Book s review forthcoming in International Studies in the Philosophy of Science
|
|
- Beverley Newton
- 7 years ago
- Views:
Transcription
1 Book s review forthcoming in International Studies in the Philosophy of Science String Theory and the Scientific Method RICHARD DAWID Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2013 x pp., ISBN , 60.00, US$95.00 (hardback) Richard Dawid s new book, String Theory and the Scientific Method, is an interesting and sophisticated analysis of the conceptual novelties introduced in the traditional methodology of science by string theory. This book makes a major contribution to the contemporary philosophical debate about confirmation and assessment of scientific theories. Scientists are presently in total disagreement about the significance of string theory s achievements. Dawid puts forward a philosophical interpretation of this apparently insolvable conceptual tension. The dispute is between defenders and revisionists of the traditional empirical paradigm of theory assessment. The former are critics of string theory, whereas the latter are supporters. As Dawid says, the dispute fails to be productive because of the meta-paradigmatic rift between the two disputants. What he means is that this insolvable tension does not simply derive from conceptual differences between particular scientific theories; rather, it arises from the failure to recognize that a solution can be found only by focusing on the meta-level issue about the choice of viable criteria of scientific theory assessment. Dawid s book unravels this issue in a very accurate and interesting way. Dawid s well-structured and original notion of non-empirical theory assessment offers a robust conceptual framework within which string theory is rescued from the charge of not being a viable scientific theory. Overall, the author s mastery of intertwining philosophical and scientific perspectives on these foundational issues is impressive. The book starts with an intriguing introduction to string theory given in simple and clear terms, but still capturing all the theory s physical and conceptual features. Moreover, philosophyoriented readers will find extremely helpful the author s accurate presentation of the types of scientific underdetermination that figure most prominently in philosophy. To begin with, I shall focus on how Dawid relates scientific underdetermination to the issue of the non-empirical assessment of the theory. When dealing with a scientific theory so much in advance of experiments as string theory is, applying a conventional criterion of theory assessment based on direct empirical confirmation becomes problematic. More precisely, without challenging the role of empirical data as the ultimate judge of a theory s viability, we need to enrich the existing criteria with 1
2 conceptual tools defining what status a scientific theory can acquire in the absence of empirical confirmation. This is not an easy task and Dawid deals with it quite interestingly. What does scientific underdetermination mean? As Dawid says, the process of building a scientific theory is inevitably underdetermined by the available empirical data. If we have a successfully tested theory that not only fits available empirical data but also predicts new phenomena, what keeps us from completely trusting the idea that those not yet observed phenomena really exist? What reduces our trust here is the idea that there might be different, still unknown, scientific theories fitting the same available empirical data, but also predicting completely different new phenomena. According to Dawid, this is the sense in which scientific theories are underdetermined by the available empirical data. But what does scientific underdetermination have to do with string theory in the first place? The theory still remains unconfirmed by available empirical data, after all. In other words, given the lack of direct experimental access to the theory s physical content, how can we apply the notion of underdetermination by experiments? Dawid s answer to this question refers to an important theoretical feature of string theory. This feature also plays a crucial role in two approaches to the problem of justification of theories of quantum gravity developed respectively by Nick Huggett and Christian Wüthrich (2012) and by me (Vistarini 2013). Some features of these two approaches seem to resemble Dawid s view of non-empirical theory assessment. String theory can reproduce at low energy general relativity and gauge field theory, namely two successfully tested theories. According to the two approaches, although the empirical data confirming the latter do not directly confirm string theory, still they strongly contribute to string theory s justification claims. If string theory predicts, preserving self-consistency, low-energy theories that fit those empirical data, then we have good reasons to believe that the theory is a plausible model of explanation of why those observed low-energy physical dynamics are as they are. As long as the theory gives plausible answers to why-questions, hence offering a robust model of explanation, it fulfils justification criteria. But coming back to Dawid s answer to whether scientific underdetermination can be correctly applied to string theory, he says the theory cannot predict those empirical data directly, but its formal articulation relies on them in virtue of the theory s ability to reproduce the low-energy theories confirmed by those available data. This conceptual relation between string theory and the available empirical data makes scientific underdetermination applicable to the former. So, Dawid very interestingly defines a criterion of non-empirical assessment of string theory in terms of an assessment of scientific underdetermination. In other words, 2
