Novick, Aaron and Currie, Adrian and McQueen, Eden and Brouwer, Nathan (2019) Kon-Tiki Experiments. [Preprint]

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Abstract

We identify a species of experiment—Kon-Tiki experiments—used to demonstrate the competence of a cause to produce a certain effect, and we examine their role in the historical sciences. We argue Kon-Tiki experiments are used to test middle-range theory, to test assumptions within historical narratives, and to open new avenues of inquiry. We show how the results of Kon-Tiki experiments are involved in projective (rather than consequentialist) inferences,and we argue (against Kyle Stanford) that reliance on projective inferences does not provide historical scientists with any special protection against the problem of unconceived
alternatives.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Novick, Aaron amn61@pitt.edu 0000-0001-5081-7527 Currie, Adrian a.currie@exeter.ac.uk 0000-0003-2638-202X McQueen, Eden Brouwer, Nathan
Keywords:	Experiment; Kon-Tiki; Historical Science; Unconceived Alternatives
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Archaeology General Issues > Confirmation/Induction Specific Sciences > Earth Sciences General Issues > Experimentation
Depositing User:	Dr Adrian Currie
Date Deposited:	06 Jul 2019 11:10
Last Modified:	06 Jul 2019 11:10
Item ID:	16189
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Archaeology General Issues > Confirmation/Induction Specific Sciences > Earth Sciences General Issues > Experimentation
Date:	2019
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/16189

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