Topic II. A Common Shared Reality and Scientific Advancement
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LEARNING GOALS
- B. CONCEPT ACQUISITION
- Different approaches to truth in science
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LEARNING GOALS
- B. CONCEPT ACQUISITION
- Different approaches to truth in science
- a. Operationalism
- Whatever definitions work for the time being are equally valid.
- b. Conventionalism
- There is one correct answer, fixed by society.
- c. Realism
- There is one correct answer, fixed by the world.
- C. CONCEPT APPLICATION
- Distinguish concept validity from (1) a social-constructivist picture of scientific concepts free-floating in a world of mutual agreement among power brokers, not moored to a universally shared reality, and (2) subjective preferences.
- a. Identify cases where concept validity is expected
- e.g. What is a quark/electron/boson? What is an animal?
- b. Identify cases where social constructivism might be a good approach
- e.g. What is her name? What is the name of this city?
- c. Identify cases where preference might be sufficient
- Which chocolate is tastiest? Which color palette is prettiest?
- Distinguish when operationalist, conventionalist, and realist approaches to scientific claims & definitions are being used.