The Duhem Thesis The Quine Thesis And The Problem Of Meaning Holism In Scientific Theories

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Can Theories be Refuted?

Author : Sandra Harding
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 343 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9789401018630

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Can Theories be Refuted? by Sandra Harding Pdf

According to a view assumed by many scientists and philosophers of science and standardly found in science textbooks, it is controlled ex perience which provides the basis for distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable theories in science: acceptable theories are those which can pass empirical tests. It has often been thought that a certain sort of test is particularly significant: 'crucial experiments' provide supporting empiri cal evidence for one theory while providing conclusive evidence against another. However, in 1906 Pierre Duhem argued that the falsification of a theory is necessarily ambiguous and therefore that there are no crucial experiments; one can never be sure that it is a given theory rather than auxiliary or background hypotheses which experiment has falsified. w. V. Quine has concurred in this judgment, arguing that "our statements about the external world face the tribunal of sense experience not indi vidually but only as a corporate body". Some philosophers have thought that the Duhem-Quine thesis gra tuitously raises perplexities. Others see it as doubly significant; these philosophers think that it provides a base for criticism of the foundational view of knowledge which has dominated much of western thought since Descartes, and they think that it opens the door to a new and fruitful way to conceive of scientific progress in particular and of the nature and growth of knowledge in general.

Duhem and Holism

Author : Milena Ivanova
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 75 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2021-07-31
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 1009001337

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Duhem and Holism by Milena Ivanova Pdf

The holistic thesis developed by Pierre Duhem challenges the idea that our evidence can conclusively falsify a theory. Given that no scientific theory is tested in isolation, a negative experiment can always be attributed to components other than the theory we test - to the auxiliary hypotheses and background assumptions. How do scientists decide whether the experimental result undermines the theory or points at an error in the underlying assumptions? Duhem argues that we cannot offer a rule that directs when the scientist should employ a radical or conservative strategy in light of a negative result, and ultimately they will appeal to their intuition. More recently philosophers have offered a number of strategies of how to locate error and justify the abandonment of a theory or an auxiliary hypothesis. This Element analyses Duhem's response to holism and subsequent accounts of how the problem can be resolved.

Fault-Tracing: Against Quine-Duhem

Author : Sam Mitchell
Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Page : 232 pages
File Size : 48,8 Mb
Release : 2020-09-21
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9783110685046

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Fault-Tracing: Against Quine-Duhem by Sam Mitchell Pdf

It is widely believed in philosophy of science that nobody can claim that any verdict of science is forced upon us by the effects of a physical world upon our sense organs and instruments. The Quine-Duhem problem supposedly allows us to resist any conclusion. Views on language aside, Quine is supposed to have shown this decisively. But it is just false. In many scientific examples, there is simply no room to doubt that a particular hypothesis is responsible for a refutation or established by the observations. Fault Tracing shows how to play independently established hypotheses against each other to determine whether an arbitrary hypothesis needs to be altered in the light of (apparently) refuting evidence. It analyses real examples from natural science, as well as simpler cases. It argues that, when scientific theories have a structure that prevents them from using this method, the theory looks wrong, and is subject to serious criticism. This is a new, and potentially far-reaching, theory of empirical justification.

The Web of Belief

Author : Willard Van Orman Quine,J. S. Ullian
Publisher : Random House Trade
Page : 164 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 1978
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : MINN:31951D00148004C

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The Web of Belief by Willard Van Orman Quine,J. S. Ullian Pdf

The Web of Belief provides a philosophical base for the study and practice of the art of argumentation. Stressing the importance of language in understanding and expressing ideas, the authors explore such questions as: What concepts do we believe to be true and why? And how can we convince others to accept our own beliefs? Drawing on everyday problems of communication, creative exercises give the student practice in formulating and testing his own arguments, as well as those of others. --

Essays in the History and Philosophy of Science

Author : Pierre Duhem,Pierre Maurice Marie Duhem
Publisher : Hackett Publishing
Page : 314 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 1996-01-01
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 0872203085

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Essays in the History and Philosophy of Science by Pierre Duhem,Pierre Maurice Marie Duhem Pdf

"Here, for the first time in English, are the philosophical essays - including the first statement of the "Duhem Thesis" - that formed the basis for Aim and Structure of Physical Theory, together with new translations of the historiographical essays presenting the equally celebrated "Continuity Thesis" by Pierre Duhem (1861-1916), a founding figure of the history and philosophy of science. Prefaced by an introduction on Duhem's intellectual development and continuing significance, here as well are important subsequent essays in which Duhem elaborated key concepts and critiqued such contemporaries as Henri Poincare and Ernst Mach. Together, these works offer a lively picture of the state of science at the turn of the century while addressing methodological issues that remain at the center of debate today."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Critical Scientific Realism

