Scientific Explanations

Question 1

Deductive Thinking

Answer 1

• A conclusion is drawn from premises to conclusions
  The conclusion follow the premise
• A logical inference is valid by its form, not content
• Need to make sure the premises are true
  Use of certain, limited information
• Hard to give new information

Question 2

Inductive Thinking

Answer 2

• A conclusion is drawn from observation
  Often common knowledge about the world
  Estimated guess
• Logical reasoning may lead to false conclusion, even with true premises
  Is it true for all situations?
• The past and the future may not stay the same
• Relies on automatic thinking

Question 3

Hypothetico-Deductive thinking

Answer 3

• Testing hypotheses through deductive thinking
  A prediction; is it true or false?

Question 4

Deductive-Nomological model

Answer 4

• From Carl Hempel
• Explanation has the same structure in all science
  Explanas - what we need in order to explain, background knowledge
  Explanandum - what we want to explain