Philosophy of Science
Answer question one question one from Section A question one Section A and three questions Section A hree questions chosen from Section B hree questions Section B
SECTION A
1 ‘Historians of science describe how scientists actually behave, which is not much use to
philosophers of science, who are trying to determine how scientists ought to behave.’ Discuss.
SECTION B
2 Either (a) Does Descartes succeed in showing that knowledge cannot depend exclusively on
the senses?
Or (b) ‘Induction is rational if nature is regular.’ Discuss.
3 Either (a) Is it possible to imagine something existing unperceived? How does the answer
bear on idealism?
Or (b) In what sense, if any, are shapes more objective than colours?
4 Either (a) What is the difference between causation and correlation?
Or (b) What is the connection between explanation and prediction?
5 Either (a) ‘Names may just be labels, but if Kripke were right we would seldom know to
whom they are attached.’ Discuss.
Or (b) Do laws of nature describe how things must behave?
6 What is the difference between data that support a theory and data that are irrelevant to it?
7 ‘Both Popper and Kuhn believe that all scientific theories have a use-by date, after which they
are thrown away. Given their agreement on this silly position, the differences between them
are insignificant.’ Discuss.
8 ‘Physical theories are just mathematical models we construct, and it is meaningless to ask if
they correspond to reality, just whether they predict observations’ (STEPHEN HAWKING).
Discuss.
9 Either (a) Critically analyze Shapin’s sociological analysis of phrenology in early nineteenthcentury Edinburgh.
Or (b) What is tacit knowledge? Why is it important in the sciences?
10 Is epistemological relativism a tenable position?
11 Either (a) What are the implications of the special theory of relativity for absolute conceptions
of space and time?
Or (b) Explain the structure and significance of the ‘paradox’ of Schrödinger’s cat.
12 How should moral responsibility for genetic engineering and reproductive technology be
divided between scientists and other members of society?