Spring Ee C050 Dr. Yantorno

SPRING EE C050 DR. YANTORNO

STUDY QUESTIONS #3

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

SPRING EE C050 DR. YANTORNO

STUDY QUESTIONS #3

Kuhn – Preface, Chapters 3, 4, & 6, The Nature of Normal Science, Normal Science as Puzzle-solving, and Anomaly and the Emergence of Scientific Discoveries, pages 23-24, 35-42, & 52-65

Normal science is (check all those that apply) -

Highly directed science. Paradigm-based science. Puzzle-solving.

Mopping-up. Conducted by normal scientists.

A paradigm is an ______.

A paradigm is like an accepted judicial decision, and therefore is an object -

Of extensive debate and appeal. Of adoration and exaltation.

For further articulation, that is, elaborating/evaluating under new or more stringent conditions.

Articulation of the paradigm is (check all those that apply) -

Increases the extent of the match between facts that the paradigm displays and the paradigm predicts.

Using words that sound very formal and very scientific.

What Art does when he tickles the paradigm.

Extending the knowledge of facts that the paradigm displays.

True or False – Mopping-up operations are what engage most scientists throughout their careers, and this happens during normal science. True___ False ___ .

During the practice of normal science the following are true (check all those that apply) -

New sorts of phenomenon are not called forth.

New theories are not invented nor are they tolerated.

The paradigm is articulated.

Scientific mopping-up occurs.

Attention is focused on a small range of problems.

Forces scientists to investigate some point in nature in detail and depth that would otherwise have been unimaginable.

Provides a backdrop that creates the possibility of a revolution.

True or False – One of the things a scientific community acquires with a paradigm is a criterion for choosing problems. True___ False ___ .

VERY IMPORTANT - How is puzzle-solving like the practice of normal science ?

The principle source of the metaphor that relates normal science to puzzle-solving is the strong network of commitments - (check all those that apply) -

Theoretical. / Conceptual. / Instrumental. / Methodological.

Here are two anticipation questions to help you prepare for the reading, and so I hope that you will think about these questions and their answers before starting the reading of Chapter 6. Good luck!

True or False – Discoveries are defined in terms of being a single well defined event in time. True___ False ___ .
The following are the three discoveries that Kuhn discusses in Chapter 6.

Oxygen, x-rays, and CD ROMS. Black holes, light, and electricity.

Oxygen, x-rays, and the Leyden jar. X-rays, electricity, and worm holes.

Okay, now you can proceed with the reading and answer the rest of the questions -

According to Kuhn, a discovery is (check all those that apply) -

When an exploration of an anomaly takes place

When a scientist yells out “Eureka – I found it!”.

When there is an awareness of an anomaly.

Identified as a single point in time.

When an extended but not necessarily long process of assimilation occurs.

When the paradigm has been adjusted to include the anomaly.

True or False – The famous Lord Kelvin (whose name is used for a measure of temperature (degrees Kelvin) at first pronounced the discoveries of x-rays by Roentgen as an “elaborate hoax”. True___ False ___ .

VERY VERY IMPORTANT - What is dephlogisticated air and how is it related to the discovery of oxygen ?

According to Kuhn’s idea about discovery, which scientist or scientists are responsible for the discovery of oxygen? -

Scheele. / Priestly. / Einstein. / Lavoisier.

True or False – Discoveries, predicted by theory in advance, are parts of normal science and result in no new sort of fact. True___ False ___ .

VERY VERY IMPORTANT - Explain Kuhn's statement that "Anomaly appears only against the background provided by the paradigm."

The very fact that a significant scientific novelty so often emerges simultaneously from several laboratories is an index of (check all those that apply) -

The ubiquitous nature of scientific information and the speed with which that information is disseminated.

How the traditional pursuit of normal science prepares the way for its own change.

And reinforcement of the saying “Great minds think alike”.

The strong traditional nature of normal science.

HARD but hopefully CHALLENGING and VERY VERY IMPORTANT – Kuhn spends a whole chapter (Chapter VI) on discovery, therefore it must be important to his theory about the practice of science. Why do you think Kuhn is so concerned about determining when a discovery is made ? You must strongly support your position!

rev 10/09/2018