Modal Empiricism: Interpreting Science Without Scientific Realism

Modal Empiricism is a novel position in the debate on scientific realism that aims to provide theories that correctly delimit the range of experiences that are naturally possible given our position in the world. It is associated with a pragmatic account of scientific representation, situated modalities, and an inductive epistemology for modalities. It provides a faithful account of scientific practice and defuses the main motivations for scientific realism, and is of interest to philosophers involved in the debate on scientific realism.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 230 pages
Publication date: 08 May 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Introduction:
In the realm of philosophy of science, there has been a longstanding debate on the issue of scientific realism. This debate revolves around the question of whether scientific theories can provide us with a true and accurate representation of the world around us. On one hand, there are those who argue for scientific realism, which holds that scientific theories can provide us with a reliable and accurate depiction of the natural world. On the other hand, there are those who advocate for a more skeptical stance, known as modal empiricism.
Modal Empiricism:
Modal empiricism is a philosophical position that proposes a novel approach to the debate on scientific realism. According to modal empiricism, the aim of science is not to provide us with a comprehensive and accurate representation of the world, but rather to provide theories that correctly delimit the range of experiences that are naturally possible given our position in the world.
Pragmatic Account of Scientific Representation:
Modal empiricism is associated with a pragmatic account of scientific representation. This account suggests that scientific representations are not intended to be accurate or true in the sense of being a direct reflection of the external world. Rather, they are designed to be useful and informative for scientific purposes. Scientific representations are created through a process of inference and abductive reasoning, where scientists make observations and draw conclusions based on these observations.
Situated Modalities:
Modal empiricism also introduces the concept of situated modalities. Situated modalities refer to the ways in which our cognitive abilities and environmental conditions shape the range of experiences that are available to us. For example, our visual perception is limited by the amount of light that enters our eyes, and our cognitive abilities are limited by our brain's capacity to process information.
Inductive Epistemology for Modalities:
Modal empiricism adopts an inductive epistemology for modalities. This epistemology suggests that we can learn about the properties of modalities through observation and experimentation. We can observe the ways in which different theories and hypotheses predict different outcomes, and we can use this information to infer the properties of modalities.
Faithful Account of Scientific Practice:
Modal empiricism purports to provide a faithful account of scientific practice and of its impressive achievements. It argues that scientific practice is guided by a set of principles that are designed to improve our understanding of the natural world. These principles include the principle of parsimony, the principle of explanatory power, and the principle of corroboration.
Defusing the Main Motivations for Scientific Realism:
Modal empiricism seeks to defuse the main motivations for scientific realism. One of the main motivations for scientific realism is the belief that scientific theories provide us with a reliable and accurate depiction of the natural world. However, modal empiricism argues that this belief is misguided. Scientific theories are not intended to provide us with a comprehensive and accurate representation of the world, but rather to provide us with a useful and informative account of the natural world.
More General Pragmatist Stance towards Science:
Modal empiricism purports to be the precise articulation of a pragmatist stance towards science. Pragmatism is a philosophical movement that emphasizes the practical usefulness and effectiveness of ideas and beliefs. Modal empiricism argues that the goal of science is not to provide us with a true and accurate representation of the world, but rather to provide us with ideas and beliefs that are useful and effective for scientific purposes.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, modal empiricism is a philosophical position that proposes a novel approach to the debate on scientific realism. It argues that the aim of science is not to provide us with a comprehensive and accurate representation of the world, but rather to provide theories that correctly delimit the range of experiences that are naturally possible given our position in the world. Modal empiricism is associated with a pragmatic account of scientific representation, situated modalities, and an inductive epistemology for modalities. It provides a faithful account of scientific practice and of its impressive achievements, and defuses the main motivations for scientific realism. 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.

Weight: 379g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030723514
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021