3 our trust in string theory s explanatory power depends on how many theoretical alternatives to string theory meeting the mentioned criteria of underdetermination are out there. This assessment estimates string theory s chance of being viable. I can give here just a brief presentation of the author s line of reasoning. By considering theoretical alternatives to string theory, the author does not consider all logical possibilities. Some specific rules of scientific method are already built into the assessment procedure from the start. Quoting Larry Laudan (1996), the author calls them ampliative rules : Ockham s razor, the exclusion of ad hoc explanations, endorsement of some basic form of the principle of induction, and so on. Then, Dawid develops the assessment of scientific underdetermination in terms of the two main schematizations of scientific reasoning in present-day philosophy of science, namely inference to the best explanation and the Bayesian approach. The former approach underlies all the main arguments made by string theorists in favour of the theory s viability. Such arguments are also supported by the authors and presented as having the good property of significantly restricting the number of viable alternatives to string theory. First, the no-alternatives argument: there aren t many good alternatives out there, so not many viable unifying theories can compete with the self-consistency and explanatory power of string theory. Second, the unexpected explanatory coherence argument, namely the fact that a theory built to fix a problem, so far left unsolved by other theories, not only offers a solution to that problem but also unexpectedly reveals itself to be a plausible model of explanation of additional problems. Finally, the meta-inductive argument: the idea that if two research programmes are similar and one of them was successful before, then we have strong reasons to believe that the other will also work well later. Dawid seems to read this notion of similarity in historical terms. In fact, he claims that string theory s research programme develops from the standard model in particle physics. So it is plausible to think that if the precursor programme worked before, then its successor will do the same later on. Like Dawid, I accept the first two arguments. I take them as offering a strong reason for studying string theory, despite the lack of direct empirical support. This also relates to what I said earlier about the theory s justification. Originally unexpected predictions, like those of gravity and of crucial features of gauge field physics, rescue the theory from the charge of being unviable. In fact, as Dawid argues, this contributes to restricting significantly the number of plausible alternatives to string theory, hence reinforcing its viability. And I would also mention that the derivation from string theory of those successfully tested theories compensates to a great extent for our lack of direct empirical access to its physical content. 3
4 However, if I am reading Dawid correctly, I do not agree with his historical use of the meta-inductive argument. The history of string theory does not seem to intertwine significantly with the history of the standard model. Nevertheless, I think there is a way of supporting the meta-inductive argument without introducing historical considerations. The standard model programme is successful, and so will be the programme of string theory. But that is not in virtue of the theories histories rather in virtue of a relation of formal deduction of the standard model from string theory. Then, the similarity between the two theories may be seen in terms of synchronic formal derivation. Particular configurations of strings define string models of particles, which in a low-energy regime reproduce the chiral fermions and gauge bosons of the standard model. In this sense the standard model reveals itself to be an effective, phenomenological theory, deduced within a certain approximation from string theory. So, if the research programme of the deduced theory works well, we have strong reasons to believe that the research programme of the reducing higher-energy theory will work well too (for the notions of deduction and reduction mentioned above, see also Butterfield 2011). In conclusion, I support Dawid s main idea that string theory brings a new phase of progress in fundamental physics; a phase in which, instead of having a collection of separate theories, each fully describing physics at its own length scale, we see the gradual appearance of an all-inclusive theoretical scheme whose general features seem to qualify it as a candidate for a final theory. References Butterfield, J Less Is Different: Emergence and Reduction Reconciled. Foundations of Physics 41: Huggett, N., and C. Wüthrich Emergent Spacetime and Empirical (In)coherence. Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 44: Laudan, L Beyond Positivism and Relativism: Theory, Method, and Evidence. Boulder, CO: Westview. Vistarini, T Some Remarks on the Emergent Character of General Relativistic Spacetime in String Theory. To be submitted. TIZIANA VISTARINI Department of Philosophy Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey 4
5 106 Somerset Street, 5th floor New Brunswick, N.J U.S.A. 5
Biological kinds and the causal theory of reference
Biological kinds and the causal theory of reference Ingo Brigandt Department of History and Philosophy of Science 1017 Cathedral of Learning University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA 15260 E-mail: inb1@pitt.edu
More informationLevels of Measurement. 1. Purely by the numbers numerical criteria 2. Theoretical considerations conceptual criteria
Levels of Measurement 1. Purely by the numbers numerical criteria 2. Theoretical considerations conceptual criteria Numerical Criteria 1. Nominal = different categories based on some kind of typology 2.
