Blog 6

1. What I understand from today's lesson?

The main of today’s lesson:

1. What is Confirmation (chapter 4)

2. What is underdetermination (Chapter 5)

At the beginning of the class, we have learnt the scientific enquiry method. Testing and Confirmation only happen after construct a hypothesis.

External virtues divide into explanation and confirmation. We have learnt Chapter 3 Explanation last week, so the main focus of today’s lesson is Chapter 4 Confirmation.

Source: Google image

Before we learned main topic, we have listed down the internal and external virtues of the theory:

Internal Virtues:

a. Entrenchment 
b. Explanatory Cooperation 
c. Testability 
d. Generality 
e. Simplicity

External Virtues:

a. Explanation 
b. Testing and Confirmation

I also learned that, a theory must be testable and must be tested.  In addition, achieving positive test is the most observable external virtues as the experiments have been carried out.

Not every theoretical claim can be seen on our own naked eyes, so there is indirectness in testing this claim. To elaborate, for this claim, we can only observe the consequences by determining the effects. For example, we cannot see electricity with our naked eyes instead we can see the effect of electricity when we switch on the light. The consequence is the whole room will be lighted up.

Activity 1:  A Basic Model of Confirmation

The hypothetical-deductive model of confirmation is to see the validity of hypothesis and enhance the credibility. It also confirms a theory based on deductive reasoning.  The deductive reasoning goes as follow:

If the THEORY is true, then the EFFECT must happen, and when the effects HAPPEN or can be SEEN, so the theory must be TRUE.

The table above shows if only the hypothesis is true and the effect MUST occur. But if the effect does not occur, the hypothesis MUST be FALSE. This is a valid deductive argument, and it does prove with certainty that the hypothesis is false. On this model of H-D falsification, a single failed prediction will suffice to falsify a theory and force its rejection.

There are 2 components in the H-D model of confirmation:

(a) Hypothesis

(b) Effects

Activity 2: More detailed and more realistic model

There is a “revised” H-D model as one failed test does not force to the rejection of a theory. This is because the conditions of the environment might affect the result.

Therefore, the new model has 3 components:

(a) Hypothesis

(b) Conditions of testing

(c) Predicted effects

If the hypothesis is true, and the conditions are right then the effect will be observed. The result might fail because the conditions were wrong, but that does not mean that the hypothesis itself is wrong. Condition can be blamed and can be looked back upon when the effect cannot been observed. Therefore, we must regularly test in order to confirm our hypothesis.

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

I understood most of the knowledge and information. I need some simple examples for “revised” H-D model for me to understand better.

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

This lesson taught me on how I should constantly look back when the effect of my hypothesis cannot observed. Instead of saying my hypothesis is false, I should take into consideration of conditions that might affect my hypothesis. Instead of come out with new hypothesis, I would ask my students to analyze their hypothesis if the desirable result is not showed.