Science and Common SenseHow Do We Come to Know the World?Slide 3Slide 4The Doubt/Trust RatioCommon Sense and ScienceSlide 7Slide 8Slide 9Slide 10Slide 11Slide 12Slide 13Slide 14ScienceandCommon SenseScienceandCommon SenseHow Do We Come to Know the World?How Do We Come to Know the World?•Our personal experienceOur personal experience•Our collective experience, Our collective experience, consensusconsensusHow do we know?SubjectiveSubjectiveObjectiveObjectiveHow Do We Come to Know the World?How Do We Come to Know the World?•The The philosophyphilosophy of knowing of knowing•An An approachapproach to knowing to knowingHow do we know?EpistemologyEpistemologyMethodologyMethodologyScience and Common SenseScience and Common Sense•Science often refutes common sense.Science often refutes common sense.•However, both science and common However, both science and common sense knowing work in similar ways.sense knowing work in similar ways.How do we know?The Doubt/Trust RatioThe Doubt/Trust Ratio•Both in science and common sense, Both in science and common sense, we trust the vast amount of our we trust the vast amount of our experience and only doubt a small experience and only doubt a small part at a time.part at a time.•How much doubt-to-trust? How much doubt-to-trust? •1/99!1/99!How do we know?Common Sense and ScienceCommon Sense and Science•Unless we decide not to, we Unless we decide not to, we usually observe inaccurately.usually observe inaccurately.•We consciously decide what We consciously decide what and how to observe.and how to observe.Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Science:Science:Science:Science:How do we know?Common Sense and ScienceCommon Sense and Science•We usually generalize We usually generalize from only a few cases.from only a few cases.•We explicitly sample for We explicitly sample for generalizing.generalizing.Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Science:Science:Science:Science:How do we know?Common Sense and ScienceCommon Sense and Science•We observe selectively to We observe selectively to see what we’re looking for.see what we’re looking for.•We consciously decide We consciously decide what and how to observe.what and how to observe.Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Science:Science:Science:Science:How do we know?Common Sense and ScienceCommon Sense and Science•We make things up to fill We make things up to fill in the gaps.in the gaps.•We base conclusions We base conclusions only on the evidence.only on the evidence.Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Science:Science:Science:Science:How do we know?Common Sense and ScienceCommon Sense and Science•We believe in luck We believe in luck (streaks and slumps).(streaks and slumps).•We have to document We have to document and back up conclusions and back up conclusions about performance.about performance.Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Science:Science:Science:Science:How do we know?Common Sense and ScienceCommon Sense and Science•We get personally and We get personally and emotionally involved.emotionally involved.•We have to respect We have to respect scientific norms scientific norms regardless of opinions.regardless of opinions.Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Science:Science:Science:Science:How do we know?Common Sense and ScienceCommon Sense and Science•We form our views We form our views prematurely with little or prematurely with little or no revision.no revision.•We can constantly revise We can constantly revise views.views.Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Science:Science:Science:Science:How do we know?Common Sense and ScienceCommon Sense and Science•Some things we just can’t Some things we just can’t know; they’re spiritual or know; they’re spiritual or mystical.mystical.•We can’t rule out any area We can’t rule out any area as unknowable (for as unknowable (for example, ESP).example, ESP).Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Common sense:Science:Science:Science:Science:How do we know?Common Sense and ScienceCommon Sense and Science•More More cons ciouscons cious than most than most common sense knowingcommon sense knowing•More More carefulcareful than most common than most common sense knowingsense knowingScience isScience isScience isScience isHow do we