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Friedman's Thesis

Samaroo, Ryan (2015) Friedman's Thesis. [Preprint]

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Abstract

This essay examines Friedman’s recent approach to the analysis of physical theories. Friedman argues against Quine that the identification of certain principles as 'constitutive' is essential to a satisfactory methodological analysis of physics. I explicate Friedman’s characterization of a constitutive principle, and I evaluate his account of the constitutive principles that Newtonian and Einsteinian gravitation presuppose for their formulation. I argue that something close to Friedman’s thesis is defensible.


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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Samaroo, Ryanryan.samaroo@bristol.ac.uk
Keywords: Structure of space-time theories; Newtonian gravitation; General relativity; Equivalence principle; Geodesic principle
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics
General Issues > Conventionalism
General Issues > Logical Positivism/Logical Empiricism
Specific Sciences > Mathematics
Specific Sciences > Physics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
General Issues > Structure of Theories
General Issues > Theory Change
Depositing User: Dr Ryan Samaroo
Date Deposited: 20 Sep 2015 19:04
Last Modified: 20 Sep 2015 19:04
Item ID: 11686
DOI or Unique Handle: 10.1016/j.shpsb.2015.03.007
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics
General Issues > Conventionalism
General Issues > Logical Positivism/Logical Empiricism
Specific Sciences > Mathematics
Specific Sciences > Physics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
General Issues > Structure of Theories
General Issues > Theory Change
Date: 1 May 2015
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/11686

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