Evaluating Claims

Scientific Reasoning

What are the tools of scientific reasoning?

“FiLCHeRs” – six tools for distinguishing science from pseudoscience

#1 - Falsifiability

It must be possible to conceive of evidence that would prove the claim false

Which of the 7 Guidelines for Critical Thinking does #1 sound like?

Examples of “falsifiability”

Online Learning Module

http://www.psych.ualberta.ca/~ITL/ct/

More links - http://web.bsu.edu/dlb/t/science/sciquest/sciquest.htm

#2 - Logic

Any argument offered as evidence in support of any claim must be sound.

Which of the 7 Guidelines for Critical Thinking does #2 sound like?

Example - Turkish admiral Piri Re'is map of the world

#3 - Comprehensiveness

The evidence offered in support of any claim must be exhaustive -- that is all of the available evidence must be considered.

Which of the 7 Guidelines for Critical Thinking does #3 sound like?

Example – Psychics and their predictions

#4 - Honesty

The evidence offered in support of any claim must be evaluated without self-deception.

Which of the 7 Guidelines for Critical Thinking does #4 sound like?

Example of Honesty (no self-deception)

#5 - Replicability

It is necessary for the evidence to be repeated in subsequent experiments or trials.

Which of the 7 Guidelines for Critical Thinking does #5 sound like?

Example - ESP

#6 - Sufficiency

The evidence offered in support of any claim must be adequate to establish the truth of that claim

Which of the 7 Guidelines for Critical Thinking does #6 sound like?

Example – If you were abducted by a UFO, how would you prove it?

Summary of “FiLCHeRs”

The first three rules of FiLCHeRS: -- falsifiability, logic, and comprehensiveness --

are all logically necessary rules of evidential reasoning.

The last three rules of FiLCHeRS -- honesty, replicability, and sufficiency -- are all pragmatically necessary rules of evidential reasoning.

Professional Skeptics

James Randi

Video of James Randi in Australia testing water diviners and dowsers

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7461912885649996034

- How does James Randi exemplify the 7 Guidelines for Critical Thinking?

- How does water divining exemplify the 10 Characteristics of Pseudoscience

- How does James Randi’s test of water divining exemplify 6 Tools of Scientific Reasoning?