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Logic and Philosophy of Science: Scientific Explanation and Confirmation

This quiz will test your understanding of scientific explanation and confirmation.

15 Questions Published
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Questions

Question 1 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

Which of the following is not a necessary condition for a scientific explanation?

  1. The explanation must be true.
  2. The explanation must be supported by evidence.
  3. The explanation must be able to be tested.
  4. The explanation must be able to be falsified.
Question 2 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a scientific explanation and a scientific theory?

  1. A scientific explanation is a specific account of how a particular phenomenon occurs, while a scientific theory is a general statement that explains a wide range of phenomena.
  2. A scientific explanation is based on evidence, while a scientific theory is based on speculation.
  3. A scientific explanation is always true, while a scientific theory is always false.
  4. A scientific explanation is always falsifiable, while a scientific theory is never falsifiable.
Question 3 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a deductive argument and an inductive argument?

  1. A deductive argument is a logical argument in which the conclusion is guaranteed to be true if the premises are true, while an inductive argument is a logical argument in which the conclusion is only probably true even if the premises are true.
  2. A deductive argument is a logical argument in which the premises are always true, while an inductive argument is a logical argument in which the premises are always false.
  3. A deductive argument is a logical argument in which the conclusion is always false, while an inductive argument is a logical argument in which the conclusion is always true.
  4. A deductive argument is a logical argument in which the premises are always probably true, while an inductive argument is a logical argument in which the premises are always guaranteed to be true.
Question 4 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the problem of induction?

  1. The problem of induction is the problem of how we can justify our belief that the future will be like the past.
  2. The problem of induction is the problem of how we can justify our belief that the laws of nature are universal.
  3. The problem of induction is the problem of how we can justify our belief that our senses are reliable.
  4. The problem of induction is the problem of how we can justify our belief that our minds are capable of understanding the world.
Question 5 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a confirmation and a disconfirmation?

  1. A confirmation is evidence that supports a hypothesis, while a disconfirmation is evidence that contradicts a hypothesis.
  2. A confirmation is evidence that proves a hypothesis, while a disconfirmation is evidence that disproves a hypothesis.
  3. A confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be true, while a disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be true.
  4. A confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be false, while a disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be false.
Question 6 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a strong confirmation and a weak confirmation?

  1. A strong confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis very likely to be true, while a weak confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis only slightly more likely to be true.
  2. A strong confirmation is evidence that proves a hypothesis, while a weak confirmation is evidence that disproves a hypothesis.
  3. A strong confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be false, while a weak confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be false.
  4. A strong confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be true, while a weak confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be true.
Question 7 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a positive confirmation and a negative confirmation?

  1. A positive confirmation is evidence that directly supports a hypothesis, while a negative confirmation is evidence that indirectly supports a hypothesis.
  2. A positive confirmation is evidence that proves a hypothesis, while a negative confirmation is evidence that disproves a hypothesis.
  3. A positive confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be true, while a negative confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be true.
  4. A positive confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be false, while a negative confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be false.
Question 8 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a deductive confirmation and an inductive confirmation?

  1. A deductive confirmation is evidence that is guaranteed to support a hypothesis, while an inductive confirmation is evidence that is only probably supportive of a hypothesis.
  2. A deductive confirmation is evidence that proves a hypothesis, while an inductive confirmation is evidence that disproves a hypothesis.
  3. A deductive confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be true, while an inductive confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be true.
  4. A deductive confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be false, while an inductive confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be false.
Question 9 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a direct confirmation and an indirect confirmation?

  1. A direct confirmation is evidence that directly supports a hypothesis, while an indirect confirmation is evidence that indirectly supports a hypothesis.
  2. A direct confirmation is evidence that proves a hypothesis, while an indirect confirmation is evidence that disproves a hypothesis.
  3. A direct confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be true, while an indirect confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be true.
  4. A direct confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be false, while an indirect confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be false.
Question 10 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a strong disconfirmation and a weak disconfirmation?

  1. A strong disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis very unlikely to be true, while a weak disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis only slightly less likely to be true.
  2. A strong disconfirmation is evidence that proves a hypothesis, while a weak disconfirmation is evidence that disproves a hypothesis.
  3. A strong disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be false, while a weak disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be false.
  4. A strong disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be true, while a weak disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be true.
Question 11 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a positive disconfirmation and a negative disconfirmation?

  1. A positive disconfirmation is evidence that directly contradicts a hypothesis, while a negative disconfirmation is evidence that indirectly contradicts a hypothesis.
  2. A positive disconfirmation is evidence that proves a hypothesis, while a negative disconfirmation is evidence that disproves a hypothesis.
  3. A positive disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be true, while a negative disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be true.
  4. A positive disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be false, while a negative disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be false.
Question 12 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a deductive disconfirmation and an inductive disconfirmation?

  1. A deductive disconfirmation is evidence that is guaranteed to contradict a hypothesis, while an inductive disconfirmation is evidence that is only probably contradictory of a hypothesis.
  2. A deductive disconfirmation is evidence that proves a hypothesis, while an inductive disconfirmation is evidence that disproves a hypothesis.
  3. A deductive disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be true, while an inductive disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be true.
  4. A deductive disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be false, while an inductive disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be false.
Question 13 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a direct disconfirmation and an indirect disconfirmation?

  1. A direct disconfirmation is evidence that directly contradicts a hypothesis, while an indirect disconfirmation is evidence that indirectly contradicts a hypothesis.
  2. A direct disconfirmation is evidence that proves a hypothesis, while an indirect disconfirmation is evidence that disproves a hypothesis.
  3. A direct disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be true, while an indirect disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be true.
  4. A direct disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be false, while an indirect disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be false.
Question 14 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a strong confirmation and a strong disconfirmation?

  1. A strong confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis very likely to be true, while a strong disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis very unlikely to be true.
  2. A strong confirmation is evidence that proves a hypothesis, while a strong disconfirmation is evidence that disproves a hypothesis.
  3. A strong confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be true, while a strong disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be true.
  4. A strong confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be false, while a strong disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be false.
Question 15 Multiple Choice (Single Answer)

What is the difference between a weak confirmation and a weak disconfirmation?

  1. A weak confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis only slightly more likely to be true, while a weak disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis only slightly less likely to be true.
  2. A weak confirmation is evidence that proves a hypothesis, while a weak disconfirmation is evidence that disproves a hypothesis.
  3. A weak confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be true, while a weak disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be true.
  4. A weak confirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis less likely to be false, while a weak disconfirmation is evidence that makes a hypothesis more likely to be false.
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