Question 1

If a prediction is derived from a hypothesis and the prediction is verified, we say the hypothesis has been "confirmed."

Accepted Answer

When a prediction derived from a hypothesis is verified through observation or experiment, it supports the hypothesis, leading to its confirmation in the context of those specific results. However, it's important to note that in science, confirmation is provisional and subject to further testing and scrutiny.

Question 2

If a prediction is derived from a hypothesis and the prediction is not observed or does not come true, we say the hypothesis has been "disconfirmed."

Accepted Answer

If a prediction made based on a hypothesis is not observed or does not come true, it suggests that the hypothesis may not accurately reflect reality, thus it is considered to be disconfirmed.

Question 3

If a hypothesis is confirmed, then it must be true, with complete certainty.

Accepted Answer

Confirmation of a hypothesis through testing supports its validity but does not prove it to be true with complete certainty, as future evidence may contradict it.

Question 4

If a hypothesis is disconfirmed, then it must be false, with complete certainty.

Accepted Answer

Disconfirming evidence may suggest a hypothesis is false, but it doesn't prove it with complete certainty due to potential flaws in the experiment, limitations in data, or alternative explanations.

Question 5

If observable predictions cannot be derived from a hypothesis, then it is not a scientific hypothesis.

Accepted Answer

A scientific hypothesis must be testable and falsifiable, meaning it must make predictions that can be observed and potentially disproven through experimentation or observation.

Question 6

If a hypothesis is scientific, then it is possible to derive observable predictions from it.

Accepted Answer

A scientific hypothesis must be testable and falsifiable, meaning it should allow for predictions that can be observed and potentially disproven through experimentation or observation.

Question 7

The germ theory of disease has saved hundreds of millions of lives.

Accepted Answer

The germ theory of disease, which posits that microorganisms are the cause of many diseases, has led to significant advances in public health, hygiene, and medical treatments, saving countless lives by preventing and treating infectious diseases.

Question 8

Semmelweis applied critical thinking to the study of disease.

Accepted Answer

Semmelweis applied critical thinking by observing and analyzing patterns of maternal deaths in clinics, leading him to propose handwashing to reduce puerperal fever.

Question 9

Semmelweis rejected the demon theory of disease on the grounds that it conflicted with his Catholic beliefs.

Accepted Answer

Semmelweis rejected the demon theory of disease because he observed and demonstrated that childbed fever rates dropped significantly when doctors disinfected their hands, indicating a physical cause rather than a supernatural one.

Question 10

The scientific method is infallible-when followed properly it cannot possibly result in error.

Accepted Answer

The scientific method is a systematic way of learning about the world, but it is not infallible. Errors can occur due to incorrect hypotheses, biases, experimental errors, or misinterpretation of data.

Question 11

Scientific theories are ultimately justified on the basis of the same criteria that govern inference to the best explanation.

Accepted Answer

Scientific theories are justified based on their ability to explain observations and predict outcomes effectively, which aligns with the criteria governing inference to the best explanation, such as coherence, simplicity, and breadth of scope.

Question 12

Einstein claimed that science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.

Accepted Answer

Einstein indeed made this claim, emphasizing that scientific thinking builds upon and refines the processes of ordinary thought to understand the universe more precisely and systematically.

Question 13

Imagination may be used when scientists formulate a hypothesis.

Accepted Answer

Imagination allows scientists to think creatively about possible explanations for observations and phenomena, leading to the formulation of hypotheses.

Question 14

An empirical hypothesis is one that generates observable predictions.

Accepted Answer

An empirical hypothesis is designed to be tested through experiments or observations that produce measurable outcomes, hence it generates observable predictions.

Question 15

The first germ theories of disease originated in Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Accepted Answer

The concept of germ theory, which posits that microorganisms are the cause of many diseases, began to emerge in Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, with significant contributions from scientists such as Girolamo Fracastoro. However, it wasn't fully developed and widely accepted until the 19th century, with the work of Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch.

Question 16

One of the hypotheses tested by Semmelweis was the hypothesis that overcrowding causes childbed fever.

Accepted Answer

Semmelweis considered overcrowding as a potential factor contributing to childbed fever, but later focused on the importance of hand hygiene.

Question 17

One of the hypotheses tested by Semmelweis was the hypothesis that foul air causes childbed fever.

Accepted Answer

Semmelweis hypothesized that "cadaverous particles" carried from autopsies to obstetric patients by doctors and medical students were the cause of childbed fever, and he also considered the possibility that foul air (miasma) could be a cause before disproving it through his investigations and implementing chlorine handwashing to reduce mortality rates.

Question 18

One of the hypotheses tested by Semmelweis was the hypothesis that mental illness causes childbed fever.

Accepted Answer

Semmelweis hypothesized that childbed fever was caused by "cadaverous particles" transferred from autopsies to obstetrical patients by doctors, not by mental illness.

Question 19

One of the hypotheses tested by Semmelweis was the hypothesis that childbed fever is caused by too much fat in the diet.

Accepted Answer

Semmelweis hypothesized that childbed fever was caused by "cadaverous particles" transferred from autopsies to obstetrical patients by doctors, not by dietary factors like fat consumption.

Question 20

One of the hypotheses tested by Semmelweis was the hypothesis that lack of exercise causes childbed fever.

Accepted Answer

Semmelweis hypothesized that childbed fever was caused by "cadaverous particles" transmitted by the hands of doctors and medical students who came directly from autopsies to the maternity ward, not by lack of exercise.

Quiz 11: Explorations in Inductive Reasoning: The Logic of Science