More informationCONCEPTUAL CONTINGENCY AND ABSTRACT EXISTENCE
87 CONCEPTUAL CONTINGENCY AND ABSTRACT EXISTENCE BY MARK COLYVAN Mathematical statements such as There are infinitely many prime numbers and 2 ℵ 0 > ℵ 0 are usually thought to be necessarily true. Not
More informationHANNE ANDERSEN, PETER BARKER AND XIANG CHEN, The Cognitive. Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
1 HANNE ANDERSEN, PETER BARKER AND XIANG CHEN, The Cognitive Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Pp. xvii + 199. ISBN 978-0-521-85575-4. [Pound Symbol] 45.00
More informationUnifying Epistemologies by Combining World, Description and Observer
Unifying Epistemologies by Combining World, Description and Observer Stuart Umpleby Research Program in Social and Organizational Learning The George Washington University Washington, DC Umpleby@gwu.edu
More informationHow does the problem of relativity relate to Thomas Kuhn s concept of paradigm?
How does the problem of relativity relate to Thomas Kuhn s concept of paradigm? Eli Bjørhusdal After having published The Structure of Scientific Revolutions in 1962, Kuhn was much criticised for the use
More informationPositive Philosophy by August Comte
Positive Philosophy by August Comte August Comte, Thoemmes About the author.... August Comte (1798-1857), a founder of sociology, believes aspects of our world can be known solely through observation and
More informationSample Size and Power in Clinical Trials
Sample Size and Power in Clinical Trials Version 1.0 May 011 1. Power of a Test. Factors affecting Power 3. Required Sample Size RELATED ISSUES 1. Effect Size. Test Statistics 3. Variation 4. Significance
More informationPhilosophical argument
Michael Lacewing Philosophical argument At the heart of philosophy is philosophical argument. Arguments are different from assertions. Assertions are simply stated; arguments always involve giving reasons.
More informationMethodological Issues for Interdisciplinary Research
J. T. M. Miller, Department of Philosophy, University of Durham 1 Methodological Issues for Interdisciplinary Research Much of the apparent difficulty of interdisciplinary research stems from the nature
More informationOracle Turing machines faced with the verification problem
Oracle Turing machines faced with the verification problem 1 Introduction Alan Turing is widely known in logic and computer science to have devised the computing model today named Turing machine. In computer
More informationMethodology in Social Psychology. Logics of inquiry
Methodology in Social Psychology Logics of inquiry How to carry out scientific research given our understanding of the nature of knowledge. Philosophy of Science clarifies why experimental, scientific
More informationWRITING A CRITICAL ARTICLE REVIEW
WRITING A CRITICAL ARTICLE REVIEW A critical article review briefly describes the content of an article and, more importantly, provides an in-depth analysis and evaluation of its ideas and purpose. The
More informationThe use of the WHO-UMC system for standardised case causality assessment
The use of the WHO-UMC system for standardised case causality assessment Why causality assessment? An inherent problem in pharmacovigilance is that most case reports concern suspected adverse drug reactions.
More informationSingle and Multiple-Case Study Designs IS493
1 2 Research Strategies Basic oppositions Survey research versus Case study quantitative versus qualitative The whole gamut Experiment Survey Archival analysis Historical research Case study 3 Basic Conditions
More informationHow To Understand The Relation Between Simplicity And Probability In Computer Science
Chapter 6 Computation 6.1 Introduction In the last two chapters we saw that both the logical and the cognitive models of scientific discovery include a condition to prefer simple or minimal explanations.
More information)LQDQFLDO$VVXUDQFH,VVXHV RI(QYLURQPHQWDO/LDELOLW\
)LQDQFLDO$VVXUDQFH,VVXHV RI(QYLURQPHQWDO/LDELOLW\ ([HFXWLYH6XPPDU\ %\ 3URI'U0LFKDHO*)DXUH//0 DQG 0U'DYLG*ULPHDXG Maastricht University and European Centre for Tort and Insurance Law (ECTIL) Final version
More informationThe Slate Is Not Empty: Descartes and Locke on Innate Ideas
The Slate Is Not Empty: Descartes and Locke on Innate Ideas René Descartes and John Locke, two of the principal philosophers who shaped modern philosophy, disagree on several topics; one of them concerns
More informationThe ethos of Systems Biology as big science. Big Science - a characteristic feature of systems biology? How and why does it matter?
