Multiple Choice Exam

Nancy Cartwright, "The Truth Doesn't Explain Much"

Please use a form 882-ES Scan-Tron Card to record your answers. Choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

1. According to Cartwright, description and explanation are:

• A. closely connected functions of scientific theories
• B. entirely different functions of scientific theories
• C. related in that explanations are a by-product of descriptions
• D. not the goals of science
• E. all of the above

2. Cartwright's main objection to the covering-law model of scientific explanation is that it:

• A. allows us to explain too much
• B. confuses explanation with prediction
• C. confuses explanation with description
• D. allows us to explain too little
• E. none of the above

3. According to Cartwright, the dilemma for the covering law model of explanation is that:

• A. laws which are true don't cover all cases, and laws which cover all cases are false
• B. covering laws are scarce
• C. covering laws which are false can't be used in explanations
• D. most laws are ceteris paribus laws
• E. all of the above

4. According to Cartwright, ceteris paribus laws:

• A. are statistical laws
• B. are exceptionless laws
• C. are laws which hold only in ideal or special conditions
• D. are false
• E. all of the above

5. According to Carwright, the primary use of ceteris paribus laws in scientific explanation is:

• A. to indicate what kinds of explanations are permissible in science
• B. to function as temporary "stand ins" until the true laws are found
• C. to indicate what form the true law will take
• D. all of the above
• E. none of the above

6. According to Cartwright, covering law theorists assume that:

• A. nature is chaotic and not regulated by laws
• B. nature was created by God
• C. there is a law to cover every phenomenon
• D. some phenomena are not covered by laws
• E. none of the above

7. According to Cartwright, the main difficulties with the covering law theorists' view of the use of ceteris paribus laws in scientific explanations are:

• A. the universe isn't "tidy", and isn't well regulated by laws
• B. elliptical explanations are not explanations, and the universe may not be well regulated by laws
• C. some phenomena may be inexplicable, and some may not obey and known laws
• D. all of the above
• E. none of the above

8. According to Cartwright, if the universe is not "tidy", then:

• A. scientific explanation and description are the same function
• B. even a complete description of the universe will not allow us to explain all phenomena
• C. scientific explanation will be impossible
• D. all of the above
• E. none of the above.

9. According to Cartwright, most scientific explanations as a matter of fact:

• A. are incomplete
• B. are inadequate
• C. employ true laws of nature
• D. employ ceteris paribus laws
• E. all of the above

10. According to Cartwright, laws which provide the greatest degree of unification in science:

• A. will be true
• B. will be false
• C. will be descriptive
• D. will be prescriptive
• E. none of the above