Dellsén, Finnur (2022) Scientific Progress: By-Whom or For-Whom? [Preprint]

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Abstract

When science makes cognitive progress, who or what is it that improves in the requisite way? According to a widespread and unchallenged assumption, it is the cognitive attitudes of scientists themselves, i.e. the agents by whom scientific progress is made, that improve during progressive episodes. This paper argues against this assumption and explores a different approach. Scientific progress should be defined in terms of potential improvements to the cognitive attitudes of those for whom progress is made, i.e. the receivers rather than the producers of scientific information. This includes not only scientists themselves, but also various other individuals who utilize scientific information in different ways for the benefit of society as a whole.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Dellsén, Finnur finnurd@gmail.com 0000-0003-4989-4204
Additional Information:	Forthcoming in Studies in History and Philosophy of Science.
Keywords:	scientific progress; cognitive states; collective attitudes; public information; open science
Subjects:	General Issues > Science and Society General Issues > Social Epistemology of Science General Issues > Theory Change
Depositing User:	Dr. Finnur Dellsén
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2022 16:41
Last Modified:	20 Nov 2022 16:41
Item ID:	21453
Subjects:	General Issues > Science and Society General Issues > Social Epistemology of Science General Issues > Theory Change
Date:	2022
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/21453

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