The ethos of Systems Biology as big science Big Science - a characteristic feature of systems biology? How and why does it matter? 1 What are the characteristic features of systems biology? - The question
More informationPhilosophy 104. Chapter 8.1 Notes
Philosophy 104 Chapter 8.1 Notes Inductive reasoning - The process of deriving general principles from particular facts or instances. - "induction." The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language,
More informationHow to Write a Research Proposal
http://www.ic.daad.de/accra Information Center Accra How to Write a Research Proposal Please note: The following recommendations are only suggestions. They do not guarantee a successful research application.
More informationWhat Is Induction and Why Study It?
1 What Is Induction and Why Study It? Evan Heit Why study induction, and indeed, why should there be a whole book devoted to the study of induction? The first reason is that inductive reasoning corresponds
More informationChapter 2. Sociological Investigation
Chapter 2 Sociological Investigation I. The Basics of Sociological Investigation. A. Sociological investigation begins with two key requirements: 1. Apply the sociological perspective. 2. Be curious and
More informationHonours programme in Philosophy
Honours programme in Philosophy Honours Programme in Philosophy The Honours Programme in Philosophy offers students a broad and in-depth introduction to the main areas of Western philosophy and the philosophy
More informationHumanities new methods Challenges for confirmation theory
Datum 15.06.2012 Humanities new methods Challenges for confirmation theory Presentation for The Making of the Humanities III Jan-Willem Romeijn Faculty of Philosophy University of Groningen Interactive
More informationPhilosophy of Science: Post-positivism, part II
Philosophy of Science: Post-positivism, part II Kristina Rolin 2012 Positivism (logical empiricism) Empiricism: Scientific knowledge is based on observation statements (which are understood to be basic
More informationE-commerce in Developing Countries. Judy Young School of Information Systems University of Tasmania jf_young@infosys.utas.edu.au
E-commerce in Developing Countries Judy Young School of Information Systems University of Tasmania jf_young@infosys.utas.edu.au Gail Ridley School of Information Systems University of Tasmania Gail.Ridley@utas.edu.au
More information[MJTM 16 (2014 2015)] BOOK REVIEW
[MJTM 16 (2014 2015)] BOOK REVIEW Stephen R. C. Nichols. Jonathan Edwards s Bible: The Relationship of the Old and New Testaments. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2013. xvii + 229 pp. Pbk. ISBN 978161977678. In
More informationReality in the Eyes of Descartes and Berkeley. By: Nada Shokry 5/21/2013 AUC - Philosophy
Reality in the Eyes of Descartes and Berkeley By: Nada Shokry 5/21/2013 AUC - Philosophy Shokry, 2 One person's craziness is another person's reality. Tim Burton This quote best describes what one finds
More informationProgram Level Learning Outcomes for the Department of Philosophy Page 1
Page 1 PHILOSOPHY General Major I. Depth and Breadth of Knowledge. A. Will be able to recall what a worldview is and recognize that we all possess one. B. Should recognize that philosophy is most broadly
More informationRelated guides: 'Planning and Conducting a Dissertation Research Project'.
Learning Enhancement Team Writing a Dissertation This Study Guide addresses the task of writing a dissertation. It aims to help you to feel confident in the construction of this extended piece of writing,
More informationIntroduction. 1.1 Key points and structure. mistake and mutual mistake to the situation where both parties are mistaken, but as to different matters.
1 Introduction 1.1 Key points and structure I shall analyse the vitiating factors of mental incapacity, non est factum, mistake, misrepresentation, duress, undue influence and unconscionability. It will
More information1/9. Locke 1: Critique of Innate Ideas
1/9 Locke 1: Critique of Innate Ideas This week we are going to begin looking at a new area by turning our attention to the work of John Locke, who is probably the most famous English philosopher of all
More informationWhat Is a Case Study? series of related events) which the analyst believes exhibits (or exhibit) the operation of
What Is a Case Study? Mitchell (1983) defined a case study as a detailed examination of an event (or series of related events) which the analyst believes exhibits (or exhibit) the operation of some identified
More informationenglishforeveryone.org Name Date
englishforeveryone.org Name Date Advanced Critical Reading - Hubble 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 The 32,000 word novella The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, published in 1895, is generally credited with popularizing
More informationThey Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing
They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein ENTERING THE CONVERSATION Many Americans assume that Others more complicated: On the one hand,. On the other
More informationYou will by now not be surprised that a version of the teleological argument can be found in the writings of Thomas Aquinas.
