PhilSci Archive

The Structure, the Whole Structure and Nothing but the Structure?

Psillos, Stathis (2004) The Structure, the Whole Structure and Nothing but the Structure? In: UNSPECIFIED. (Unpublished)

[img] Microsoft Word (.doc)
PSA04-paper.doc

Download (76kB)

Abstract

This paper takes issue with Ontic Structural Realism (OSR). It is structured around the three elements of the title. Section 2 highlights a substantive non-structural assumption that needs to be in place before we can talk about the structure. Then, by drawing on some relevant issues concerning mathematical structuralism, it claims that (a) structures need objects and (b) scientific structuralism should focus on in re structures. But then pure structuralism is undermined. Section 3 discusses whether the world has ‘excess structure’ over the structure of appearances. The main point is: the claim that only structure can be known is false. Finally, section 4 argues directly against ORS that it lacks the resources to accommodate causation within the structuralist slogan that “all that there is, is structure”.


Export/Citation: EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL
Social Networking:
Share |

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Psillos, Stathis
Keywords: structuralism; causation; structural realism
Subjects: General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism
Depositing User: Stathis Psillos
Date Deposited: 08 Nov 2004
Last Modified: 07 Oct 2010 15:13
Item ID: 2068
Public Domain: Yes
Subjects: General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism
Date: 2004
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/2068

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item