Рубрика:
9
the experiment cannot be said to have been a test, although it may have been valuable
or interesting for other reasons.
For a theory to be part of science we must be able to imagine the possibility that
some kind of evidence, if it were available, would lead us to make us doubt the
theory. It has been said that for a theory to be scientific, it must be refutable.
Nobody needs to be told that theories should be confirmable, in the sense that
new experiments must be able to increase our confidence in them - we all take it for
granted. We do need to be reminded from time to time that we might be wrong, and
should be open to evidence that might show it. Confirmability and refutability are
two sides of a single coin. New facts should be able to change our degree of belief
one way or another. Only if this is so is our belief scientific.
There are often reasonable alternative explanations why a good theory will fail
in some particular circumstances, and even when there aren't, if we think the theory is
better than any alternative available we will stick with it and try to find special
explanations of why it didn't work in these circumstances.
Comprehension check-up
Task 1. Answer the following questions.
1. What are possible results of an experiment?
2. What is necessary for a theory to be scientific?
3. Give your own explanation to the statement that “theories should be
confirmable”.
4. What can change our attitude to scientific theory?
5. Is it possible for a good theory to fail in some particular circumstances?
Task 2. Join the suitable parts.
1. When we carry out the experiment we may expect… a) be confirmable.
2. We carry out the experiment because we don’t know… b) be refutable.
3. If the experiment has one result, we must be led to… c) be refutable.
4. Nobody needs to be told that theories should… d) one of several
outcomes.
5. For a theory to be scientific, it must … e) what the result will
be.
Task 3. Arrange the sentences in their logical order.
1. New experiments must be able to increase our confidence in them.
2. For a theory to be scientific, it must be refutable.
3. When we carry out an experiment, we may expect one of several outcomes.
4. There are often reasonable alternative explanations why a good theory will fail
in some particular circumstances.
5.
Confirmability and refutability are two sides of a single coin.
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