The design argument The different versions of the cosmological argument we discussed over the last few weeks were arguments for the existence of God based on extremely abstract and general features of
More informationDeductive reasoning is the kind of reasoning in which, roughly, the truth of the input
Forthcoming in The Encyclopedia of the Mind, edited by Hal Pashler, SAGE Publishing. Editorial Board: Tim Crane, Fernanda Ferreira, Marcel Kinsbourne, and Rich Zemel. Deductive Reasoning Joshua Schechter
More informationWriting = A Dialogue. Part I. They Say
Writing = A Dialogue You come late. When you arrive, others have long preceded you, and they are engaged in a heated discussion, a discussion too heated for them to pause and tell you exactly what it is
More informationDepth-of-Knowledge Levels for Four Content Areas Norman L. Webb March 28, 2002. Reading (based on Wixson, 1999)
Depth-of-Knowledge Levels for Four Content Areas Norman L. Webb March 28, 2002 Language Arts Levels of Depth of Knowledge Interpreting and assigning depth-of-knowledge levels to both objectives within
More informationValidity, Fairness, and Testing
Validity, Fairness, and Testing Michael Kane Educational Testing Service Conference on Conversations on Validity Around the World Teachers College, New York March 2012 Unpublished Work Copyright 2010 by
More informationReply to French and Genone Symposium on Naïve Realism and Illusion The Brains Blog, January 2016. Boyd Millar millar.boyd@gmail.
Reply to French and Genone Symposium on Naïve Realism and Illusion The Brains Blog, January 2016 Boyd Millar millar.boyd@gmail.com 1. Acknowledgements I would like to thank the managing editor of The Brains
More informationRudy Hirschheim. E.J. Ourso College of Business Louisiana State University. rudy@lsu.edu http://projects.bus.lsu.edu/faculty/rudy
Philosophy of Science and Research Methods in IS Rudy Hirschheim E.J. Ourso College of Business Louisiana State University rudy@lsu.edu http://projects.bus.lsu.edu/faculty/rudy Philosophy of Science Timeline
More informationQuine on truth by convention
Quine on truth by convention March 8, 2005 1 Linguistic explanations of necessity and the a priori.............. 1 2 Relative and absolute truth by definition.................... 2 3 Is logic true by convention?...........................
More informationSTAFF PAPER 8 October 2013
STAFF PAPER 8 October 2013 Conceptual Framework Round-table Meeting [London] Project Paper topic Conceptual Framework Asset and liability definitions, recognition and derecognition CONTACT Peter Clark
More informationQualitative Critique: Missed Nursing Care. Kalisch, B. (2006). Missed Nursing Care A Qualitative Study. J Nurs Care Qual, 21(4), 306-313.
Qualitative Critique: Missed Nursing Care 1 Qualitative Critique: Missed Nursing Care Kalisch, B. (2006). Missed Nursing Care A Qualitative Study. J Nurs Care Qual, 21(4), 306-313. Gina Gessner RN BSN
More informationP R I M A R Y A N D S E C O N D A R Y Q U A L I T I E S
P R I M A R Y A N D S E C O N D A R Y Q U A L I T I E S W E E K 1 1. Overview Week 1: Introduction to the Primary/Secondary Quality Distinction. Week 2: Dispositionalist Views of Colour Week 3: Colour
More informationLast May, philosopher Thomas Nagel reviewed a book by Michael Sandel titled
Fourth Quarter, 2006 Vol. 29, No. 4 Editor s Watch Sandel and Nagel on Abortion Last May, philosopher Thomas Nagel reviewed a book by Michael Sandel titled Public Philosophy in The New York Review of Books.
More informationDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE. Educational Leadership Doctor of Philosophy Degree Major Course Requirements. EDU721 (3.
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE Educational Leadership Doctor of Philosophy Degree Major Course Requirements EDU710 (3.0 credit hours) Ethical and Legal Issues in Education/Leadership This course is an intensive
More informationFINANCE AND ACCOUNTING OUTSOURCING AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF SERVICE PROVIDERS AND THEIR CLIENTS IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.
FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING OUTSOURCING AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF SERVICE PROVIDERS AND THEIR CLIENTS IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. Graham Ray, Accounting Lecturer, School of Commerce and Management, Southern
More informationGCE Religious Studies Explanation of Terms Unit 1D: Religion, Philosophy and Science
hij Teacher Resource Bank GCE Religious Studies Explanation of s Unit 1D: Religion, Philosophy and Science The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) is a company limited by guarantee registered
More informationWriter moves somewhat beyond merely paraphrasing someone else s point of view or
RUBRIC FOR EVALUATING STUDENT PHILOSOPHY ESSAYS (APPLIED ETHICS/PHILOSOPHY OF ART AND CULTURE CONCENTRATIONS) Explanation of the rubric: The rubric incorporates aspects of an already existing model for
More informationTHE STANDARD FOR DOCTORAL DEGREES IN LAW AT THE FACULTY OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF TROMSØ
THE FACULTY OF LAW THE STANDARD FOR DOCTORAL DEGREES IN LAW AT THE FACULTY OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF TROMSØ Guidelines for the Faculty of Law in Tromsø, adopted by the Faculty Board on 31 May 2010. 1 Background
More informationAppendix B Data Quality Dimensions
Appendix B Data Quality Dimensions Purpose Dimensions of data quality are fundamental to understanding how to improve data. This appendix summarizes, in chronological order of publication, three foundational
More informationProduct Mix as a Framing Exercise: The Role of Cost Allocation. Anil Arya The Ohio State University. Jonathan Glover Carnegie Mellon University
Product Mix as a Framing Exercise: The Role of Cost Allocation Anil Arya The Ohio State University Jonathan Glover Carnegie Mellon University Richard Young The Ohio State University December 1999 Product
More informationScientific Reasoning: A Solution to the Problem of Induction
International Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences IJBAS-IJENS Vol:10 No:03 49 Scientific Reasoning: A Solution to the Problem of Induction Wilayat Khan and Habib Ullah COMSATS Institute of Information
More informationStudent Learning Outcome - The 15 Best Based Performance Criteria
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Department of Philosophy Philosophy M.A. August 16, 2014 David J. Buller, Chair Status Report 1 1. INTRODUCTION The Philosophy M.A. assessment plan submitted along with
More informationLogic and Reasoning Practice Final Exam Spring 2015. Section Number
Logic and Reasoning Practice Final Exam Spring 2015 Name Section Number The final examination is worth 100 points. 1. (5 points) What is an argument? Explain what is meant when one says that logic is the
More informationNeil Murray University of South Australia April 2011
Introduction When it comes to writing, academic disciplines particularly those within the humanities and social sciences have a good deal in common and, for the most part, they share very similar expectations
More informationSTRING THEORY: Past, Present, and Future
STRING THEORY: Past, Present, and Future John H. Schwarz Simons Center March 25, 2014 1 OUTLINE I) Early History and Basic Concepts II) String Theory for Unification III) Superstring Revolutions IV) Remaining
More informationA Short Introduction to Credit Default Swaps
A Short Introduction to Credit Default Swaps by Dr. Michail Anthropelos Spring 2010 1. Introduction The credit default swap (CDS) is the most common and widely used member of a large family of securities
More informationFive High Order Thinking Skills
Five High Order Introduction The high technology like computers and calculators has profoundly changed the world of mathematics education. It is not only what aspects of mathematics are essential for learning,
More informationField 2: Philosophy of Law and Constitutional Interpretation
Constitutional Studies Comprehensive Exam Questions Field 1: American Constitutional Law and Judicial Politics 1. Alexander Bickel argued that judicial review suffers from a counter-majoritarian difficulty
More informationProblem of the Month: Fair Games
Problem of the Month: The Problems of the Month (POM) are used in a variety of ways to promote problem solving and to foster the first standard of mathematical practice from the Common Core State Standards:
More informationFACULTY UNDERGRADUATE PORTFOLIO GUIDELINES AND FAQ
FACULTY UNDERGRADUATE PORTFOLIO GUIDELINES AND FAQ INTRODUCTION The construction of an academic portfolio is not simply an account of prior learning. Rather it is, in and of itself, a learning process.
More informationPractical Research. Paul D. Leedy Jeanne Ellis Ormrod. Planning and Design. Tenth Edition
Practical Research Planning and Design Tenth Edition Paul D. Leedy Jeanne Ellis Ormrod 2013, 2010, 2005, 2001, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter 1 The Nature and Tools of Research
More informationMaster of Arts in Business Education (MA) 29 January 2016. Module 1 Introduction to Business Education (6 ECTS) Content. Learning Outcomes F01 BE01
Module 1 Introduction to Business Education (6 ECTS) F01 BE01 I) Basic ideas and fundamental theories of Educational Sciences Introduction to the Study of Learning Behaviourism Information Processing Theory
More informationDepartment: Political Science, Philosophy & Religion.
