Bradley, Seamus (2013) Rational theory choice: Arrow undermined, Kuhn vindicated. [Preprint]

Preview

PDF kuhn-arrow.pdf - Submitted Version Download (227kB)

Abstract

In a recent paper, Samir Okasha presented an argument that suggests that there is no rational way to choose among scientific theories. This would seriously undermine the view that science is a rational entreprise. In this paper I show how a suitably nuanced view of what scientific rationality requires allows us to avoid Okasha’s conclusion. I go on to argue that making further assumptions about the space of possible scientific theories allows us to make scientific rationality more contentful. I then show how such a view of scientific rationality fits with what Thomas Kuhn thought.

---

Export/Citation:

EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL

Social Networking:

Share |

---

Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Bradley, Seamus Seamus.Bradley@lrz.uni-muenchen.de
Keywords:	theory choice, scientific rationality, arrows theorem
Subjects:	General Issues > Theory Change General Issues > Values In Science
Depositing User:	Dr. Seamus Bradley
Date Deposited:	02 Dec 2013 19:53
Last Modified:	02 Dec 2013 19:53
Item ID:	10112
Subjects:	General Issues > Theory Change General Issues > Values In Science
Date:	1 December 2013
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/10112

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Actions (login required)

View Item