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Understanding the Progress of Science

McCoy, C.D. (2022) Understanding the Progress of Science. Scientific Understanding and Representation. pp. 353-369.

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Abstract

Philosophical debates on how to account for the progress of science have traditionally divided along the realism-anti-realism axis. Relatively recent developments in epistemology, however, have opened up a new knowledge-understanding axis to the debate. This chapter presents a novel understanding-based account of scientific progress that takes its motivation from problem-solving practices in science. Problem-solving is characterized as a means of measuring degree of understanding, which is argued to be the principal epistemic (or cognitive) aim of science, over and against knowledge. This account is then defended against knowledge reductionism by showing how each plays an important and distinctive role in science.

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Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
McCoy, C.D.casey.mccoy@yonsei.ac.kr0000-0002-7921-4911
Keywords: scientific progress, scientific epistemology, understanding, problem-solving
Subjects: General Issues > Explanation
General Issues > Theory Change
Depositing User: Dr. Casey McCoy
Date Deposited: 08 Jun 2024 00:34
Last Modified: 08 Jun 2024 00:34
Item ID: 23530
Journal or Publication Title: Scientific Understanding and Representation
Publisher: Routledge
Subjects: General Issues > Explanation
General Issues > Theory Change
Date: 13 December 2022
Page Range: pp. 353-369
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/23530

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