继续是第二章的摘录。

Sentence 1

I remind the audience that replication of a finding is critical to its acceptance as an established scientific fact and that this is particularly true in the case of results that contradict either previous data or established theory. (Chap. 2, p. 27)

简评:这里应该是把可证伪性和可重复性联系在一起了,不知道是否符合逻辑。

Sentence 2

Thus, we must look not only at the quantity of the confirming evidence, but also at the quality of the confirming instances. (Chap. 2, p. 28)

简评:这是在可证伪上的延伸,从证伪推向证实,虽然关系并不是那么密切。

Sentence 3

Our world is shaped by public attitudes toward education, crime, health, industrial productivity, child care, and many other critical issues. If these attitudes are the products of incorrect theories of behavior, then we are all harmed. (Chap. 2, p. 29)

简评:确实是值得注意的一件事,不过是不是真的这么重要?

Sentence 4

Azar(1999) described how Crowder developed a theory of one component of memory called precategorical acoustic storage and then carefully designed the studies that falsified his own model. (Chap. 2, p. 31)

简评:让人印象深刻且钦佩的良好作风。但是感觉稍微有点离题了。

Sentence 5

Then strength of science comes not because scientists are especially virtuous, but from a social process where scientists constantly cross-check each others’ knowledge and conclusions. (Chap. 2, p. 32)

简评:这与其说是科学本身,不如说是科研体系。

Sentence 6

Clinical psychologist Scott Lilienfeld(2005) contextualizes Asimov’s point for the psychology student: (Chap. 2, p. 35)

When explaining to students that scientific knowledge is inherently tentative and open to revision, some students may mistakenly conclude that genuine knowledge is impossible. This view, which is popular in certain postmodernist circles, neglects to distinguish knowledge claims that are more certain from those that are less certain.

简评:从前面的论述来看,作者有意地区分了Knowledge/FactsScientific theory,这应该是有益的。不难想象的是,会有人更关注Theory,而不是Facts。当然,这里的解释也并不能完全使人满意。


最后再把小标题补上,可以作为类似Outline的东西。

  • Theories and the Falsifiability Criterion

    • The Theory of Knocking Rhythms

    • Freud and Falsifiability

    • The Little Green Man

    • Not All Confirmations Are Equal

    • Falsifiability and Folk Wisdom

    • The Freedom to Admit a Mistake

    • Thoughts Are Cheap

  • Errors in Science: Getting Closer to the Truth

  • Summary