Model questions

Section A (Answer one of the following in not more than 350 words. The question carries 15
marks)
1. State Bayesian Solution to irrelevant conjunction.

analyze the adequacy of the solution

2. State three grounds on which you evaluate different theories of confirmation.

Evaluate the adequacy of Bayesian Confirmation Theory on the basis of these
three grounds.
3. State three conditions of confirmation.
Explain the philosophical intuition of each condition and discuss one of the
criticisms against each condition.
4. State Hempels solution to raven paradox.
Discuss the inadequacies of the solution

Section B (Answer two of the following in not more than 100 words. Each carries 5 marks)
1. How important is competing hypotheses in the determination of confirmation
relation of a hypothesis and its evidence
2. Does IBE account for the role of competing hypothesis? Explain your answer?
3. What is Difference Condition of IBE?
4. What is an existential hypothesis? Provide an example of existential hypothesis and
its deductive confirming evidence.
5. Discuss whether H-D model faces Quine Duhem problem
6. Whether a proposition deductively entails two contradictory statements.
Whether evidence confirm different contradicting hypothesis? Explain
7. Explain how the concept of confirmation is related to concept of deduction and
concept of explanation and how the concept is distinct from other two concepts?
8. What is corresponding event?

9. Explain the distinction between following pairs of concepts:

Falsification/ Disconfirmation
Description/ Definition
Conjunct/ auxiliary conjunct ( hypothesis)
10. Consider the following two interpretations of Inference to the Best Explanation
(IBE):
Inference to the Best of Probable Explanation and
Inference to the best Potential Explanation
Which of the interpretations serves the purpose of IBE?
11. Analyse whether H-D model satisfy consistency condition.