What is the Point of Reduction in Science?

Erkenntnis 85 (6):1437-1460 (2020)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

The numerous and diverse roles of theory reduction in science have been insufficiently explored in the philosophy literature on reduction. Part of the reason for this has been a lack of attention paid to reduction2 (successional reduction)—although I here argue that this sense of reduction is closer to reduction1 (explanatory reduction) than is commonly recognised, and I use an account of reduction that is neutral between the two. This paper draws attention to the utility—and incredible versatility—of theory reduction. A non-exhaustive list of various applications of reduction in science is presented, some of which are drawn from a particular case-study, being the current search for a new theory of fundamental physics. This case-study is especially interesting because it employs both senses of reduction at once, and because of the huge weight being put on reduction by the different research groups involved; additionally, it presents some unique uses for reduction—revealing, I argue, the fact that reduction can be of specialised and unexpected service in particular scientific cases. The paper makes two other general findings: that the functions of reduction that are typically assumed to characterise the different forms of the relation may instead be understood as secondary consequences of some other roles; and that most of the roles that reduction plays in science can actually also be fulfilled by a weaker relation than (the typical understanding of) reduction.

Other Versions

original Crowther, Karen (2018) "What is the point of reduction in science?". Erkenntnis 0():1-24

Similar books and articles

Reduction in genetics.David L. Hull - 1979 - Philosophy of Science 46 (2):316-320.
Reduction.A. Hütterman & A. C. Love - 2014 - In Paul Humphreys (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Science. New York, NY, USA: Oxford University Press. pp. 460-484.
There is good physics in theory reduction.Fritz Rohrlich - 1990 - Foundations of Physics 20 (11):1399-1412.
Reduction.Andreas Hüttemann & Alan Love - 2014 - In Paul Humphreys (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Science. New York, NY, USA: Oxford University Press. pp. 460-484.
Toward a Philosophy of Harm Reduction.Shannon Dea - 2020 - Health Care Analysis 28 (4):302-313.

Analytics

Added to PP
2020-10-27

Downloads
320 (#78,284)

6 months
69 (#83,858)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Karen Crowther
University of Oslo

References found in this work

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.Thomas S. Kuhn - 1962 - Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. Edited by Ian Hacking.
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.Thomas Samuel Kuhn - 1962 - Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Edited by Otto Neurath.
Unity of Science as a Working Hypothesis.Paul Oppenheim & Hilary Putnam - 1958 - Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science 2:3-36.
Quantum Gravity.Carlo Rovelli - 2004 - Cambridge University Press.
Studies in the Logic of Explanation.Carl Hempel & Paul Oppenheim - 1948 - Journal of Symbolic Logic 14 (2):133-133.

View all 39 references / Add more references