Lyons, Timothy D. (2002) Explaining the Success of a Scientific Theory. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Scientific realists have claimed that the posit that our theories are (approximately) true provides the best or the only explanation for their success . In response, I revive two non-realists explanations. I show that realists, in discarding them, have either misconstrued the phenomena to be explained or mischaracterized the relationship between these explanations and their own. I contend nonetheless that these non-realist competitors, as well as their realist counterparts, should be rejected; for none of them succeed in explaining a significant list of successes. I propose a related non-realist explanation of success that appears to be the most suitable among those considered.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Lyons, Timothy D.
Keywords:	General Philosophy of Science, Realism/Anti-Realism, Structure of Theories
Depositing User:	Program Committee
Date Deposited:	23 Mar 2003
Last Modified:	07 Oct 2010 15:11
Item ID:	1085
Date:	2002
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/1085

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