Short paper topics

The short papers should be about one page typed. This doesn't room for wordy introductions and conclusions: Get to the point!

1st short paper, due Mon Feb 6. Read Worrall. Is the White Spot episode an example of conjecture and refutation in Popper's sense?

2nd short paper, due Mon Feb 27. Look at the four world maps in the reader, numbered I-IV. Which of these do you think most accurately represents the Earth? Why?

3rd short paper, due Mon Mar 20. [A copy of p 241 of The Mismeasure of Man was given as a handout.] Look at each of the pictures below. There is something wrong with each. Mark each picture so as to fix it. ... Then write on the following topic: What can you legitimately infer from performance on a test of this kind?

4th short paper, due Mon Apr 3. Why does Mill think that it would be wrong to suppress dissenting opinion even if the dominant opinion is correct?

5th short paper, due Mon May 1. What is Kitcher's goal in describing Well-ordered Science? That is, what question is he trying to answer?