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A primary weakness of rationalism lies in the conditions required to produce a valid conclusion. Recall the two key factors that determine whether a rationalist conclusion is valid, and explain what happens to the conclusion if either factor is compromised.
Question: A primary weakness of rationalism lies in the conditions required to produce a valid conclusion. Recall the two key factors that determine whether a rationalist conclusion is valid, and explain what happens to the conclusion if either factor is compromised.
Sample answer: For a conclusion reached through rationalism to be valid, the starting assumptions (premises) must be factually correct, and the reasoning process (logic rules) must be applied without errors. If either the starting premises are incorrect or there is an error in logic, the resulting conclusion will be false, despite the appearance of rationality.
Key points:
- The starting assumptions or premises must be factually correct.
- The reasoning process and application of logic rules must be error-free.
- Errors in logic or factually incorrect premises lead to false conclusions.
- A conclusion can appear rational even if it is factually false.
Rubric: To receive full credit, the student must: 1. Identify starting assumptions/premises as the first factor. 2. Identify the reasoning process/rules of logic as the second factor. 3. State that compromising either factor (incorrect premises or logical errors) results in a false conclusion.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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