Theories of Scientific Progress: An Introduction

Front Cover
Psychology Press, 2004 - Philosophy - 181 pages

What is the nature of scientific progress and what makes it possible? When we look back at the scientific theories of the past and compare them to the state of science today, there seems little doubt that we have made progress. But is it a continuous process which gradually incorporates past successes into present theories, or are entrenched theories overthrown by superior competitors in a revolutionary manner?
Theories of Scientific Progress is the ideal introduction to this topic. It is clearly organized, with suggestions for further reading that point the way to both primary texts and secondary literature. It will be essential reading for students of the history and philosophy of science.

 

Contents

Whewells tributaryriver image of scientific progress
7
Brewster on how now to do history of science
17
Mills objections to Whewells historicism
19
Progress through reduction
28
Lakatos version on the progress is incorporation thesis
38
Progress and the asymptotic agreement of calculations
51
Suggestions for further reading
56
Progress as revolutionary overthrow
63
Suggestions for further reading
92
Descriptive theories of scientific progress
95
Normative and descriptive theories
97
Scientific progress and convergence upon truth
98
Laudan on scientific progress as increasing problemsolving effectiveness
120
Kitcher on conceptual progress and explanatory progress
126
Normative naturalism
130
Scientific progress and the theory of organic evolution
140

IB Cohen on the identification of scientific revolutions
65
Kuhns taxonomic criterion
68
Toulmins ideals on natural order
73
Ideological upheaval and revolutionary change
75
Kuhns threebeat pattern
76
Laudans reticulational model of scientific change
82
Popper on progress through overthrowwithincorporation
88
Suggestions for further reading
152
Conclusion
156
Notes
160
References
169
Index of names
175
Index of subjects
178
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About the author (2004)

John Losee is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Lafayette College, Eason, PA. He is the author of A Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Science (1972), which has been translated into eleven foreign languages and is currently in its fourth English Edition, and Philosophy of Science and Historical Enquiry (1987).

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