Constructive Empiricism

Constructive Empiricism

Author: P. Dicken

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2010-07-16

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13: 0230281826

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Constructive empiricism is not just a view regarding the aim of science; it is also a view regarding the epistemological framework in which one should debate the aim of science. This is the focus of this book – not with scientific truth, but with how one should argue about scientific truth.


Images of Science

Images of Science

Author: Bas C. Van Fraassen

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 1985-10-15

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 0226106543

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"Churchland and Hooker have collected ten papers by prominent philosophers of science which challenge van Fraassen's thesis from a variety of realist perspectives. Together with van Fraassen's extensive reply . . . these articles provide a comprehensive picture of the current debate in philosophy of science between realists and anti-realists."—Jeffrey Bub and David MacCallum, Foundations of Physics Letters


Modal Empiricism

Modal Empiricism

Author: Quentin Ruyant

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-05-07

Total Pages: 230

ISBN-13: 3030723496

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This book proposes a novel position in the debate on scientific realism: Modal Empiricism. Modal empiricism is the view that the aim of science is to provide theories that correctly delimit, in a unified way, the range of experiences that are naturally possible given our position in the world. The view is associated with a pragmatic account of scientific representation and an original notion of situated modalities, together with an inductive epistemology for modalities. It purports to provide a faithful account of scientific practice and of its impressive achievements, and defuses the main motivations for scientific realism. More generally, Modal Empiricism purports to be the precise articulation of a pragmatist stance towards science. This book is of interest to any philosopher involved in the debate on scientific realism, or interested in how to properly understand the content, aim and achievements of science.


The Scientific Image

The Scientific Image

Author: Bas C. Van Fraassen

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 1980-12-11

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 9780198244271

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In this book van Fraassen develops an alternative to scientific realism by constructing and evaluating three mutually reinforcing theories.


Beyond Rhetoric and Realism in Economics

Beyond Rhetoric and Realism in Economics

Author: Thomas A. Boylan

Publisher: Psychology Press

Published: 1995

Total Pages: 268

ISBN-13: 9780415125130

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Boylan and O'Gorman inject a fresh empiricist voice into the debate on economic methodology. They strike a reasonable middle ground between the extremes of scientific realism and the rhetoric of economics.


Images of Empiricism

Images of Empiricism

Author: Bradley Monton

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2007-10-04

Total Pages: 400

ISBN-13: 0191607665

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Thirteen specially written essays discuss topics from the work of Bas C. van Fraassen, one of the most important contemporary philosophers of science. The central and unifying theme of the volume is empiricism, an approach which van Fraassen developed most fully in The Scientific Image and The Empirical Stance. Thirteen of the world's leading experts in the field examine van Fraassen's defence of scientific anti-realism (which he sees as a core tenet of empiricism), as well as his claim that adopting a philosophical position like empiricism does not consist in holding a particular set of beliefs, but is rather a matter of taking a stance. Images of Empiricism concludes with an extensive and intriguing reply by van Fraassen, in which he develops and corrects his old views, and offers new insights into the nature of science, empiricism, and philosophy itself.


A Critical Introduction to Scientific Realism

A Critical Introduction to Scientific Realism

Author: Paul Dicken

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2016-07-28

Total Pages: 223

ISBN-13: 147257589X

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What are the reasons for believing scientific theories to be true? The contemporary debate around scientific realism exposes questions about the very nature of scientific knowledge. A Critical Introduction to Scientific Realism explores and advances the main topics of the debate, allowing epistemologists to make new connections with the philosophy of science. Moving from its origins in logical positivism to some of the most recent issues discussed in the literature, this critical introduction covers the no-miracles argument, the pessimistic meta-induction and structural realism. Placing arguments in their historical context, Paul Dicken approaches scientific realism debate as a particular instance of our more general epistemological investigations. The recurrent theme is that the scientific realism debate is in fact a pseudo-philosophical question. Concerned with the methodology of the scientific realism debate, Dicken asks what it means to offer an epistemological assessment of our scientific practices. Taking those practices as a guide to our epistemological reflections, A Critical Introduction to Scientific Realism fills a gap in current introductory texts and presents a fresh approach to understanding a crucial debate.


Embracing Scientific Realism

Embracing Scientific Realism

Author: Seungbae Park

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-12-02

Total Pages: 249

ISBN-13: 3030878139

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This book provides philosophers of science with new theoretical resources for making their own contributions to the scientific realism debate. Readers will encounter old and new arguments for and against scientific realism. They will also be given useful tips for how to provide influential formulations of scientific realism and antirealism. Finally, they will see how scientific realism relates to scientific progress, scientific understanding, mathematical realism, and scientific practice.


Social Constructivism and the Philosophy of Science

Social Constructivism and the Philosophy of Science

Author: André Kukla

Publisher: Psychology Press

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 186

ISBN-13: 9780415234184

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This volume presents a comprehensive discussion of the philosophical issues that arise out of this controversial debate, analysing the various strengths and weaknesses of a range of constructivist positions.


Rationality and Reality

Rationality and Reality

Author: Colin Cheyne

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2006-07-25

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 1402042078

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Alan Musgrave has consistently defended two positions that he regards as commonsensical: critical realism and critical rationalism. In this volume a group of internationally-renowned authors discuss themes that are relevant in one way or another to Musgrave’s work. Rather than a standard celebratory festschrift, this book offers a new examination of topics of current interest in philosophy. The contributory essays are followed by responses from Alan Musgrave himself.