Class Activity 1

The term referring to the cumulative body of knowledge we use to help explain and understand the world is ________.

• science

• probability

• reasoning

Scientists are skeptical and require __________ to support claims.

• evidence

• arguments

• hypotheses

The standard scientific process begins with a(n) _________.

• interpretation

• observation

• prediction

To avoid research bias, _________ experiments are often used.

• natural

• blind

• manipulative

Critical thinking means that a person __________.

• only considers ideas experienced directly to be of importance

• disagrees with any idea presented by an authority figure

• logically and analytically assesses new ideas and evidence

People have identified environmental problems and worked to protect nature _________.

• beginning with the colonization of North America

• only since the 1960s

• as early as thousands of years ago

The famous naturalist __________ based his beliefs in preserving nature on aesthetic and spiritual values, regardless of how useful nature might be to us. He was the first president of the Sierra Club.

• John Muir

• Rachel Carson

• Aldo Leopald

How are social progress and environmental quality linked?

• Improving the plight of marginalized people often is good for the environment.

• There is only a very weak link between social progress and environmental quality.

• When people are treated fairly and as social equals, environmental quality goes down.

__________ science is a phrase used by government agency and corporate spokesmen to describe the scientific research used to justify a claim or position.

• Junk

• Logical

• Sound

Since every insect I have examined so far has six legs, I conclude that all insects have six legs. This is an example of __________ reasoning.

• deductive

• inductive