8. Contestable Concepts
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makes them convincing?
Be sure to define for yourself, your sciences.
10. Contestable Concepts
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makes them convincing?
This is a thinking word. It has something to do with
knowledge.
11. Ambiguous Words
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makes them convincing?
12. Ambiguous Words
We throw the word around and it has many different
meanings - even within the Natural and Human
Theory is a big, fat Sciences
ambiguous word it is what gives the Creationist the wedge they need-”it
is just a theory”
Then you have stupid theoretical physicists calling
String Theory a theory instead of correctly calling it a
hypothesis - since it has never been experimentally
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
tested
natural sciences that makes them convincing?
Germ theory on the other hand is “rigorously tentative”
•It EXPLAINS disease transmission
•it has been tested billions of times
•has mountains of data
•logically fits with what we know about the world
source: Skype conversation with Ms Landry
13. Ambiguous Words
We throw the word around and it has many different
meanings - even within the Natural and Human
Theory is a big, fat Sciences
ambiguous word it is what gives the Creationist the wedge they need-”it
is just a theory”
Then you have stupid theoretical physicists calling
String Theory a theory instead of correctly calling it a
hypothesis - since it has never been experimentally
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
tested
natural sciences that makes them convincing?
Germ theory on the other hand is “rigorously tentative”
•It EXPLAINS disease transmission
“Theory”-This is •it has been tested billions of times
the problem with •has mountains of data
this title. •logically fits with what we know about the world
source: Skype conversation with Ms Landry
14. Assumptions
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makes them convincing?
15. Assumptions
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makes them convincing?
16. Assumptions
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makes them convincing?
17. Assumptions
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makessciences convincing?
them
18. Assumptions
True?
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makessciences convincing?
them
19. Assumptions
True? Are they convincing?
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makessciences convincing?
them
20. Assumptions
True? Are they convincing?
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makessciences convincing?
them
21. Assumptions
True? Are they convincing?
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makessciences convincing?
them
Some people don’t find scientific theory convincing
22. Assumptions
True? Are they convincing?
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makessciences convincing?
them
In every culture?
23. This is an assumption that is probably not true all the time for all people. Deal with and
address this.
24. Assumptions
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makes them convincing?
25. Assumptions
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makes them convincing?
26. Assumptions
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences that makes them convincing?
27. Assumptions
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences are similar enoughconvincing? together.
that makes them to deal with
28. Assumptions
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences are similar enoughconvincing? together.
that makes them to deal with
True?
29. Assumptions
What is it about theories in the human sciences and
natural sciences are similar enoughconvincing? together.
that makes them to deal with
How true is this?
31. Natural Sciences Human Sciences
Theories are Theories are
constructed to constructed to
explain, predict, and explain, predict,
master and master
phenomena phenomena
32. Natural Sciences Human Sciences
Theories are Theories are
constructed to constructed to
explain, predict, and explain, predict,
master and master
phenomena phenomena
must be
empirically
testable or lead to are often difficult
predictions or to test
retrodictions that
are testable
33. Natural Sciences Human Sciences
Theories are Theories are
constructed to constructed to
explain, predict, and explain, predict,
master and master
phenomena phenomena
must be
empirically
testable or lead to are often difficult
predictions or to test
retrodictions that
are testable
actually make rarely
verified predic1ons underwrite
and/or precise
retrodic1ons predictions and/
or retrodic1ons
34. According to Karl Popper, many branches of applied science,
especially social science, are not scientific because they have no
potential for falsification.
35. According to Karl Popper, many branches of applied science,
especially social science, are not scientific because they have no
potential for falsification.
this is one view
39. Perhaps the human sciences are unable to come up with
laws but are they still sciences? Maybe they will need new
tools like computer modeling to deal with very complex
input before they can develop theories. Maybe, maybe not.
Maybe we need another definition or better another word
for theory in the human sciences.
40. As with all the titles, whatever you argue, there
need to be counter-arguments examined and
evaluated.
These claims and counter claims will come out
of the knowledge issues that arise in your essay
or perhaps different conclusions based on the
claim made in the title.
41. Possible Knowledge Issues
1. How does a knower recognize when they are convinced?
2. Are some forms of reasoning more convincing than others?
3. Are some ways of knowing more convincing than others?
4. Does a a person have to be convinced on both an emotional and a rational level when
arguing a point of view?
5. Are scientific theories more convincing than theories in the humanities?
6. Are there a role for emotions in scientific theories?
7. Are scientific theories more certain than human theories?
