Paper 4: Philosophy and Scientific Practice
You should answer four questions in total. Answer one question from Section A and
three questions from Section B. All questions carry equal weighting.
SECTION A
1. Different sciences have different methods. So what?
2. In what sense, if any, is causal inference a central goal of science?
3. Do sciences present a unified picture of the world?
SECTION B
4. Should physics be understood as answering metaphysical questions?
5. Has modern physics updated our philosophical conceptions of time? Discuss
with reference to at least one modern physical theory.
6. What is health?
7. Are randomised controlled trails the gold standard of evidence in medicine?
8. Is rational choice modelling good science?
9. The standard of goodness for a policy is the extent to which it satisfies
preferences of all involved. Discuss.
10. Is “personalised medicine” just a new name for an old practice?
11. “Only humans have conscious experiences.” Do you agree?
12. Claims about biological function are etiological explanations in disguise. Is this
true?