Blog 5

1. What I understand from today's lesson?

For today’s lesson, we are assigned with a reading task, Chapter 3: Explanation. Explanation is one of the external virtues of theories.

Science provides us with explanations of the phenomena we experience. Scientific curiosity starts with WHY questions. For instance, “Why does this happen?” and “Why are things this way?”. Scientific explanations are answers to why questions.

To understand this chapter, I have to understand the meaning of explanation. Explanations are an accomplishment because they enhance our understanding of the world. Explanations is a desirable end, but it also a means to something else. It is useful as an indicator of truth.

From the standard model, I have learned the covering-law model of explanation by Carl Hempel. It focuses on the forum rather than on the contents of an explanation. It also mentioned that the pattern of a good explanation will be HOW it put rather than what it says. Scientific explanation is only of the form of presentation, citing a general law to cover a specific instance, and not at all of content. It is a good explanation when the law is understood and the conditions are recognized, the event is to be expected.

I have learned that the covering-law model is also referred as the deductive-nomological model of explanation (D-N model). The meaning of “nomological” is to pertain to laws and “deductive” describes the connection between the statement of the law and relevant conditions, and the conclusion. It is an important connection as if the law is true and if the conditions hold, the event must occur.

There are amendments to the covering-law model which include of two suggestions.

(a) Add a measure of unification

(b) Include explicitly causal laws or causal theories as support

I also learned the difference between symmetry and asymmetry.

Symmetry: If A then B, B will happen because A. (but most of the time the symmetry statement is not true)

Asymmetry: Just because one event is related to/ causes another, it doesn't mean that the reverse is the same. So if A causes B, it may not be true that B causes A

Event: Jess salivates. Condition: got McDs. Explanation: Jess salivates when she sees McDs. *The statements below may or may not be true. Symmetry: Jess salivates when she sees McDs. When Jess salivates, McDs will appear. Asymmetry: Jess salivates when she sees McDs. But when Jess salivates, it does not cause any change in the environment. .:. So the symmetry statement is wrong, but that is how symmetry works

2. What is the one thing I need help in?

For now, I don’t have any doubt as I asked help from my course mate for clarification as well as research on internet.

3. How am I going to use this new knowledge to teach nature of science in the future?

The knowledge that I have learned today is very important for me as I will need to explain the scientific theory to my students when I encounter it. The explanations that I provide to my students should clear their “why” questions. Besides that, I will let my students to know that just because a theory explains something, it does not mean that it is true.