Class Notes

This page is a "Class Notes" page. The instructor will save questions that need more work on this page. They may require a longer reply, need to be incorporated into the pages in the web site, or they may just be particularly good questions that should be saved for future reference.

Homework Questions

1. I got the homework back when I submitted it?

When you submit homework it automatically sends a copy to the instructor and a copy to the student. You should worry when you don't get a copy back right away. It will, of course, not be graded. The graded copy will be sent as soon as possible after the due date.

2. I am having somewhat of a hard time formulating arguments and supporting premises about some of these theories. I feel that my scientific knolwedge is not nearly broad enough. Are we supposed to be doing independent research on these topics prior to the homework assignments?

The main part of this course is not about science content. Generally it is about evaluating theories in science. Most of these initial arguments are about the criteria for merit that we have established. It isn't necessary to completely understand the science to use the criteria. Keep in mind that we are only writing conditional arguments and they all have the same format: If A, then B. Affirm A. Conclude B.

There are a couple of assignments that may require very limited research. If you don't have a reason for the sun being at the center of the solar system, you would have to look something up. I accepted several reasons for the purposes of that assignment, so there was not just one correct reason.

For most of the assignments the theories will be provided in the assignment statements or the readings and it won't be necessary to understand all of the ins and outs of the science behind the theories.

3. I was wondering if we get marked down for formatting? It seems that when I write the papers in Word and then copy and paste, the sentences break apart. I tried formatting in word pasting to my outlook, clearing up formatting issues and then cutting and pasting into this website. Is that the correct way to do this or am I making it too difficult on you and me both?

I am not worried about how the paper looks on the "page". You should be pasting into the web form and sometimes that will change how it looks, but I get information and other formatting from the form that really helps me when trying to grade online. Please continue to use the form and don't worry about how it looks.

Initial Class Objectives

What is the purpose of the simple logic section?

We started this simple logic section by introducing the idea of a simple conditional syllogism (content, simple logic, syllogisms). These conditional arguments provide a way to organize information to show connections between statements. Writing these arguments from statements is practiced on the page titled "Writing Deductive Arguments" (content, simple logic, writing arguments).

In homework #4 you were to write simple conditional arguments using our criteria for a scientific theory as the basis for the argument. You were also to support the second premise where it is affirmed that (in this case) less than half of the criteria are met. That would mean saying something about each of the criteria as it applies to the theory being considered.

Homework #4 is the beginning of an argumentative paper. The first paragraph of a paper written from Homework #4 would just be the argument that you have already written. A new paragraph would have to be written that supports the first premise (the conditional premise). The third paragraph would be the support that is already written for the second premise. The last paragraph would repeat the original argument.

Homework #5 asks you to write a simple paper in exactly the same format as just described. One way to go about it would be to write down some statements about the sun being at the center of the solar system and then organizing them into a conditional argument as practiced on the "Writing Deductive Arguments" page. That argument would be the first paragraph. The second paragraph would support the conditional premise. The third paragraph would support the second premise (where "A" is affirmed). The last paragraph would repeat the original argument. Keep it as simple as you can for this assignment.

Once we have practiced with this simple example we will write a paper about one of our theories using the same format again (paper #1). Indeed, all of the papers in this course will use this format.

First Paper

Question: Is four paragraphs the total minimum for this assignment? Or is four paragraphs the minimum for the body of the assignment, not including the introduction and conclusion?

Answer: Four paragraphs is the minimum for the whole paper: The introductory paragraph with a simple conditional argument. A paragraph supporting the conditional premise. A paragraph supporting the second premise. A concluding paragraph repeating the main argument. Notice that in all of the examples there are at least those four paragraphs.

Homework #8 and #9

Question: I'm honestly having a tough time with the reading. It seems to be a lot in this chapter and I've read it over once but it's just not seeming to stick with me. I keep re-reading the last part (How Would We Know if Gold's Theory Is Correct?) to get a better understanding and it just seems to be confusing to me. Can you help explain?

Answer: It is probably easier to just go through the abduction procedure instead of trying to understand everything all at once. In that procedure you first identify the theories (biogenic and abiogenic) and pieces of data that have to do with gas and oil. An example of a piece of data is the observation that petroleum almost always contains molecules that are only produced by the breakdown of living things. When you have collected all of the data you can find, put it into an abduction evaluation chart with the theories across the top and the data down the side like we have been doing in previous homework. Then take the data one by one and ask if each of the theories explains that piece of data. If it does put a yes, if it doesn't put a no. This is again like the homework we have been doing. Sometimes both theories will explain the data, sometimes only one of them will. In the end you just add up the yes entries for each theory and the one with the most yes entries is considered the best theory.

For these homework assignments you are asked to identify the theories and give a brief explanation of how they explain the existence of gas and oil (Homework #8 question #1), evaluate if the theories have scientific merit like we have done in the past (Homework #8 tables), and fill out the abduction evaluation chart like we did in the last couple of homework problems (Homework #9).

After going through the process you will likely feel like you understand things a little better.

Homework #8 and #9 - Another Class

Question: I am having an issue with hmwk 9, I have no idea what theories you are looking for. How do you come up with data? This chart is really confusing me and I just cannot get started although I have been trying for days. Anything you can tell me that may help will be appreciated. Thank you, for your time.

Answer: This table is the abduction evaluation chart for deciding between the theories to explain the existence of gas and oil. These are the same theories as in Homework #8 (biogenic and abiogenic). As we have done before and as stated in the heading of the problem, you put the theories along the top and the data down the side. In the intersection boxes you decide if the data on the side is expected from the theory at the top. Homework #8 and #9 together would be the abduction outline for the existence of gas and oil and they should be just like those that I have asked for in the past and that are modeled on the website. Note that you are also asked to cite page numbers in the "yes or no" boxes.

The data comes from the text. An example might be that many gas and oil reservoirs refill after draining. There are many observations cited throughout the section of the text on gas and oil that can be used as data.