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Modal Empiricism

Interpreting Science Without Scientific Realism

  • Book
  • © 2021

Overview

Authors:
  1. Quentin Ruyant

    1. General Philosophy of Science, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico, Mexico

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  • Articulates a novel empiricist position in the debate on scientific realism
  • Critically examines and proposes an alternative to Van Fraassen’s constructive empiricism
  • Provides an inductive epistemology for modalities that could be of interest beyond philosophy of science

Part of the book series: Synthese Library (SYLI, volume 440)

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
    Download chapter PDF

  2. The Debates on Scientific Realism

    • Quentin Ruyant
    Pages 1-12

  3. Theories, Models and Representation

    • Quentin Ruyant
    Pages 13-33

  4. Contextual Use and Communal Norms

    • Quentin Ruyant
    Pages 35-72

  5. Modal Empirical Adequacy

    • Quentin Ruyant
    Pages 73-110

  6. Situated Possibilities, Induction and Necessity

    • Quentin Ruyant
    Pages 111-147

  7. Scientific Success

    • Quentin Ruyant
    Pages 149-182

  8. Theory Change

    • Quentin Ruyant
    Pages 183-207

  9. Semantic Pragmatism

    • Quentin Ruyant
    Pages 209-230
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Keywords

About this book

This book proposes a novel position in the debate on scientific realism: Modal Empiricism. Modal empiricism is the view that the aim of science is to provide theories that correctly delimit, in a unified way, the range of experiences that are naturally possible given our position in the world. The view is associated with a pragmatic account of scientific representation and an original notion of situated modalities, together with an inductive epistemology for modalities. It purports to provide a faithful account of scientific practice and of its impressive achievements, and defuses the main motivations for scientific realism. More generally, Modal Empiricism purports to be the precise articulation of a pragmatist stance towards science.

This book is of interest to any philosopher involved in the debate on scientific realism, or interested in how to properly understand the content, aim and achievements of science.

Reviews

“Ruyant’s book is intricate, dense, and interesting. … I recommend this book for those who want an overview of the literature on models and representation, those who want to learn more about different empiricist positions, particularly alternatives to Constructive Empiricism, and those who (like myself) are greatly interested in the development of scientific metaphysics compatible with empiricism.” (Richard Lauer, Journal for General Philosophy of Science, Vol. 54 (4), 2023)

Authors and Affiliations

  • General Philosophy of Science, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico, Mexico

    Quentin Ruyant

About the author

Quentin Ruyant is currently a post-doctoral fellow in Philosophy of Science at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He obtained his PhD in Philosophy of Science at UCLouvain / Université de Rennes 1. He has been working on scientific realism, structural realism and empiricism, and is currently doing research on the role of modalities in scientific representation.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Modal Empiricism

  • Book Subtitle: Interpreting Science Without Scientific Realism

  • Authors: Quentin Ruyant

  • Series Title: Synthese Library

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72349-1

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-72348-4Published: 08 May 2021

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-72351-4Published: 08 May 2022

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-72349-1Published: 07 May 2021

  • Series ISSN: 0166-6991

  • Series E-ISSN: 2542-8292

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIV, 230

  • Number of Illustrations: 17 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Philosophy of Science, Epistemology, Pragmatism

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