Overview
Topic
Popper describes good scientific practice as involving scientists putting forward bold conjectures and then attempting to refute those conjectures. Explain what a bold conjecture is and how conjectures can be refuted. Why does Popper think scientists should seek to refute their conjectures rather than confirm them and why does he think that aiming at refutation produce better science? Be sure to not only explain Popper’s reasoning but to evaluate it.
One criticism of Popper’s method focuses on the role of auxiliary hypotheses in hypothesis testing. Explain this criticism and evaluate it. Another criticism is that Popper has no explanation for when we should put more trust in one hypothesis rather than another. Explain this criticism and evaluate it. For both criticisms be sure to consider possible responses by Popper to the criticism and evaluate those responses.