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SUMMARY:How much pluralism? - James Ladyman (University of Bristol)
DTSTART:20110217T163000Z
DTEND:20110217T180000Z
UID:TALK28975@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Nicky Reeves
DESCRIPTION:Strong forms of scientific realism seem indefensible in the fa
 ce of the history of science\, and in particular the long list of theories
  that enjoyed great empirical success and yet whose central ontological an
 d metaphysical commitments were abandoned by subsequent scientists. Plural
 ism is the thesis that there are alternative possible histories of science
  to our own in which quite different theoretical commitments were adopted 
 at crucial stages. However\, consideration of a few examples\, including N
 ewtonian gravitation\, the ether and phlogiston\, show that even in cases 
 of radical theory change more than purely empirical structure is retained 
 in subsequent science. Strong forms of antirealism are also indefensible i
 n the light of a proper appreciation of the continuity in the history of s
 cience. The synthesis that resolves the dialectic is of course structural 
 realism. The question as to how much pluralism is appropriate will be cons
 idered in the light of the cases discussed.
LOCATION:Seminar Room 2\, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
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