Author : Ilkka Niiniluoto
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 356 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 1999-12-09
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780191519406

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Critical Scientific Realism by Ilkka Niiniluoto Pdf

Ilkka Niiniluoto comes to the rescue of scientific realism, showing that reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated. Philosophical realism holds that the aim of a particular discourse is to make true statements about its subject-matter. Niiniluoto surveys the different varieties of realism in ontology, semantics, epistemology, theory construction, and methodology. He then sets out his own original version, and defends it against competing theories in the philosophy of science. Niiniluoto's critical scientific realism is founded upon the notion of truth as correspondence between language and reality, and characterizes scientific progress in terms of increasing truthlikeness. This makes it possible not only to take seriously, but also to make precise, the troublesome idea that scientific theories typically are false but nevertheless close to the truth.

The Labyrinth of Mind and World

Author : Sanjit Chakraborty
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
Page : 230 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2019-12-06
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781000757491

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The Labyrinth of Mind and World by Sanjit Chakraborty Pdf

This book carries forward the discourse on the mind’s engagement with the world. It reviews the semantic and metaphysical debates around internalism and externalism, the location of content and the indeterminacy of meaning in language. The volume analyzes the writings of Jackson, Chomsky, Putnam, Quine, Bilgrami and others, to reconcile opposing theories of language and the mind. It ventures into Cartesian ontology and Fregean semantics to understand how mental content becomes world-oriented in our linguistic communication. Further, the author explores the liaison between the mind and the world from the phenomenological perspective, particularly, Husserl’s linguistic turn and Heidegger’s intersubjective entreaty for Dasein. The book conceives of thought as a biological and socio-linguistic product which engages with the mind-world question through the conceptual and causal apparatuses of language. A major intervention in the field of philosophy of language, this book will be useful for scholars and researchers interested in philosophy, phenomenology, epistemology and metaphysics.

Holism

Author : Jerry Fodor
Publisher : Blackwell Publishing
Page : 274 pages
File Size : 55,6 Mb
Release : 1992
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 0631181938

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Holism by Jerry Fodor Pdf

The main question addressed in this book is whether individuation of the contents of thoughts and linguistic expressions is inherently holistic. The authors consider arguments that are alleged to show that the meaning of a scientific hypothesis depends on the entire theory that entails it, or that the content of a concept depends on the entire belief system of which it is part. If these arguments are sound then it would follow that the meanings of words, sentences, hypotheses, predictions, discourses, dialogs, texts, thoughts and the like are merely derivative. The implications of holism about meaning for other philosophical issues (intentional explanation, translation, Realism, skepticism, etc.) will also be explored. Authors discussed include Quine, Davidson, Lewis, Bennett, Block, Field, Churchland, and others. The book is intended for all those interested in language, mind, metaphysics or epistemology.

French Studies in the Philosophy of Science

Author : Anastasios Brenner,Jean Gayon
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 370 pages
File Size : 49,8 Mb
Release : 2009-04-14
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781402093685

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French Studies in the Philosophy of Science by Anastasios Brenner,Jean Gayon Pdf

Having examined previous volumes of the Boston Studies series devoted to different countries, and having discussed the best way to present contemporary research in France, we have arrived at a careful selection of 15 participants, including the organizers. Our aim is to bring together philosophers and practicing scientist from the major institutions of the country, both universities and research centers. The areas of research represented here cover a wide spectrum of sciences, from mathematics and physics to the life sciences, as well as linguistics and economics. This selection is a showcase of French philosophy of science, illustrating the different methods employed: logico-linguistic analysis, rational reconstruction and historical inquiry. These participants have the ability to relate their research both to the French tradition and current discussions on the international scene. Also included is a substantial historical introduction, explaining the development of philosophy of science in France, the various schools of thought and methods as well as the major concepts and their significance.

