Question 1

Koertge wants to argue against the claim that "science not only is, but should be, ..."
A) guided solely by objective research.
B) run by corporations who pay for research.
C) based on historical precedent.
D) politics by other means.

Accepted Answer

Koertge is likely arguing against the idea that science should be influenced by politics, suggesting that science should remain objective and not be used as a tool for political agendas.

Question 2

Social construction or constructivist epistemology refer to those ...
A) properties of a phenomenon that depend on culture.
B) laws of science that are immutable.
C) results of scientific research that are not replicable.
D) theories that are built on prior research.

Accepted Answer

Social construction or constructivist epistemology assert that certain properties or aspects of a phenomenon are dependent on the cultural context in which it is situated. This implies that knowledge is socially constructed, rather than being objective and independent of the cultural context.

Question 3

Koertge criticizes the idea of the social construction of dairy cows that claims that "certain breeds have undergone such an intense process of artificial selection, guided by the financial interests of dairy farmers, that they can now hardly survive without being hooked up to milking machines." In contrast, Koertge argues that in this case what social construction designates is really a ...
A) misguided belief that evolution is a false theory.
B) argument against meat-eating.
C) process of genetic construction designed to serve social purposes.
D) historical artefact of a discarded religious belief.

Accepted Answer

Koertge argues that the social construction of dairy cows refers to a process of genetic construction designed to serve social purposes, specifically the financial interests of dairy farmers. This is different from the idea that the cows are unable to survive without milking machines due to a lack of natural selection. Instead, their genetic traits have been selectively bred for generations to maximize milk production, which is a social purpose.

Question 4

According to Koertge, "Feminists are also quick to accuse their opponents of ______________, e.g. of trying to force the rich complexity of a sexual spectrum into the artificially tidy and mutually exclusive boxes of biological male vs. biological female."
A) monopolistic reordering
B) dualistic thinking
C) systematic denial
D) normative demands

Accepted Answer

Koertge suggests that feminists accuse their opponents of dualistic thinking, which refers to the belief that there are only two distinct and mutually exclusive categories (male and female) that all individuals must fit into based on their biology. This is seen as limiting and inaccurate by feminists who recognize the complexity and diversity of gender and sexuality.

Question 5

Koertge argues that the "sociological turn" in epistemology is a cause for worry because "it is embedded into a ranging systematic attempt to change the way ..."
A) science is done.
B) truth is defined.
C) governments are constructed.
D) history is interpreted.

Accepted Answer

Koertge is concerned that the "sociological turn" in epistemology could alter the fundamental methods and practices of scientific inquiry.

Question 6

For Koertge, "it would seem obvious that the overriding professional goal of science is to discover ..."
A) useful theories.
B) humans' role in the universe.
C) how to get adequate funds for research.
D) truth.

Accepted Answer

Koertge states that the "overriding professional goal of science is to discover truth."

Question 7

Koertge calls the process in which scientists choose research problems and develop strategies for formulating tentative solutions to them the ...
A) context of historiography.
B) context of intervention.
C) context of discovery.
D) context of justification.

Accepted Answer

Koertge specifically refers to the process of scientists formulating solutions, which falls under the context of discovery rather than historiography, intervention, or justification.

Question 8

Koertge calls the process in which the results of the scientist's informal or private ruminations are submitted to public empirical testing and the critical scrutiny of the scientific community the ...
A) context of historiography.
B) context of intervention.
C) context of discovery.
D) context of justification.

Accepted Answer

Koertge refers to the process where a scientist's informal or private thoughts are publicly tested and critically examined by the scientific community as the "context of justification." This contrasts with the "context of discovery," which pertains to the initial phase of coming up with ideas or hypotheses.

Question 9

According to Koertge, "The proponents of politically progressive science, however, would argue that science has always been impregnated with social values through and through. Their agenda is not to try to make science more value-neutral. Rather it is to ..."
A) get scientists to think 'holistically.'
B) inject the 'correct' values at all stages.
C) get more corporate funding for 'pure' research.
D) discover universally applicable 'laws of nature.'

Accepted Answer

The proponents of politically progressive science want to inject the 'correct' values at all stages, rather than trying to make science more value-neutral.

Question 10

Koertge tells us that when scientists typically structure their search by working within a metaphysical or theoretical framework that has proved fruitful in the past, utilizing a variety of heuristic principles, which they believe will lead them to the most plausible candidates to a solution to their problems, they are working within a ...
A) deterministic system.
B) stochastic system.
C) scientific research program.
D) normative and ethical program.

