Underdetermination and Theory Succession from the Perspective of String Theory.

This article investigates the implications of string theory for the conception of scientific theory confirmation. The classical understanding of theory confirmation is based on the assumption that scientific theory building is underdetermined by the available empirical data. Several arguments are pr...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Philosophy of Science Vol. 73; no. 3; pp. 298 - 323
Autor principal: Dawid, Richard
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Cambridge University Press Jul2006
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:This article investigates the implications of string theory for the conception of scientific theory confirmation. The classical understanding of theory confirmation is based on the assumption that scientific theory building is underdetermined by the available empirical data. Several arguments are presented, which suggest a devaluation of this 'principle of scientific underdetermination' in the context of string theory. An altered conception of scientific progress emerges that is not based on the notion of theory succession.