Resisting Scientific Realism

K. Brad Wray

Resisting Scientific Realism

Department of Mathematics - Science Studies

Research output: Book/anthology/dissertation/report › Book › Research › peer-review

Abstract

In this book K. Brad Wray provides a comprehensive survey of the arguments against scientific realism. In addition to presenting logical considerations that undermine the realists' inferences to the likely truth or approximate truth of our theories, he provides a thorough assessment of the evidence from the history of science. He also examines grounds for a defence of anti-realism, including an anti-realist explanation for the success of our current theories, an account of why false theories can be empirically successful, and an explanation for why we should expect radical changes of theory in the future. His arguments are supported and illustrated by cases from the history of science, including a sustained study of the Copernican Revolution, and a study of the revolution in early 20th Century chemistry, when chemists came to classify elements by their atomic number rather than by their atomic weight.

Original language	English

Place of publication	Cambridge
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
ISBN (Electronic)	9781108231633
Publication status	Published - 22 Oct 2018

Keywords

anti-realism
Philosophy of Science
pessimistic inductions
no miracles argument

Cite this

@book{472cbf87d1c445b6af108adac2b930e0,

title = "Resisting Scientific Realism",

abstract = "In this book K. Brad Wray provides a comprehensive survey of the arguments against scientific realism. In addition to presenting logical considerations that undermine the realists' inferences to the likely truth or approximate truth of our theories, he provides a thorough assessment of the evidence from the history of science. He also examines grounds for a defence of anti-realism, including an anti-realist explanation for the success of our current theories, an account of why false theories can be empirically successful, and an explanation for why we should expect radical changes of theory in the future. His arguments are supported and illustrated by cases from the history of science, including a sustained study of the Copernican Revolution, and a study of the revolution in early 20th Century chemistry, when chemists came to classify elements by their atomic number rather than by their atomic weight. ",

keywords = "anti-realism, Philosophy of Science, pessimistic inductions, no miracles argument",

author = "Wray, {K. Brad}",

year = "2018",

month = oct,

day = "22",

language = "English",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

}

TY - BOOK

T1 - Resisting Scientific Realism

AU - Wray, K. Brad

PY - 2018/10/22

Y1 - 2018/10/22

N2 - In this book K. Brad Wray provides a comprehensive survey of the arguments against scientific realism. In addition to presenting logical considerations that undermine the realists' inferences to the likely truth or approximate truth of our theories, he provides a thorough assessment of the evidence from the history of science. He also examines grounds for a defence of anti-realism, including an anti-realist explanation for the success of our current theories, an account of why false theories can be empirically successful, and an explanation for why we should expect radical changes of theory in the future. His arguments are supported and illustrated by cases from the history of science, including a sustained study of the Copernican Revolution, and a study of the revolution in early 20th Century chemistry, when chemists came to classify elements by their atomic number rather than by their atomic weight.

AB - In this book K. Brad Wray provides a comprehensive survey of the arguments against scientific realism. In addition to presenting logical considerations that undermine the realists' inferences to the likely truth or approximate truth of our theories, he provides a thorough assessment of the evidence from the history of science. He also examines grounds for a defence of anti-realism, including an anti-realist explanation for the success of our current theories, an account of why false theories can be empirically successful, and an explanation for why we should expect radical changes of theory in the future. His arguments are supported and illustrated by cases from the history of science, including a sustained study of the Copernican Revolution, and a study of the revolution in early 20th Century chemistry, when chemists came to classify elements by their atomic number rather than by their atomic weight.

KW - anti-realism

KW - Philosophy of Science

KW - pessimistic inductions

KW - no miracles argument

UR - https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/resisting-scientific-realism/DC903315D1A2FC2C0DD95A9B24C03476#fndtn-information

M3 - Book

BT - Resisting Scientific Realism

PB - Cambridge University Press

CY - Cambridge

ER -

Resisting Scientific Realism

Abstract

Keywords

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this