Models and the unity of classical physics: Nancy Cartwright's dappled world
Philosophy of Science 68 (4):456-475 (2001)
| Abstract | In this paper, I examine the claim that any physical theory will have an extremely limited domain of application because 1) we have to use distinct theories to model different situations in the world and 2) no theory has enough textbook models to handle anything beyond a highly simplified situation. Against the first claim, I show that many examples used to bolster it are actually instances of application of the very same classical theory rather than disjoint theories. Thus, there is a hidden unity to the world of classical physics that is usually overlooked (by, for example, Nancy Cartwright who argues for the claims above). Against the second claim, I show that the practice of classical physics involves an enormous (infinite) number of models the use of which cannot be written off as merely ad hoc. Thus, although classical physics cannot, of course, model every situation in nature, it has a much larger domain than some would have us believe | |||||||||
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Similar books and articlesNancy Cartwright (1989). Nature's Capacities and Their Measurement. Oxford University Press.
Stéphanie Ruphy (2003). Is the World Really “Dappled”? A Response to Cartwright's Charge Against “Cross‐Wise Reduction”. Philosophy of Science 70 (1):57-67.
Dan Mcarthur (2006). Contra Cartwright: Structural Realism, Ontological Pluralism and Fundamentalism About Laws. Synthese 151 (2):233 - 255.
Nancy Cartwright (1999). The Dappled World: A Study of the Boundaries of Science. Cambridge University Press.
Sheldon Steed, Gabriele Contessa & Nancy Cartwright (2011). Keeping Track of Neurath's Bill: Abstract Concepts, Stock Models, and the Unity of Classical Physics. In Olga Pombo, John Symons & Juan Manuel Torres (eds.), Otto Neurath and the Unity of Science. Kluwer.
Nancy Cartwright (1994). The Metaphysics of the Disunified World. PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1994:357 - 364.
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