ANTHRO 7 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Convergent Evolution, Simian, Species Complex
Document Summary
Empirical means having to do with data (as distinct from theoretical) A result is replicable when it is obtained from multiple samples. America and europe have shown that the proportion of left-handers declines with age. A variable is anything that can vary. Independent variables are thought to be the cause of . Left-handedness is thought to cause early death. A hypothesis is a proposed casual relationship among two or more variables. Hypotheses are often (but not always) based on theories. Theories propose causal relationships, but at a more abstract level. Why the scientific method is such a powerful way of gaining knowledge about the world: Competition among scientists but only using logic and evidence. The marketplace of ideas means that new theories can become mainstream if and when: They explain findings that established theories can"t explain (anomalies) They lead to new predictions and new discoveries. All scientific findings and theories are provisional.
