Grover Maxwell, "The Ontological Status of Theoretical Entities"

1.According to Maxwell, the observational-theoretical distinction

• (a) is arbitrary
• (b) is absolute
• (c) tells us a great deal about what exists and what doesn't
• (d) has ontolological significance

2. According to Maxwell, when we look through a microscope what we see is

• (a) just a shadow or an image and not a physical object
• (b) a sense datum
• (c) a physical object
• (d) none of the above

3. According to Maxwell, there is

• (a) a great difference between the observable and unobservable
• (b) a continuous transition from the observable to the unobservable
• (c) no transition from the observable to the unobservable
• (d) none of the above

4. According to Maxwell, there is

• (a) a continuous transition from existence to non-existence
• (b) no transition from existence to non-existence
• (c) no way of knowing what exists
• (d) none of the above

5. According to Maxwell, electrons are

• (a) in principle impossible to observe
• (b) in principle possible to observe
• (c) perceivable only under the influence of drugs
• (d) perceivable only by mutants who are able to observe ultraviolet radiation

6. According to Maxwell, the referents of statements used in everyday life and in science (i.e., observation statements and theoretical statements) are

• (a) sense contents
• (b) unobservables
• (c) physical objects
• (d) theoretical entities

7. According to Maxwell, there are

• (a) no a priori criteria for separating the observable from the unobservable.
• (b) philosophical criteria for separating the observable from the unobservable
• (c) logical criteria for separating the observable from the unobservable
• (d) all of the above

8. According to Maxwell, phenomenalism is

• (a) problematic, but still the most acceptable philosophical view
• (b) untenable
• (c) a better view than realism
• (d) none of the above

9. According to Maxwell, the importance of the "observation base" in the observable/non-observable spectrum is

• (a) it functions as a "confirmation base" for statements which refer to entities which are unobservable
• (b) it provides us with a base from which to develop theories
• (c) it grounds the distinction between observables and unobservables.
• (d) none of the above