Assignment No.

Module Code:HN5001
Module Title: Humanities II
Name of the [Lecturer]:Mr J.A.D.F.M Jayathilaka
Date of Submission: 10/06/2017

Assignment 01

Name: W.A.D.S.M Wijesinghe

Student ID No.179076
Graduate Diploma Level
1.

1 According to the passage given below, why did Bacon preferred to call “scientific method “as a new machine
for mind?

In this method provide no scope for the freedom of person’s mind.it lead mind along the correct path. Also
perpetually directing from the very and end as a mechanical help.

2 What aspect of the human condition act as the important constraints in the process of gaining (acquiring)
human knowledge according to the above passage?

They are nature of the general .from the idiosyncrasies of individual, from the individual’s interaction with
others and philosophical dogmas current at time.

3 According to the relevant session in your course material for (MpJ5231 (Unit 1) on Francis Bacon’s method
of science, explain briefly the analogy given by Bacon to identify his method by comparing the methods of the
craftsmen and the scholars of his era.

The scholar associated with universities, churches and followed time worn method based on revelation and
gaining new knowledge. The craftsmen method is practical. They were innovative and producing new and
useful artifact.The scholar were not innovating and producing new and useful artifacts. Therefore Bacon
suggested that scholars should follow the craftsman method.

4 Explain briefly the method of induction introduced by Francis Bacon

According to the induction the sense experience is primary gaining knowledge. Those ideas are traceable to
sense experience .The method of induction, first collect observational data without resource to any theory.
Then put into tentative generalization become a low. Also it enables to go from a limited number of
observations to finite number of observations. As an example observing that each human being pass away,
then come in to general conclusion as all human beings are moral.
5. Explain briefly the approach of Bacon towards nature in extracting its secrets according to the passage given
below.

Man see the world in his own image, this image drives its features from the nature of the mind in general,
From the idiosyncrasies of the individual, from the individual’s interaction with others, and from the
philosophical dogmas current at the time.

6. According to the passage given above, give a brief description of Bacon’s view on the relation between
knowledge and power.

The Bacon approach is gaining knowledge, that he declares freedom of knowledge from all constraint of
prevalent ideas of good and bad. Also power and unity are main concept in Bacon’s view. He asserted the
knowledge in the pursuit of power ought to be organized by the king. According to Bacon knowledge is power
over nature for the benefit of mankind.
2.

1. What was the critique of David Hume regarding the principle of induction?

David Hume critiqued the inductive method and the possibility of finding causes of phenomena in above
method. He asked “how do we acquire knowledge of the unobserved? The use of induction is extend its
knowledge from observe to the unobserved. And how do we know weather this method actually yields
knowledge?

2. Explain briefly why Hume rejected the “argument of uniformity in nature “put forward by intuitivists
to justify induction against Hume’s critique.

The science accepted the uniformity of nature. It’s express the similar causes lead to similar effect. As an
example, there is a close box with a switch. There are several situations occur, by pressing the switch.
They are coming various colour of balls, no balls come out. Sometime waiter come to your table, the
doorbell ring .According to the example there is no exact situation. Also according to the above situation,
similar causes and similar effects are can be predicated.

3. Explain briefly the link between induction and cause –effect reduction (causality) by considering the
procedure adopted by medical scientists in determining the cause for a particular fever (malaria)

There are various types of fever caused by mosquito. They are “Dengu”,”Barawa” ,and “malaria”. There
are some places the concentration of mosquito types is very high and the probability of the fever relative
to the mosquito type. When consider the area is higher malaria mosquito, the possibility is higher,
patient become malaria fever.

4. What was Hume’s response to the problem of induction?

He has no complete answer but the accepted nature draw generalization for observed phenomena to
unobserved phenomena and also link cause and effect relation for similar causes and similar r effect.
3

1. Compare and contrast the view of logical positivists and Karl popper regarding the following?

Logical positivists Karl Popper

Observation Observations in science are “pure “in Verifiability by falsifiability.
the sense that they are theory
independent. The hallmark of science is
that statements are systematically
verifiable.
Theories of science The theory is reducible the set of The scientific theories are falsifiable,
statement describing observations .The also they are transparently.
observations, statement s are
correspond uniquely.
Method of science The method of induction The method of hypothesis

2. Why did Karl Popper reject ad-hoc modifications to theories?

Most of scientist use ad-hoc modification theories to save from falsification by theories. Karl Popper
rejected this modification of the theories. According to modification of the theory, it is less falsifiable and
becomes weaker.

3. How does Karl Popper demarcate science from non-science?

Karl Popper explained science from non-science by “Falsifiable “his concept. According to Popper any
statement or set of statements is scientific if and only, that statement or set of statements is falsifiable. If
any statement or set of statement is not falsifiable, then that is not scientific. Also the more falsifiable
theory is better theory. Popper also maintained than once theory is falsified; it has to be rejected or give
up and substituted by a new theory. Also he against the modification of theories, by save them from
falsification.

4. What are the major drawbacks of Karl popper’s methodology of falsification?

According to methodology of falsification, there is an asymmetry between confirmation was not

possible .In compressive theory, the prediction not only from the theory but also from initial conditions
and auxiliary hypothesis. According to the above argument, the observation goes against to prediction.
It’s not possible to say main theory false, one or more initial conditions or auxiliary hypotheses could be
false.

(Initial condition + Auxiliary hypothesis +the hypothesis) Prediction is false

There must be false in prediction in initial condition or auxiliary hypotheses or the hypotheses. According
to the above equation, the hypothesis is not always false.