Theories of Scientific Method

Author : Robert Nola,Howard Sankey
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 343 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2014-12-18
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781317493488

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Theories of Scientific Method by Robert Nola,Howard Sankey Pdf

What is it to be scientific? Is there such a thing as scientific method? And if so, how might such methods be justified? Robert Nola and Howard Sankey seek to provide answers to these fundamental questions in their exploration of the major recent theories of scientific method. Although for many scientists their understanding of method is something they just pick up in the course of being trained, Nola and Sankey argue that it is possible to be explicit about what this tacit understanding of method is, rather than leave it as some unfathomable mystery. They robustly defend the idea that there is such a thing as scientific method and show how this might be legitimated. This book begins with the question of what methodology might mean and explores the notions of values, rules and principles, before investigating how methodologists have sought to show that our scientific methods are rational. Part 2 of this book sets out some principles of inductive method and examines its alternatives including abduction, IBE, and hypothetico-deductivism. Part 3 introduces probabilistic modes of reasoning, particularly Bayesianism in its various guises, and shows how it is able to give an account of many of the values and rules of method. Part 4 considers the ideas of philosophers who have proposed distinctive theories of method such as Popper, Lakatos, Kuhn and Feyerabend and Part 5 continues this theme by considering philosophers who have proposed naturalised theories of method such as Quine, Laudan and Rescher. This book offers readers a comprehensive introduction to the idea of scientific method and a wide-ranging discussion of how historians of science, philosophers of science and scientists have grappled with the question over the last fifty years.

The Internal Market and the Future of European Integration

Author : Fabian Amtenbrink,Gareth Davies,Dimitry Kochenov,Justin Lindeboom
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 853 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2019-04-18
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781108474412

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The Internal Market and the Future of European Integration by Fabian Amtenbrink,Gareth Davies,Dimitry Kochenov,Justin Lindeboom Pdf

A definitive reassessment of the constitutional, economic, institutional and judicial dimensions of the EU internal market, including Brexit.

Philosophy of Science in the Twentieth Century

Author : Donald Gillies
Publisher : Wiley-Blackwell
Page : 268 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 1993-04-08
Category : Science
ISBN : 0631183582

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Philosophy of Science in the Twentieth Century by Donald Gillies Pdf

This book traces the development during the 20th century of four central themes in the philosophy of science. The themes, chosen for their importance are expounded in a way which does not presuppose any previous knowledge of philosophy or science. The book thus constitutes an excellent introduction to the philosophy of science.

Understanding Philosophy of Science

Author : James Ladyman
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 312 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2012-08-06
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781134597901

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Understanding Philosophy of Science by James Ladyman Pdf

Few can imagine a world without telephones or televisions; many depend on computers and the Internet as part of daily life. Without scientific theory, these developments would not have been possible. In this exceptionally clear and engaging introduction to philosophy of science, James Ladyman explores the philosophical questions that arise when we reflect on the nature of the scientific method and the knowledge it produces. He discusses whether fundamental philosophical questions about knowledge and reality might be answered by science, and considers in detail the debate between realists and antirealists about the extent of scientific knowledge. Along the way, central topics in philosophy of science, such as the demarcation of science from non-science, induction, confirmation and falsification, the relationship between theory and observation and relativism are all addressed. Important and complex current debates over underdetermination, inference to the best explaination and the implications of radical theory change are clarified and clearly explained for those new to the subject.

Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Elsevier
Page : 26924 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2005-11-24
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9780080547848

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Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics by Anonim Pdf

The first edition of ELL (1993, Ron Asher, Editor) was hailed as "the field's standard reference work for a generation". Now the all-new second edition matches ELL's comprehensiveness and high quality, expanded for a new generation, while being the first encyclopedia to really exploit the multimedia potential of linguistics. * The most authoritative, up-to-date, comprehensive, and international reference source in its field * An entirely new work, with new editors, new authors, new topics and newly commissioned articles with a handful of classic articles * The first Encyclopedia to exploit the multimedia potential of linguistics through the online edition * Ground-breaking and International in scope and approach * Alphabetically arranged with extensive cross-referencing * Available in print and online, priced separately. The online version will include updates as subjects develop ELL2 includes: * c. 7,500,000 words * c. 11,000 pages * c. 3,000 articles * c. 1,500 figures: 130 halftones and 150 colour * Supplementary audio, video and text files online * c. 3,500 glossary definitions * c. 39,000 references * Extensive list of commonly used abbreviations * List of languages of the world (including information on no. of speakers, language family, etc.) * Approximately 700 biographical entries (now includes contemporary linguists) * 200 language maps in print and online Also available online via ScienceDirect – featuring extensive browsing, searching, and internal cross-referencing between articles in the work, plus dynamic linking to journal articles and abstract databases, making navigation flexible and easy. For more information, pricing options and availability visit www.info.sciencedirect.com. The first Encyclopedia to exploit the multimedia potential of linguistics Ground-breaking in scope - wider than any predecessor An invaluable resource for researchers, academics, students and professionals in the fields of: linguistics, anthropology, education, psychology, language acquisition, language pathology, cognitive science, sociology, the law, the media, medicine & computer science. The most authoritative, up-to-date, comprehensive, and international reference source in its field