Structural realism versus standard scientific realism: the case of phlogiston and dephlogisticated air |
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Authors: | James Ladyman |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland |
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Abstract: | The aim of this paper is to revisit the phlogiston theory to see what can be learned from it about the relationship between
scientific realism, approximate truth and successful reference. It is argued that phlogiston theory did to some extent correctly
describe the causal or nomological structure of the world, and that some of its central terms can be regarded as referring.
However, it is concluded that the issue of whether or not theoretical terms successfully refer is not the key to formulating
the appropriate form of scientific realism in response to arguments from theory change, and that the case of phlogiston theory
is shown to be readily accommodated by ontic structural realism. |
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Keywords: | |
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