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Theoretical explanation and errors of measurement

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Conclusion

By using the concept of a uniformity, the Structuralists have given us a most useful means of representing approximations. In the second section of this paper, I have made use of this technique to show how we can deal with errors of measurement — imprecise explananda — in the context of theoretical explanation. As well as (I hope) providing further demonstration of the power of the Structuralist approach, this also serves to support the ontic conception of explanation by showing that it can help us resolve substantial problems in the theory of explanation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Science and Technology, Griffith University, 4111, Nathan, Queensland, Australia

    John Forge

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  1. John Forge
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Additional information

I would like to thank Professor C. U. Moulines for his kindness in reading an earlier draft of this paper, and in particular for suggesting to me to mention the points made in footnotes 12 and 13. I am also most grateful to this journal's referee for many helpful comments whereby the paper has been much improved.

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Forge, J. Theoretical explanation and errors of measurement. Erkenntnis 33, 371–390 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00717592

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00717592

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