Accepted Answer

Koertge is describing the process by which scientists structure their research, which he identifies as a "scientific research program." Option A (deterministic system) and B (stochastic system) do not accurately capture the nature of this process, and option D (normative and ethical program) is not mentioned in the passage.

Question 11

Koertge wants to argue against the claim that "science not only is, but should be, guided solely by objective research."

Accepted Answer

The answer of Koertge wants to argue against the claim...

Question 12

Social construction or constructivist epistemology refer to those laws of science that are immutable.

Accepted Answer

Social construction or constructivist epistemology is a philosophical view that knowledge and reality are socially constructed and subjective, and therefore not immutable laws of science.

Question 13

Koertge criticizes the idea of the social construction of dairy cows that claims that "certain breeds have undergone such an intense process of artificial selection, guided by the financial interests of dairy farmers, that they can now hardly survive without being hooked up to milking machines." In contrast, Koertge argues that in this case what social construction designates is really a process of genetic construction designed to serve social purposes.

Accepted Answer

Koertge argues that the process of breeding dairy cows for maximum milk production is not just a social construct, but a deliberate genetic construction designed to serve the financial interests of dairy farmers.

Question 14

According to Koertge, "Feminists are also quick to accuse their opponents of dualistic thinking, e.g. of trying to force the rich complexity of a sexual spectrum into the artificially tidy and mutually exclusive boxes of biological male vs. biological female."

Accepted Answer

This is a direct quote from Koertge's article.

Question 15

Koertge argues that the "sociological turn" in epistemology is a cause for worry because "it is embedded into a ranging systematic attempt to change the way science is done."

Accepted Answer

Koertge believes that the "sociological turn" is problematic because it is part of a larger effort to alter the practice of science, as he states in the article.

Question 16

For Koertge, "it would seem obvious that the overriding professional goal of science is to discover useful theories."

Accepted Answer

Koertge actually argues that the overriding professional goal of science is to discover true theories, not necessarily ones that are immediately useful.

Question 17

Koertge calls the process in which scientists choose research problems and develop strategies for formulating tentative solutions to them the context of justification.

Accepted Answer

Koertge refers to this process as the "context of discovery," whereas the "context of justification" involves the methods used to justify and validate scientific findings.

Question 18

Koertge calls the process in which the results of the scientist's informal or private ruminations are submitted to public empirical testing and the critical scrutiny of the scientific community the context of discovery.

Accepted Answer

Koertge refers to this process as the "context of justification."

Question 19

According to Koertge, "The proponents of politically progressive science, however, would argue that science has always been impregnated with social values through and through. Their agenda is not to try to make science more value-neutral. Rather it is to inject the correct values at all stages."

Accepted Answer

Koertge states that proponents of politically progressive science believe that science has always had social values embedded in it and their goal is not to make it more value-neutral but to ensure that the correct values are incorporated at all stages.

Question 20

Koertge tells us that when scientists typically structure their search by working within a metaphysical or theoretical framework that has proved fruitful in the past, utilizing a variety of heuristic principles, which they believe will lead them to the most plausible candidates to a solution to their problems, they are working within a normative and ethical program.

Accepted Answer

Koertge discusses how scientists structure their search within a metaphysical or theoretical framework based on its past success and the use of heuristic principles to guide them towards plausible solutions. This process is described as a methodological approach rather than a normative and ethical program. The focus is on the strategies and principles guiding scientific inquiry, not on normative or ethical considerations.

Quiz 2: Plato Knowledge Is Recollection

Koertge wants to argue against the claim that "science not only is, but should be, ..."

Social construction or constructivist epistemology refer to those ...

According to Koertge, "Feminists are also quick to accuse their opponents of ______________, e.g. of trying to force the rich complexity of a sexual spectrum into the artificially tidy and mutually exclusive boxes of biological male vs. biological female."

Koertge argues that the "sociological turn" in epistemology is a cause for worry because "it is embedded into a ranging systematic attempt to change the way ..."

For Koertge, "it would seem obvious that the overriding professional goal of science is to discover ..."

Koertge calls the process in which scientists choose research problems and develop strategies for formulating tentative solutions to them the ...

Koertge calls the process in which the results of the scientist's informal or private ruminations are submitted to public empirical testing and the critical scrutiny of the scientific community the ...

According to Koertge, "The proponents of politically progressive science, however, would argue that science has always been impregnated with social values through and through. Their agenda is not to try to make science more value-neutral. Rather it is to ..."