1 Department: Political Science, Philosophy & Religion. Course No. IU310. Title of Course: Government and Politics of East Asia. I. A. Catalog Description and Credit Hours of the Course: A survey of social,
More informationModern Science vs. Ancient Philosophy. Daniel Gilbert s theory of happiness as presented in his book, Stumbling on Happiness,
Laura Katharine Norwood Freshman Seminar Dr. Golden 10/21/10 Modern Science vs. Ancient Philosophy Daniel Gilbert s theory of happiness as presented in his book, Stumbling on Happiness, has many similarities
More informationCosmological Arguments for the Existence of God S. Clarke
Cosmological Arguments for the Existence of God S. Clarke [Modified Fall 2009] 1. Large class of arguments. Sometimes they get very complex, as in Clarke s argument, but the basic idea is simple. Lets
More informationAgainst Zangwill s Extreme Formalism About Inorganic Nature
DOI 10.1007/s11406-014-9575-1 Against Zangwill s Extreme Formalism About Inorganic Nature Min Xu & Guifang Deng Received: 20 August 2014 / Revised: 30 October 2014 / Accepted: 17 November 2014 # Springer
More informationHOW TO WRITE A CRITICAL ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY. John Hubert School of Health Sciences Dalhousie University
HOW TO WRITE A CRITICAL ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY John Hubert School of Health Sciences Dalhousie University This handout is a compilation of material from a wide variety of sources on the topic of writing a
More informationGUIDELINES FOR PROPOSALS: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Human Development and Family Studies
Drafted by Lynet Uttal using the Quantitative Research Proposal Guidelines and in consultation with GPC (5/99) GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSALS: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Human Development and Family Studies Overview:
More informationDEVELOPING HYPOTHESIS AND
Shalini Prasad Ajith Rao Eeshoo Rehani DEVELOPING 500 METHODS SEPTEMBER 18 TH 2001 DEVELOPING HYPOTHESIS AND Introduction Processes involved before formulating the hypotheses. Definition Nature of Hypothesis
More informationWarrant: The part of the arguments that sets up a logical connection between the grounds and the claim. (Reason) (Scientific Method = Hypothesis)
Toulmin Method of Argumentation Critical thinking and the ability to write well are of primary importance in our Magnet Program. The heart of good writing is good thinking. Writing is not only an end in
More informationThe Refutation of Relativism
The Refutation of Relativism There are many different versions of relativism: ethical relativism conceptual relativism, and epistemic relativism are three. In this paper, I will be concerned with only
More informationScience Plus: A Response to the Responses to Scientific Research in Education
This is an electronic version of an article published in Teachers College Record. Complete citation information for the final version of the paper, as published in the print edition of Teachers College
More informationBUSINESS STRATEGY SYLLABUS
Master of Science in Management BUSINESS STRATEGY SYLLABUS Academic Year 2011-2012 Professor: Yuliya Snihur Email: yuliyaigorivna.snihur@upf.edu Office hours: by appointment COURSE OUTLINE Strategy involves
More informationThe Rise of Narrative Non-Fiction
The Rise of Narrative Non-Fiction Simon Singh Traditionally popular science writers have put the emphasis on explanation, concentrating on conveying to the reader an understanding of scientific concepts.
More informationWriting Your PG Research Project Proposal
Writing Your PG Research Project Proposal Typically, most research project proposals will contain the following elements: The proposed title of your research project An outline of the scope and rationale
More informationThe Effect of Questionnaire Cover Design in Mail Surveys
The Effect of Questionnaire Cover Design in Mail Surveys Philip Gendall It has been suggested that the response rate for a self administered questionnaire will be enhanced if the cover of the questionnaire
More informationClass on Hedley Bull. 1. Some general points about Bull s view
Class on Hedley Bull 1. Some general points about Bull s view A central claim in Bull s argument is that anarchy understood as interaction between and among agents, whether individuals or states, in the
More informationWRITING EFFECTIVE REPORTS AND ESSAYS
WRITING EFFECTIVE REPORTS AND ESSAYS A. What are Reports? Writing Effective Reports Reports are documents which both give a reader information and ask the reader to do something with that information.
