Scientific kinds

Philosophical Studies 172 (4):969-986 (2015)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

Richard Boyd’s Homeostatic Property Cluster Theory is becoming the received view of natural kinds in the philosophy of science. However, a problem with HPC Theory is that it neglects many kinds highlighted by scientific classifications while at the same time endorsing kinds rejected by science. In other words, there is a mismatch between HPC kinds and the kinds of science. An adequate account of natural kinds should accurately track the classifications of successful science. We offer an alternative account of natural kinds that better recognizes the diversity of epistemic aims scientists have for constructing classifications. That account introduces the idea of a classificatory program and provides criteria for judging whether a classificatory program identifies natural kinds.

Other Versions

No versions found

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 101,880

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Indigenous and Scientific Kinds.David Ludwig - 2017 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 68 (1).
Are psychiatric kinds real?Helen Beebee & Nigel Sabbarton-Leary - 2010 - European Journal of Analytic Philosophy 6 (1):11-27.
NK≠HPC.P. D. Magnus - 2014 - Philosophical Quarterly 64 (256):471-477.
Catherine Kendig, ed. Natural Kinds and Classification in Scientific Practice. London: Routledge, 2016. Pp. xx+247. $153.00.Max Dresow & Alan C. Love - 2018 - Hopos: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science 8 (1):217-222.
Natural Kinds, Mind Independence, and Defeasibility.Marc Ereshefsky - 2018 - Philosophy of Science 85 (5):845-856.

Analytics

Added to PP
2014-02-27

Downloads
325 (#86,956)

6 months
20 (#152,030)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author Profiles

Thomas A. C. Reydon
Universität Hannover
Marc Ereshefsky
University of Calgary

Citations of this work

Social Ontology.Brian Epstein - 2018 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Natural kinds.Emma Tobin & Alexander Bird - 2009 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Last Chance Saloons for Natural Kind Realism.Anjan Chakravartty - 2023 - American Philosophical Quarterly 60 (1):63-81.

View all 76 citations / Add more citations