What is the Point of Reduction in Science?
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What is the Point of Reduction in Science? Karen Crowther1 Received: 24 March 2018 / Accepted: 19 November 2018 © Springer Nature B.V. 2018
Abstract The numerous and diverse roles of theory reduction in science have been insufficiently explored in the philosophy literature on reduction. Part of the reason for this has been a lack of attention paid to reduction2 (successional reduction)—although I here argue that this sense of reduction is closer to reduction1 (explanatory reduction) than is commonly recognised, and I use an account of reduction that is neutral between the two. This paper draws attention to the utility—and incredible versatility—of theory reduction. A non-exhaustive list of various applications of reduction in science is presented, some of which are drawn from a particular case-study, being the current search for a new theory of fundamental physics. This case-study is especially interesting because it employs both senses of reduction at once, and because of the huge weight being put on reduction by the different research groups involved; additionally, it presents some unique uses for reduction—revealing, I argue, the fact that reduction can be of specialised and unexpected service in particular scientific cases. The paper makes two other general findings: that the functions of reduction that are typically assumed to characterise the different forms of the relation may instead be understood as secondary consequences of some other roles; and that most of the roles that reduction plays in science can actually also be fulfilled by a weaker relation than (the typical understanding of) reduction.
1 Introduction Reduction plays numerous and diverse roles in science, but they have been insufficiently explored. Here, I attempt to rectify this, by showcasing the utility—and incredible versatility—of reduction. To do so, I present a non-exhaustive list of various applications of reduction, thus contributing to a more complete picture of the roles of inter-theory relations in science. This paper is motivated by the conviction that a better appreciation of how theory reduction can be, and is, used in science will benefit several different areas of inquiry. Firstly, it can aid our understanding * Karen Crowther [email protected] 1
Department of Philosophy, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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of what counts as a successful reduction, and thus be of assistance in clarifying debates regarding the best account of theory reduction—for example, I argue that this picture suggests the sufficiency of a relatively weak notion of reduction in many particular scientific cases, compared to existing accounts. Secondly, by drawing attention to the various uses of reduction aside from explanation, this project not only opens up new avenues for discussion, but also impacts the question of the relationship between reduction and explanation—for example, I demonstrate (counter to consensus belief) that explanation is not the characteristic function of reduction. Thirdly, it
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