Thursday, November 12, 2009

HW 11/12 Descartes and Bacon

Read the writings of Bacon and Descartes distributed in class and answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. Answers should be submitted in blue or black ink or typed and printed.

Due: Fri. 11/13

Bacon On Suspicion:

1. Choose one of the following quotes and discuss how it reflects either the logic of the scientific method or the attitude of the Scientific Revolution

a. "Brave people are not hurt by their suspicions, for they have the courage to examine them to see if they are true or false. Cowardly people, however, are hurt by the suspicions, because they believe them too quickly.

b. "There is nothing that makes a man more suspicious than his own ignorance."

c. "The best way to handle suspicions is to assume that they are true, but to deal with them as if they are false."

Descartes Meditations

2. Choose one of the following quotes and discuss how it reflects either the logic of the scientific method or the attitude of the Scientific Revolution.

a. "I therefore made a serious effort to destroy all my former opinions to see if any survived my efforts"

b. "In searching for real and certain knowledge, an opinion which is doubtful is just as useless as one that is false."

c. "Just as a building falls if you destroy its foundation, so too, if I find a particular opinion doubtful, ever opinion built on it is doubtful too."