Posted: March 31st, 2023

The “political” nature of science 2

The “political” nature of science 2.Feminist or “standpoint” epistemology 3.Naturalism 4.The “theory-ladenness of observation” 5.Scientific realism 6.Instrumentalism 7.Probability theory (and what it is for, how it works [no need to know the equation itself])) The Covering Law model of explanation 8.Unification theory 9.The “Enlightenment Project” 10.Why social explanation is considered, in some ways, similar to the Covering Law model Top-down vs. bottom-up explanation strategies 11.The difference between “explanation” and “understanding” in the social sciences Decision theory, rational choice, and the prisoner’s dilemma

The “political” nature of science refers to the ways in which scientific research is influenced by political and social factors. For example, funding priorities, societal expectations, and political ideologies can all shape the questions that scientists ask and the methods they use to answer them.

Feminist or “standpoint” epistemology is an approach to knowledge that emphasizes the importance of social and political context in shaping what we know and how we know it. This approach argues that knowledge is not neutral or objective, but is instead shaped by the perspectives and experiences of those who produce it.

Naturalism is the philosophical belief that everything in the universe can be explained in terms of natural causes and laws. This view is often contrasted with supernaturalism, which posits the existence of supernatural or divine forces.

The “theory-ladenness of observation” refers to the idea that the way we perceive and interpret the world around us is influenced by the theoretical frameworks or assumptions we bring to our observations. In other words, what we see is not always objectively determined by the data, but is also influenced by our preconceptions and theoretical perspectives.

Scientific realism is the view that scientific theories and models provide true or approximately true descriptions of reality. This view contrasts with instrumentalism, which holds that scientific theories and models are only useful tools for making predictions, but do not necessarily correspond to objective reality.

Instrumentalism is the view that scientific theories and models are only useful tools for making predictions and solving practical problems, but do not necessarily correspond to objective reality. This view contrasts with scientific realism, which holds that scientific theories and models provide true or approximately true descriptions of reality.

Probability theory is a branch of mathematics that deals with the analysis of random events or uncertain outcomes. It is used in a wide range of fields, including statistics, finance, and physics, to quantify the likelihood of different outcomes and make predictions based on uncertain data.

The Covering Law model of explanation is a philosophical approach to understanding scientific explanation. According to this model, scientific explanations involve identifying a general law or principle that covers a specific set of observations or events. This law or principle, along with the initial conditions of the specific case, can then be used to explain the observed phenomena.

Unification theory is the idea that all of the laws and principles of physics can ultimately be unified into a single, comprehensive theory. This approach has been a major goal of physics research for many decades, but has yet to be fully achieved.

Social explanation is considered similar to the Covering Law model of explanation because it often involves identifying a general social pattern or principle that explains specific social phenomena. For example, sociologists may identify a broader social trend or phenomenon, such as economic inequality or racial discrimination, to explain specific instances of social inequality or prejudice.

Top-down vs. bottom-up explanation strategies refer to different approaches to understanding complex systems or phenomena. Top-down approaches start with a general principle or model and work downwards to explain specific instances or observations, while bottom-up approaches start with specific observations or data and work upwards to identify broader patterns or principles.

The difference between “explanation” and “understanding” in the social sciences is that explanation seeks to identify the causes or mechanisms that produce a particular social phenomenon, while understanding seeks to comprehend the subjective experiences and meanings associated with that phenomenon.

Decision theory, rational choice, and the prisoner’s dilemma are all concepts in the field of economics and social science. Decision theory explores how individuals make decisions under conditions of uncertainty, while rational choice theory posits that individuals make rational choices based on their preferences and available information. The prisoner’s dilemma is a classic example in game theory that explores how two individuals may make decisions that are not individually rational but

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