Schindler, Samuel (2017) Theoretical Fertility McMullin-style. European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 7 (1). pp. 151-173. ISSN 1879-4912
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Abstract
A theory’s fertility is one of the standard theoretical virtues. But how is it to be construed? In current philosophical discourse, particularly in the realism debate, theoretical fertility is usually understood in terms of novel success: a theory is fertile if it manages to make successful novel predictions. Another, more permissible, notion of fertility can be found in the work of Ernan McMullin. This kind of fertility, McMullin claims, gives us just as strong (or even stronger) grounds for realism. My paper critically assesses McMullin’s notion of fertility and its realist rationale. It concludes that McMullin’s preferred example, namely the fertile development of the Bohr-Sommerfeld model of the atom, does not support McMullin’s argument for realism. Although the implications for the realism debate are as of yet unclear, the case study offers some important methodological lessons.
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| Item Type: | Published Article or Volume | ||||||
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| Keywords: | Theoretical fertility; Theoretical virtue; Novel success; Realism; Idealization; Positive heuristics; Bohr-Sommerfeld model | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Confirmation/Induction General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Models and Idealization General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism General Issues > Theory Change General Issues > Values In Science |
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| Depositing User: | Samuel Schindler | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 09 Feb 2017 23:01 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 09 Feb 2017 23:16 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 12813 | ||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | European Journal for Philosophy of Science | ||||||
| Publisher: | Springer | ||||||
| Official URL: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13194-016-0150-4 | ||||||
| DOI or Unique Handle: | 10.1007/s13194-016-0150-4 | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Confirmation/Induction General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Models and Idealization General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism General Issues > Theory Change General Issues > Values In Science |
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| Date: | January 2017 | ||||||
| Page Range: | pp. 151-173 | ||||||
| Volume: | 7 | ||||||
| Number: | 1 | ||||||
| ISSN: | 1879-4912 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/12813 |
Available Versions of this Item
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Theoretical Fertility McMullin-style. (deposited 27 May 2016 18:55)
- Theoretical Fertility McMullin-style. (deposited 09 Feb 2017 23:01) [Currently Displayed]
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