The Pessimistic Induction Kareem Khalifa Department of Philosophy Middlebury College History of...
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Transcript of The Pessimistic Induction Kareem Khalifa Department of Philosophy Middlebury College History of...
The Pessimistic Induction
Kareem KhalifaDepartment of Philosophy
Middlebury College
History of Science
AntirealistRealist
Overview
I. Core realist ideasII. Realist argumentsIII. Reference & successIV. Approximate truth & success: downwardV. Approximate truth & success: upwardVI. Retention & convergenceVII.Circularity objection
III. Reference & success
Targets P2: If the central terms in
scientific theories genuinely refer, those theories will generally
be empirically successful.
IV. Downward Path
Targets P1:If scientific theories are
approximately true, they will typically be
empirically successful.
V. Upward path
Targets P1:If scientific
theories are approximately true, they will
typically be empirically successful.
The Hit Parade• The crystalline spheres of ancient and medieval astronomy• The humoral theory of medicine• The effluvial theory of static electricity• ‘Castastrophist’ geology, including the Noah’s Flood• The phlogiston theory of chemistry• The caloric theory of heat• The vibratory theory of heat• The vital force theories of physiology• The electromagnetic aether• The optical aether• The theory of circular inertia• Theories of spontaneous generation
VI. Convergence & retention
R3: Earlier theories will be limiting cases of later theories.R4: Acceptable new theories do and should explain why their predecessors were successful insofar as they were successful.
Targets….P4: If the earlier theories in a 'mature' science are approximately true and if the central terms of those theories genuinely refer, then later more successful theories in the same science will preserve the earlier theories as limiting cases.