The simplicity of theories: Its degree and form |
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Authors: | James W. McAllister |
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Affiliation: | 1. Faculty of Philosophy, University of Leiden, P.O. Box 9515, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Abstract: | Almost all commentators acknowledge that among the grounds on which scientists perform theory-choices are criteria of simplicity. In general, simplicity is regarded either as only a logico-empirical quality of a theory, diagnostic of the theory's future predictive success, or as a purely aesthetic or otherwise extra-empirical property of it. This paper attempts to demonstrate that the simplicity-criteria applied in scientific practice include both a logicoempirical and a quasi-aesthetic criterion: to conflate these in an account of scientists' theory-choice is to court confusion. |
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Keywords: | empirical and extra-empirical evaluative criteria parsimony scientific theories simplicity theory-assessment and theory-choice |
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