More informationTheory of electrons and positrons
P AUL A. M. DIRAC Theory of electrons and positrons Nobel Lecture, December 12, 1933 Matter has been found by experimental physicists to be made up of small particles of various kinds, the particles of
More informationLong-term preservation in Europe. The strategy of the Alliance for Permanent Access
Long-term preservation in Europe The strategy of the Alliance for Permanent Access Hans Jansen Director R&D, National Library of the Netherlands Rome, 29 October 2007 The first objective of the i2010 strategy
More informationTime and Causation in Gödel s Universe.
Time and Causation in Gödel s Universe. John L. Bell In 1949 the great logician Kurt Gödel constructed the first mathematical models of the universe in which travel into the past is, in theory at least,
More informationAn Educational Technology Curriculum Emphasizing Systematic, Scientific Problem Solving
International Review An Educational Technology Curriculum Emphasizing Systematic, Scientific Problem Solving Tjeerd Plomp Plen Verhagen Tjeerd Plomp and Plon Verhagen are faculty members in the Department
More informationOvercoming the false dichotomy of quantitative and qualitative research: The case of criminal psychology
Overcomingthefalsedichotomyofquantitativeand qualitativeresearch:thecaseofcriminalpsychology Candidate:SamuelGunn Supervisor:ProfessorDavidD.Clarke Degree:BScPsychology WordCount:3864 1 Contents 1.Introduction
More informationINTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS, FINANCE AND TRADE Vol. II - Sustainable Development, Environmental Regulation, and International Trade - Pushkar Maitra
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION, AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE Pushkar Maitra Department of Economics, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia Keywords: Environment and development,
More informationMathematics Policy. Michael Sobell Sinai School
Mathematics Policy 2014 Mathematics Policy Section 1: Introduction Mathematics is a creative and highly inter-connected discipline that has been developed over centuries, providing the solution to some
More information[THIS IS A PRE-PRINT VERSION OF THE PAPER. THE PUBLISHED VERSION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT http://mind.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/116/464/1083]
Book Review Jason Bridges The Architecture of Reason: The Structure and Substance of Rationality, by Robert Audi. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. Pp. xvi + 286. H/b $65.00, P/b $29.95 [THIS IS
More informationSample size and sampling methods
Sample size and sampling methods Ketkesone Phrasisombath MD, MPH, PhD (candidate) Faculty of Postgraduate Studies and Research University of Health Sciences GFMER - WHO - UNFPA - LAO PDR Training Course
More informationTeaching Fellow: Siva Anantham, siva_anantham@hotmail.com, We ll get a lot of our readings from
Experimental Economics (Economics 2040, HBS 4257), Instructor: Al Roth (Mellon Hall C2-3, 495-5447; and 308 Littauer, 496-0009; al_roth@harvard.edu) Office hours: by appointment (but feel free to make
More informationThe Treatment of Tax Credits in the National Accounts
The Treatment of Tax Credits in the National Accounts Summary The recording of tax credits in the system of national accounts is an issue of increasing importance. There is no guidance in the existing
More informationCan RIA Help Participants with Rollovers
May 2013 Can RIA Help Participants with Rollovers by Fred Reish, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Note: The bulletin you are reading is part of a series provided as a service to the Designees and Members of
More informationIntroduction to Reading Literacy Strategies
Introduction to Reading Literacy Strategies Reading involves: decoding words and understanding the alphabetic code understanding vocabulary linking known knowledge with the knowledge in texts rechecking
More informationINDEX OF TEMPLATES INTRODUCING WHAT THEY SAY
INDEX OF TEMPLATES INTRODUCING WHAT THEY SAY A number of sociologists have recently suggested that X s work has several fundamental problems. It has become common today to dismiss X s contribution to the
More informationWriting learning objectives
Writing learning objectives This material was excerpted and adapted from the following web site: http://www.utexas.edu/academic/diia/assessment/iar/students/plan/objectives/ What is a learning objective?
More informationCambridge International Examinations Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education
Cambridge International Examinations Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH 0522/03 Paper 3 Directed Writing and Composition For Examination from 2015
More informationHow do we build and refine models that describe and explain the natural and designed world?
Strand: A. Understand Scientific Explanations : Students understand core concepts and principles of science and use measurement and observation tools to assist in categorizing, representing, and interpreting
More information