Abstract
Classical empiricism leads to notorious problems having to do with the (at least prima facie) lack of an acceptable empiricist justification of empiricism itself. Bas van Fraassen claims that his idea of the “empirical stance” can deal with such problems. I argue, however, that this view entails a very problematic form of voluntarism which comes with the threat of latent irrationality and normative inadequacy. However, there is also a certain element of truth in such a voluntarism. The main difficulty consists in finding an acceptable form of voluntarism.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baumann, P. (2008). Belief Voluntarism and Stances, Ms.
Bueno O. (2003) Review of van Fraassen 2002. Metascience 12: 360–363
Chakravartty A. (2004) Review of van Fraassen 2002. Studies in the history and philosophy of science Part A 35(1): 173–184
Chakravartty A. (2007) Six degrees of speculation: Metaphysics in empirical contexts. In: Monton B. (eds) Images of empiricism: Essays on science and stances, with a reply from Bas van Fraassen. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 183–208
Clarke M.C. (1986) Doxastic voluntarism and forced belief. Philosophical Studies 50: 39–51
Cruse P. (2007) Van Fraassen on the nature of empiricism. Metaphilosophy 38: 489–508
Feyerabend, P. K. (1981). Classical empiricism. In P. K. Feyerabend Philosophical papers, vol. 2 (Problems of empiricism) (pp. 34–51). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Govier T. (1976) Belief, values, and the will. In Dialogue 15: 642–663
Heil J. (1983) Doxastic agency. Philosophical Studies 43: 355–364
Helm, P. (1994). Belief policies Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ho D. (2007) Farewell to empiricism. In: Monton B. (eds) Images of empiricism: Essays on science and stances, with a reply from Bas van Fraassen. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 319–333
Holyer R. (1983) Belief and will revisited. Dialogue 22: 273–290
James, W. (1963). The will to believe. In W. James (Ed.), Pragmatism and other essays. New York: Washington Square Press, 193–213.
Jauernig A. (2007) Must empiricism be a stance, and could it be one? How to be an empiricist and a philosopher at the same time. In: Monton B. (eds) Images of empiricism: Essays on science and stances, with a reply from Bas van Fraassen. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 271–318
Kuhn T.S. (1977) Objectivity, value judgment, and theory choice. In: Kuhn T.S. (eds) The essential tension. Selected studies in scientific tradition and change. . University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp 320–339
Ladyman J. (2004) Empiricism versus metaphysics. Philosophical Studies 121: 133–146
Lipton P. (2004) Epistemic options. Philosophical Studies 121: 147–158
Millgram E. (2006) Review of van Fraassen 2002. The Philosophical Review 115: 404–408
Mohler C. (2007) The dilemma of empiricist belief. In: Monton B. (eds) Images of empiricism: Essays on science and stances, with a reply from Bas van Fraassen. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 209–228
Moore, G.E. (1952). A reply to my critics. In P. A. Schilpp (Ed.), The philosophy of G. E. Moore (2nd ed., pp.533–677). New York: Tudor.
Muders, S. (2006). Empiricism without metaphysics? In A. Berg-Hildebrand & C. Suhm (Eds.), Bas C. van Fraassen: The fortunes of empiricism (pp.113–124). Frankfurt etc.: ontos.
Naylor M.B. (1985) Voluntary belief. In Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 45: 427–436
Riggs W.D. (2003) Balancing our epistemic goals. Noûs 37: 342–352
Rowbottom D.P. (2005) The empirical stance vs. the critical attitude. South African Journal of Philosophy 24: 200–223
Stich S.P. (1990) The fragmentation of reason. MIT Press, Cambridge/MA
Teller P. (2004) What is a stance?. Philosophical Studies 121: 159–170
van Fraassen B.C. (1984) Belief and the will. Journal of Philosophy 81: 235–256
van Fraassen B.C. (1989) Laws and symmetry. Oxford University Press, Oxford
van Fraassen B.C. (1994) Against transcendental empiricism. In: Stapleton T.J. (eds) The question of hermeneutics. . Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 309–335
van Fraassen B.C. (1995) Against naturalized epistemology. In: Leonardi P., Santambrogio M. (eds) On Quine. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 68–88
van Fraassen B.C. (1997) Sola experientia? Feyerabend’s refutation of classical empiricism. Philosophy of Science 64: 385–395
van Fraassen B.C. (2000) The false hopes of traditional epistemology. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 60: 253–280
van Fraassen B.C. (2002) The empirical stance. Yale University Press, New Haven & London
van Fraassen B. C. (2004a) Précis of The empirical stance. Philosophical Studies 121: 127–132
van Fraassen B.C. (2004b) Replies to discussion on The empirical stance. Philosophical Studies 121: 171–192
van Fraassen, B. C. (2004c). Reply to Chakravarrty, Jauernig, and McMullin (from APA pacific division 2004 symposium), Ms.
van Fraassen, B. C. (2006). Replies. In A. Berg-Hildebrand & C. Suhm (Eds.), Bas C. van Fraassen: The fortunes of empiricism (pp.125–171). Frankfurt etc.: ontos.
van Fraassen B.C. (2007) Reply: From a view of science to a new empricism. In: Monton B. (eds) Images of empiricism: Essays on science and stances,with a reply from Bas van Fraassen. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 337–383
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baumann, P. Empiricism, stances, and the problem of voluntarism. Synthese 178, 27–36 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-009-9519-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-009-9519-7