33 Result(s)
within
History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics
Metaphysics
Philosophy of Science
English
2017 - 2017
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Chapter
Underdetermination, Realism and Objectivity in Quantum Mechanics
Underdetermination of theories by empirical data is a central theme in debates surrounding scientific realism. Underdetermination undermines epistemological optimism: if empirical evidence cannot decide betwee...
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Causation and Scientific Realism: Mechanisms and Powers without Essentialism
This paper is based on the assumption that the most plausible metaphysics behind the scientific image of the world is causal realism. A theory of causality is defended within the framework of the new mechanica...
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Chapter
Theories and Models: Realism and Objectivity in Cognitive Science
Scientific realism is often analyzed in the context of natural sciences theory. How does it behave in cognitive science theories? Some philosophers of science have proposed a pragmatic approach to the concept ...
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Chapter
Mathematical Truth Revisited: Mathematics as a Toolbox
We discuss the notion of truth in Mathematics as relative to certain structures, very much in line with Bernays’ conception of “bezogene Existenz”. Looking to some concrete examples, we argue that even so-called...
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Mereology
An ontology of continuants and occurrents to be developed in the course of the book within a framework of regions of space and intervals of time is initially outlined in this chapter. First and foremost, quant...
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The Debates on Scientific Realism Today: Knowledge and Objectivity in Science
Debates on realism in science concern two main questions: whether theoretical knowledge is possible, and whether it is objective. Today, as in the past, the possibility of theoretical knowledge is often denied...
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Constitution
The constitution relation is discussed in some detail in this chapter. It is a three-place relation standing between an individual, a quantity of matter and a time, allowing for the typically changing constitu...
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Strict Empiricism Versus Explanation in Science
It to believe that the best (or only) explanation of certain phenomena is true. This is why we are entitled to believe both in successful scientific theories, and in scientific realism, which explains that t...
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The Ancients’ Ideas of Substance
Ancient theories of substance based on a continuous view of matter are taken up in this chapter. They bear some resemblance to modern, macroscopic conceptions and therefore have some interest as precursors of ...
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Selective Scientific Realism: Representation, Objectivity and Truth
In I advocate a version of selective epistemological realism. I begin with analyzing the conditions in which a scientific model successfully and correctly represents an identified target. I stress that the r...
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The Relation of Macroscopic Description to Microstructure
With the background provided by the previous chapters, the dyadic predicate “water” is discussed in some detail in this chapter as illustrative of substance predicates. The familiar claim “Water is H2O” cannot be...
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Chapter
Scientific Realism and the Mind-Independence of the World
In this paper, I analyse the metaphysical component of scientific realism. I develop and defend the view that the realist claim of mind-independence is captured by what I call ‘the possibility of divergence’, ...
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Cognitive Illusions and Nonrealism: Objections and Replies
an agnostic position concerning scientific realism, partly for historicist reasons. In work more fully developed elsewhere, I suggest that cognitive illusions (e.g., the flat future or end-of-history illusi...
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Modal Properties of Quantities
Modal features of quantities are discussed in the final chapter. Talk of atomic number as the essence of something, unclear exactly what, is put aside in favour of pursuing Paneth’s more fruitful distinction b...
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Book
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Chapter
Retention, Truth-Content and Selective Realism
Selectivism, the divide et impera approach, is arguably the most promising realist project today, despite lingering issues regarding the selection of truthful parts in successful theories. Second generation appro...
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Chapter
Semantic Definition of Truth, Empirical Theories and Scientific Realism
The paper applies formal logical semantics to analysis of empirical theories and scientific realism. Empirical theories are ordered sets of propositions and, under the assumption of consistency, they have mode...
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Chapter
Is Uniqueness of Reality Predicted by the Quantum Laws?
The standard interpretation of quantum mechanics takes for granted an impossibility of deriving “wave function collapse” from equation. One raises an opposite possibility, which would make collapse one of th...
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Objectivity in Mathematics: The Structuralist Roots of a Pragmatic Realism
This a reconsideration of mathematical structuralism, inaugurated by , by adopting the “practical turn” that owes much to Henri Poincare. By reconstructing his group theoretic approach of geometry, it seems...
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Realism as the Methodological Strategy in the Cognitive Science
The author discusses philosophical and methodological presuppositions of investigations in Cognitive Science. In this context a traditional philosophical and psychological idea of consciousness as the only cer...
