Kasirzadeh, Atoosa (2020) A new role for mathematics in empirical sciences. [Preprint]
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Priprint_A_new_role_for_math_in_empirical_sciences_Arxiv.pdf - Accepted Version Download (605kB) | Preview |
Abstract
Mathematics is often taken to play one of two roles in the empirical sciences: either it represents empirical phenomena, or it explains these phenomena by imposing constraints on them. This paper identifies a third and distinct role which has not been fully appreciated in the literature, and may be pervasive in scientific practice. I call this the “bridging” role of mathematics, according to which mathematics acts as a connecting scheme in our explanatory reasoning about why and how two different descriptions of an empirical phenomenon relate to each other. I discuss two bridging roles appearing in biological and physical explanations.
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| Item Type: | Preprint | ||||||
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| Additional Information: | This paper is accepted for publication at the Philosophy of Science. | ||||||
| Keywords: | Scientific Explanation Mathematical Explanation Applied Mathematics Applicability of Mathematics | ||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Biology General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Philosophers of Science |
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| Depositing User: | Dr. Atoosa Kasirzadeh | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 20 Aug 2020 03:24 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 20 Aug 2020 03:24 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 18007 | ||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Biology General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Philosophers of Science |
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| Date: | July 2020 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/18007 |
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