Oriti, Daniele (2017) No alternative to proliferation. [Preprint]

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Abstract

We reflect on the nature, role and limits of non-empirical theory assessment in fundamental physics, focusing in particular on quantum gravity. We argue for the usefulness and, to some extent, necessity of non-empirical theory assessment, but also examine critically its dangers.
We conclude that the principle of proliferation of theories is not only at the very root of theory assessment but all the more necessary when experimental tests are scarce, and also that, in the same situation, it represents the only medicine against the degeneration of scientific research programmes.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Oriti, Daniele daniele.oriti@aei.mpg.de 0000-0002-2004-7063
Additional Information:	contribution to the volume "Why trust a theory?", edited by R. Dardashti, R. Dawid, K. Thebault, Cambridge University Press
Keywords:	philosophy of physics, philosophy of science, scientific method, epistemology
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics
Depositing User:	Prof Daniele Oriti
Date Deposited:	30 May 2017 20:16
Last Modified:	30 May 2017 20:16
Item ID:	13071
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics
Date:	2017
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/13071

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