Skip to main content
Log in

On the aim of the theory of verisimilitude

  • Published:
Synthese Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

J. P. Z. Bonilla's methodological approach to truthlikeness is evaluated critically. On a more general level, various senses in which the theory of truthlikeness could be seen as a theory concerned with methodology are distinguished, and it is argued that providing speical sciences with methodological tools is unrealistic as an aim of the theory of verisimilitude. Rather, when developing this theory, one should rest contnet with the more modest aim of conceptual analysis, or of providing explications for the relational concept of being closer to the truth. In addition, some remarks will be made on the difficulties which the similarity approach to truthlikeness has in realizing this aim and which are caused by the important role that Hintikka's constituents have in it.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bonilla, J. P. Z.: 1992, ‘Truthlikeness Without Truth. A Methodological Approach’, Synthese 93, 343–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hintikka, K. J.: 1973, ‘On the Different Ingredients of an Empirical Theory’, in Suppes, P., Henkin, L., Joja, A, and Moisil, G. C. (eds.): Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science IV, North-Holland, Amsterdam, pp. 313–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kieseppä, I. A.: 1994, ‘Assessing the Structuralist Theory of Verisimilitude’, in Kuokkanen (1994), (1994), pp. 95–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuipers, T. A. F.: 1982, ‘Approaching Descriptive and Theoretical Truth’, Erkenntnis 18, 343–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuipers, T. A. F.: 1984, ‘Approaching the Truth with the Rule of Success’, Philosophia Naturalis 21, 244–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuipers, T. A. F. (ed.): 1987, What is Closer-to-the-truth? A Parade of Approaches to Truthlikeness, Rodopi, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuipers, T. A. F.: 1992, ‘Naive and Refined Truth Approximation’, Synthese 93, 299–341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuokkanen, M. (ed.): 1994, Idealization VII: Structuralism, Idealization and Approximation, Rodopi, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laudan, L.: 1977, Progress and its Problems, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laudan, L.: 1981, ‘A Confutation of Convergent Realism’, Philosophy of Science 48, 19–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, D.: 1975, ‘The Accuracy of Predictions’, Synthese 30, 159–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, D.: 1978, ‘The Distance between Constitutents’, Synthese 38, 197–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Niiniluoto, I.: 1978, ‘Scientific Progress’, Synthese 45, 427–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Niiniluoto, I.: 1982, ‘What Shall We Do with Verisimilitude?’, Philosophy of Science 49, 181–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Niiniluoto, I.: 1984, Is Science Progressive? D. Reidel, Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • Niiniluoto, I.: 1987, Truthlikeness, D. Reidel, Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oddie, G.: 1978, ‘Verisimilitude and Distance in Logical Space’, in Niiniluoto, I. and Tuomela, R. (eds.), The Logic and Epistemology of Scientific Change, Acta Philosophica Fennica 30(2–4), 227–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oddie, G.: 1981, ‘Verisimilitude Reviewed’, The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 32, 237–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oddie, G.: 1982, ‘Cohen on Verisimilitude and Natural Necessity’, Synthese 51, 355–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oddie, G.: 1986, Likeness to Truth, D. Reidel, Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • Popper, K. R.: 1963, Conjectures and Refutations. The Growth of Scientific Knowledge, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Popper, K. R.: 1972, Objective Knowledge. An Evolutionary Approach, Clarendon Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quine, W. V. O.: 1960, Word and Object, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rantala, V.: 1987, ‘Constituents’, in R. J. Bogdan (ed.), Jaakko Hintikka, D. Reidel, Dordrecht, pp. 43–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, G. S.: 1971, ‘Popper's Verisimilitude’, Analysis 31, 194–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tichý, P.: 1976, ‘Verisimilitude Redefined’, The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 27, 25–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tichý, P.: 1978, ‘Verisimilitude Revisited’, Synthese 38, 175–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weston, T.: 1992, ‘Approximate Truth and Scientific Realism’, Philosophy of Science 59, 53–74.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kieseppä, I.A. On the aim of the theory of verisimilitude. Synthese 107, 421–438 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00413844

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00413844

Keywords

Navigation