Can Theories be Refuted? Essays on the Duhem-Quine Thesis
According to a view assumed by many scientists and philosophers of science and standardly found in science textbooks, it is controlled ex perience which provides the basis for distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable theories in science: accept
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SYNTHESE LIBRARY MONOGRAPHS ON EPISTEMOLOGY, LOGIC, METHODOLOGY, PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE, SOCIOLOGY OF SCIENCE AND OF KNOWLEDGE, AND ON THE MATHEMATICAL METHODS OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Managing Editor: JAAKKO HINTIKKA,
Academy of Finland and Stanford University
Editors: ROBERT S. COHEN, DONALD DAVIDSON,
Boston University
Rockefeller University and Princeton University
GABRIEL NUCHELMANS, WESLEY C. SALMON,
University of Leyden
University of Arizona
VOLUME 81
CAN THEORIES BE REFUTED? Essays on the Duhem-Quine Thesis
Edited by
SANDRA G. HARDING State University of New York at Albany
D. REIDEL PUBLISHING COMPANY DORDRECHT-HOLLAND / BOSTON-U.S.A.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Main entry under title: Can theories be refuted? (Synthese library; 81) Includes bibliographies and index. 1. Science - Philosophy. 2. Science - Methodology. 3. Duhem, Pierre Maurice Marie, 1861-1916. 4. Quine, Willard Van Orman. I. Harding, Sandra G. II. Title: Duhem-Quine thesis. Q175.C238 501 75-28339 ISBN-13: 978-90-277-0630-0 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-010-1863-0 001: 10.1007/978-94-010-1863-0
Published by D. Reidel Publishing Company, P.O. Box 17, Dordrecht, Holland Sold and distributed in the U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico by D. Reidel Publishing Company, Inc. Lineoln Building. 160 Old Derby Street, Hingham, Mass. 02043, U.S.A.
All Rights Reserved Copyright © 1976 by D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1976 and copyrightholders as specified on appropriate pages within No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm, or any other means, without written permission from the publisher
To Dorian and Emily
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION PIERRE DUHEM / Physical Theory and Experiment
IX
1
WILLARD VAN ORMAN QUINE/Two Dogmas of Empiricism
41
CARL G. HEMPEL / Empiricist Criteria of Cognitive Significance: Problems and Changes
65
KARL R. POPPER / Some Fundamental Problems in the Logic of Scientific Discovery
89
KARL R. POPPER / Background Knowledge and Scientific Growth 113 ADOLF GRUNBAUM / The Duhemian Argument
116
WILLARD VAN ORMAN QUINE/A Comment on Griinbaum's Claim 132 THOMAS s. KUHN / Scientific Revolutions as Changes of World View
133
LAURENS LAUDAN I Griinbaum on 'The Duhemian Argument'
155
CARLO GIANNONI I Quine, Griinbaum, and the Duhemian Thesis
162
GARY WEDEKING I Duhem, Quine and GrUnbaum on Falsification 176 MARY HESSE I Duhem, Quine and a New Empiricism
184
IMRE LAKATOS I Falsification and the Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes 205 ADOLF GRUNBAUM I Is it never Possible to Falsify a Hypothesis Irrevocably? 260 PAUL K. FEYERABEND I The Rationality of Science (From 'Against Method') 289 INDEX OF NAMES
316
INTRODUCTION
According to a view assumed by many scientists and philosophers of science and standardly found in science textbooks, it is controlled experience which provides the basis for distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable theories in science: acceptable the
