The Scientific Method Is Recognition That Any Explanation Is Tentative

question 24

Multiple Choice

The scientific method is recognition that any explanation is tentative and may be modified or disproved by careful investigation. Even the scientific theories that constitute the core knowledge in any discipline are not regarded as absolutes. They are regarded as

• A) probabilities or generalizations based on what is yet to be learned.
• B) probabilities or generalizations based on what is known so far.
• C) possibilities based on historical analysis.
• D) certainties based on reliable data.

---

Definitions:

Observers

Individuals who watch or take notice of events or behaviors, often for the purpose of recording information or making judgments.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to attribute others' actions to their character or personality while underestimating situational influences.

Defensive Attribution

A cognitive bias that leads individuals to attribute more blame to victims of misfortune than is warranted, often to believe that such events would not happen to themselves.

Illusory Correlation

The perception of a relationship between two variables when no such relationship exists, often a result of cognitive biases.