Scientific Realism: A Defense against Pessimistic Meta-Induction and under determination of Theory by Data
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Date
2024-09-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In this thesis, I will argue for scientific realism against pessimistic meta-induction and underdetermination of theory by data. Scientific realism argues that the entities and mechanism of scientific theories literal exist in the world. The inference from the impressive explanatory and predictive success of scientific theories has been the main reason for taking such claims seriously. Detection and corroboration of one and the same scientific entities by different instruments of disparate working mechanism has been the second core reason for scientific realism. Pessimistic induction objects to scientific realism for in the history of science there have been many successful scientific theories that were taken as true which turned out to be false after a while. Underdetermination argues that there is more one scientific theory that is compatible with a body of evidence. As such there is no reason to think one scientific theory as true but not others. However, confirmation methods like subjective Bayesian confirmation and Bootstrapping hypothesis testing are competent to select a scientific theory that is best supported by evidence. Inference of existence only to the essential components of successful scientific theories will block pessimistic meta-induction. Entity realism is able to meet the above objections by limiting scientific realism only to entities that have causal warrant. Structural realism resolves the threat of the two objections since what successful scientific theories capture is the fundamental structural relation between entities. Thus, scientific realism has potent defences against pessimistic induction and underdetermination.
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scientific realism, pessimistic meta-induction, underdetermination of theory by data, entity realism, structural realism, Bayesian confirmation and Bootstrapping hypothesis testing