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History, Theory, and Philosophy of Science
(In SMAC + RT)
7th semester -Fall 2005
Institute of Media Technology
and Engineering Science
Aalborg University Copenhagen
Class exercise Nr.2
1. Consider and discuss the following questions:
a) Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) in his contribution to the study of mechanics stated that bodies
would fall towards the earth at the same rate. If a feather and a cannon ball don’t fall at the same
rate is because air resistance. Conduct the experiment in a vacuum and they will fall at the same.
Much earlier Aristotle had claimed that heavier bodies fall faster. Was he wrong? If modern
science is based upon empirical evidence who is right? Why do we have to consider the theoretical
possibility of a vaccun?
b) Okasha (2002) claims that both, relativity theory and quantum mechanics, “are very strange and
radical theories, making claims about the nature of reality that many people find hard to accept or
even understand” What is going on here in terms of ontology and epistemology? Why are these
theories so hard to accept?
c) Okasha (2002) says that in spite of the fact that social and human sciences (e.g.: economics,
sociology, anthropology) have flourished in the 20th century they are still considered to lag behind
in terms of sophistication and rigour. Why do you think this is the case? What is your opinion?
What would make them more sophisticated and rigorous? How are they related to your own
disciplines?
2. Explain a telephone conversation in terms of a mechanism.
What are the mechanical causes in such phenomena?
3. Explain a telephone conversation in terms of Aristotelian causality.
What other notions of causality can be useful in order to explain a telephone conversation?
4. Is a telephone conversation a deterministic system?
Is it a Newtonian system?
Is it a probabilistic system?
Is it a teleological system?
5. According to Popper’s criteria, is the theory of evolution a falsifiable theory? Can the criteria to
discern science from pseudo-science be applied here?