Our text discusses the four methods that John Mill suggests can be used to discu

Question

Our text discusses the four methods that John Mill suggests can be used to discuss the cause-effect chain. Following are 3 scenarios:

Example 1 If your car makes a funny noise when you accelerate, you might vary the pressure on the pedal to see whether the noise varies in intensity accordingly. Which method is being used?

Example 2 If your car makes a funny noise when you accelerate, take your foot off the pedal and see whether the noise goes away. Scientists use the same technique when they do controlled experiments. In testing the efficacy of a new medicine, for example, they would use two carefully matched groups. One group would get the drug, and the other would get a placebo. The only difference between the groups would be the presence or absence of the drug, so that any difference in results could then be attributed to that factor. Which method is being used?

Example 3 When doctors are confronted with a new disease, they typically try to see whether the people who have the disease ate the same food, or have the same virus in their blood, or are similar in some other way. Which method is being used?

In your initial post, pick a scenario and tell us which method you think is depicted and why? If you don't like these scenarios, develop your own and tell us which method is being used. In your replies, Play devil’s advocate and suggest a different Mill's method that could be used with one of the scenarios and why this approach would be valid.

Explanation / Answer

1. Concomitant variation

Concomitant variation method is a method in which a measurable change in the effect is associated with quantitative changes in a given factor.

2. Method of difference

Method of difference refers that if an antecedent condition is present only on those occasions when a phenomenon occurs, it may be indirect to be the cause of the phenomenon

3. Method of agreement

If a specific antecedent circumstance is found to be present one every occasion on which a phenomenon occurs, it may be inferred to be the cause of that phenomenon

method of residues-

If your car makes a hilarious noise when you accelerate, you might take your foot off the pedal and see whether the noise goes away. That would be the method of difference.

But you might also vary the pressure on the pedal to see whether the noise varies in intensity accordingly method of residues

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