CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2023
| Author | Hernandez Gutierrez, Francisco Javier |
|---|---|
| Title | With Miracles at the Limit... a functional-externalist and perspectival account of scientific progress |
| Summary | Scientific progress is a widely acknowledged phenomenon in the history of science. However, the assessment of whether and when it happens remains a subject of controversy. In this thesis, I address the problem of assessing scientific progress and propose an account that elucidates its nature and implications. I examine contemporary approaches to progress, including what are known as the semantic, epistemic, functional-internalist or problem-solving, and noetic approaches. Building upon these discussions, I introduce a novel functional-externalist and perspectival account of progress. According to this account, scientific progress is characterized by the minimization of “success miracles,” which are unlikely, unreliably supported claims and ad hoc postulates that are necessary to justify the formulation of a theory in observance of the empirical evidence available to a scientific community at a given time. By addressing the problem of progress, this thesis aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of scientific advancement and its evaluation. |
| Supervisor | Kronfeldner, Maria |
| Department | Philosophy MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2023/hernandez_francisco.pdf |
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