PhilSci Archive

A New Functional Approach to Scientific Progress

Shan, Yafeng (2019) A New Functional Approach to Scientific Progress. [Preprint]

This is the latest version of this item.

[img]
Preview
 Text
A New Functional Approach to Scientific Progress (Preprint).pdf
Download (354kB) | Preview

Abstract

This paper develops and defends a new functional approach to scientific progress. I begin with a review of the problems of the traditional functional approach. Then I propose a new functional account of scientific progress, in which scientific progress is defined in terms of usefulness of problem-defining and problem-solving. I illustrate and defend my account by applying to the history of genetics. Finally, I highlight the advantages of my new functional approach over the epistemic and semantic approaches and dismiss some potential objections to my approach.

Export/Citation: EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL
Social Networking:
Share |
Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Shan, Yafengys1@mail.tau.ac.il0000-0001-7736-1822
Keywords: scientific progress, usefulness, problem-defining, problem-solving
Subjects: General Issues > Theory Change
Depositing User: Dr Yafeng Shan
Date Deposited: 20 Jun 2019 18:13
Last Modified: 20 Jun 2019 18:13
Item ID: 16132
Official URL: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdfplus/10.1...
DOI or Unique Handle: 10.1086/704980
Subjects: General Issues > Theory Change
Date: November 2019
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/16132

Available Versions of this Item

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Altmetric.com

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item