PHI 210 Critical Thinking “WebText” 6.4 “Practice: Scientific Explanations”.

PHI 210 Critical Thinking “WebText” 6.4 “Practice: Scientific Explanations”. Latest 2020 Summer. Score 100%

PHI 210 Critical Thinking “WebText” 6.4 “Practice: Scientific Explanations” MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION According to Shermer, why do people believe in “weird things”? • Our brains a re wired to find meaningful patterns. • Our nation’s educational system fails to adequately teach the difference between science and pseudoscience. • People fail to realize that they should only believe what they can see with their own eyes. • Only scientists are capable of sorting out truth from falsehood. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION One of the examples of bad science in the video is the story of the Fleischmann-Pons cold fusion experiment. What was the problem with the cold fusion claim? • Fleischmann and Pons lacked scientific backgrounds. • There was no practical use for cold fusion. • No one else could replicate the experiment. • The media misrepresented their claims. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION According to Shermer, what is the difference between the people at SETI and people who believe in UFOs? • The SETI people are playing by the rules of science. • The SETI people use a lot of high-tech equipment. • People who believe in UFOs have a preponderance of evidence. • People who believe in UFOs are idiots. SHORT ANSWER QUESTION One of the nurses says, “I’m a nurse, and I know this for a fact.” Explain how this comment could be used to illustrate the fallacy of unqualified authority. SHORT ANSWER QUESTION Point 5 in the Baloney Detection Kit asks whether anyone has tried to disprove this claim. What does the video suggest regarding this point? SHORT ANSWER QUESTION Point 6 in the Baloney Detection Kit asks where the preponderance of evidence seems to point. While this video depicts conflicting claims, it suggests that most of the evidence supports which side? RESPONSE BOARD QUESTION In the flashback to the 1984 news report, the newscaster references a study conducted by a Florida researcher that demonstrated that more murders were committed during a full moon; Shermer then reveals that the study proved to be flawed. Using one of the elements of good vs. bad science detailed above, offer a theory as to what might have gone wrong in this scientific study.