Question

The discovery of a counter-instance to a paradigm:

a. Falsifies the paradigm.
b. Will cause the paradigm to be renounced by its followers.
c. Provokes a crisis.
d. None of the above/all of the above.

Answer 1

The discovery of a counter-instance to a paradigm can provoke a crisis and lead to a paradigm shift. Counterexamples are used to test claims and arguments and can render an argument invalid by demonstrating the conclusion is false.

Step-by-step explanation:

The discovery of a counter-instance to a paradigm can provoke a crisis. This is because a counter-instance challenges the existing beliefs and assumptions of a paradigm, causing its followers to question its validity. It may lead to the need for a paradigm shift, where new ideas replace the current theories in order to explain the newly discovered phenomena.

An example of a counter-instance that caused a paradigm shift is Thomas Kuhn's theory on scientific revolutions. Kuhn argued that paradigms can shift when the dominant paradigm fails to explain newly discovered phenomena. This led to a radical change in science, where old theories were abandoned and new ideas took their place.

Counterexamples are also used in philosophy to test claims and arguments. They can render an argument invalid by satisfying all the premises of the claim but demonstrating that the conclusion is false. Counterexamples serve as powerful tools to evaluate and improve philosophical arguments.