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June 1, 1988Noûs1,599 citations

Representing and Intervening: Introductory Topics in the Philosophy of Natural Science.

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DBDavis BairdIHIan Hacking

Key Points

  • Examine the philosophical foundations of natural science by evaluating how theoretical representation and experimental intervention justify scientific realism.
  • Analyzed foundational theoretical frameworks including scientific realism, positivism, pragmatism, and incommensurability.
  • Evaluated practical methodologies of scientific inquiry, focusing on observation, microscopy, modeling, measurement, and experimental manipulation.
  • Distinguished theoretical representation from practical intervention as dual, interconnected pillars of scientific practice.
  • Demonstrated that experimental manipulation and the physical creation of phenomena provide decisive support for realism beyond pure theoretical description.

Abstract

Analytical table of contents Preface Introduction: rationality Part I. Representing: 1. What is scientific realism? 2. Building and causing 3. Positivism 4. Pragmatism 5. Incommensurability 6. Reference 7. Internal realism 8. A surrogate for truth Part II. Intervening: 9. Experiment 10. Observation 11. Microscopes 12. Speculation, calculation, models, approximations 13. The creation of phenomena 14. Measurement 15. Baconian topics 16. Experimentation and scientific realism Further reading Index.

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Cite This Study

Baird et al. (1988) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a0888717de338f10b10c425https://doi.org/10.2307/2215864
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