Chang, Hasok (2004) A Case for Old-Fashioned Observability, and a Reconstructed Constructive Empiricism. In: UNSPECIFIED. (In Press)

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Abstract

I develop a concept of observability that pertains to qualities rather than objects: a quality is observable if it can be registered by human sensation (possibly with the aid of instruments) without involving optional interpretations. This concept supports a better description of observations in science and everyday life than the object-based observability concepts presupposing causal information-transfer from the object to the observer. It also allows a rehabilitation of the traditional empiricist distinction between observations and their interpretations, but without a presumption that observations are infallible. Using this concept of observability, I also propose a re-formulation of constructive empiricism that is easier to defend against realist attacks, while open to reasonable realist intuitions.

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Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Chang, Hasok
Keywords:	observability, observation, constructive empiricism, van Fraassen
Subjects:	General Issues > Theory/Observation General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism
Depositing User:	Hasok Chang
Date Deposited:	22 Dec 2004
Last Modified:	07 Oct 2010 15:13
Item ID:	2122
Public Domain:	No
Conference Date:	November 2004
Conference Location:	Austin, Texas
Subjects:	General Issues > Theory/Observation General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism
Date:	2004
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/2122

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