Lakatos and Research Programs

Who was Imre Lakatos?

• A physicist known for his work on quantum mechanics

• A philosopher of science who developed the methodology of scientific research programs

• A mathematician famous for discovering calculus

• A biologist who contributed to evolutionary theory

Lakatos developed his philosophy of science as a response to which two prominent figures?

• Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein

• Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn

• René Descartes and David Hume

• Francis Bacon and John Stuart Mill

What is the core idea of Lakatos’ methodology of scientific research programs?

• Science progresses through isolated experiments

• Scientific theories are either true or false

• Research programs consist of a hard core and protective belt of auxiliary hypotheses

• Science evolves purely through random discoveries

According to Lakatos, what is the "hard core" of a research program?

• The main laboratory where experiments are conducted

• The central set of assumptions that are not abandoned despite anomalies

• The collection of all scientific data

• he ethical guidelines for scientific research

What is the "protective belt" in a research program?

• An area where scientists work to disprove theories

• Auxiliary hypotheses that protect the hard core from falsification

• A metaphor for the funding and resources of research

• A physical space for scientific collaboration

What is a degenerating research program, according to Lakatos?

• One that continually modifies the hard core to fit observations

• One that fails to produce novel predictions or explanations

• One that focuses only on theoretical mathematics

• One that is limited to technological applications

How does Lakatos' methodology differ from Popper's falsificationism?

• Lakatos believed falsification was the only criterion for science

• Lakatos introduced the idea that scientific theories evolve within programs

• Lakatos rejected the use of auxiliary hypotheses

• Lakatos claimed that science is purely subjective

According to Lakatos, when should a research program be abandoned?

• When it fails to attract funding

• When it becomes degenerative and another, more progressive program is available

• When it faces its first anomaly

• When it violates ethical norms

How did Lakatos view Kuhn's concept of "paradigm shifts"?

• He fully agreed with Kuhn's ideas

• He criticized them as being too focused on irrational shifts

• He integrated them into his research program framework

• He considered them irrelevant to scientific progress

Which of the following best summarizes Lakatos' critique of dogmatic falsificationism?

• It ignores the role of auxiliary hypotheses in protecting theories

• It relies too heavily on philosophical speculation

• It assumes that all scientists act irrationally

• It completely rejects empirical evidence