinical trial

Experiment where participants and researchers are unaware of treatment allocation.

Duhem’s problem

Underdetermination in scientific theories, where evidence alone may not determine truth.

Matthew Effect

Well-known names receive disproportionate credit.

Harking

Generating hypotheses after data analysis, potentially leading to spurious findings.

P-hacking

Misuse of statistical techniques to manipulate data for significant results.

Popper’s falsificationism

Scientific theories should be falsifiable.

Negative controls vs positive control

Experimental controls producing no effect or known effect.

Functionalism

Mental states understood by their functional roles or effects.

Conserved quantity theory

Certain quantities remain constant in isolated systems.

Pessimistic Meta-induction

Previous theories being wrong implies current theories may also be wrong.

Deductive reasoning

Logical conclusions from given premises.

Inductive reasoning

General principles inferred from specific observations.

Abductive reasoning

Making educated guesses to explain observations.