Overview of “Knowing” Rabbit Stew Definitions/Terminology

 Direct Experience?  Other sources?  Authority  Tradition  How is scientific knowledge different from other ways of knowing stuff?

 Scientific Knowledge  Logical  Supported by EMPERICAL evidence  Science is…  Causal  Probabilistic Be careful of pointing out the “isolated exception”

 The trouble with humans  Inaccurate observations  Overgeneralization  Selective observation  Illogical reasoning  HOW DOES SCIENCE GUARD AGAINST THESE PROBLEMS?

 Premodern  Modern  Postmodern

 Theory  A formal statement of how two or more concepts relate  Theory is different from…  Belief or philosophy  “Normative” versus “Empirical” The Death Penalty as an example

 Variables  Literally, something that “varies”  Typically used to lump individuals into particular groups Examples?  Attributes  Specific levels or values under a particular variable  Typically: Concept  Variable  Attributes

 Idiographic vs. nomothetic  Induction vs. deduction  Qualitative vs. quantitative  Pure vs. applied

 All resources are NOT CREATED EQUAL  Should a Time Magazine article be treated the same as a article in the journal Criminology?  Should a statement made on a web site be given the same weight as one made in a published book?

 Accuracy  Authority  Objectivity  Currency