Multiple Choice Exam

N.R.Hanson, "Observation"

Please use a form 882-ES Scan-Tron Card to record your answers. Choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

1. According to Hanson, the difference between what Tycho and Kepler see when looking east at dawn can be accounted for in terms of differences in their:

• A. physiological processes
• B. neurophysiological processes
• C. sense-data
• D. interpretations of what they see
• E. conceptual organizations

2. Hanson employs the "perspex cube" example to demonstrate that the differences between what people see when looking at the cube:

• A. can be accounted for in terms of differences in their retinal reactions
• B. can be accounted for in terms of differences in their visual sense-data
• C. can be accounted for in terms of differences in their interpretations of what they see
• D. all of the above
• E. none of the above

3. According to Hanson, seeing the same thing requires ( as a necessary condition) that the persons:

• A. interpret what they see in the same way
• B. conceptually organize what they see in the same way
• C. react to what they see in the same way
• D. behave in the same way
• E. none of the above

4. According to Hanson, the concept of "instantaneous interpretation":

• A. is a philosophical invention aimed at preserving some pet theory
• B. makes no sense
• C. is contradictory
• D. all of the above
• E. none of the above

5. The main point of Hanson's essay was to:

• A. prove that Tycho's theory was incorrect
• B. prove that seeing involves interpretation of what is seen
• C. prove that no two persons can see the same thing
• D. show that observation is the basis from which theories are constructed
• E. none of the above

6. According to Hanson, "fundamental physics" is :

• A. based on observation
• B. primarily a search for basic material entities
• C. primarily a philosophical investigation of matter
• D. unintelligible
• E. none of the above

7. According to Hanson, the relationship between observation and theory is:

• A. theories are inductive generalizations of sets of empirical laws
• B. theories are interpretations of observations
• C. theories are confirmed by observations
• D. all of the above
• E. none of the above

8. According to Hanson, Tycho and Kepler see different things when they look at the sun because:

• A. the elements of their experiences are different
• B. their concepts of the sun are different
• C. they are looking at different physical objects
• D. their sense-data are different
• E. none of the above.

9. According to Hanson, when looking at an x-ray tube, the trained physicist and the layman:

• A. see the same thing
• B. are "visually aware" of the same object
• C. interpret what they see differently
• D. all of the above
• E. none of the above

10. According to Hanson, microphysics is primarily the search for new:

• A. micro entities
• B. modes of conceptual organization
• C. particles
• D. facts about micro entities
• E. none of the above