Indispensability
Published on 31. May 2023
978-1-009-10315-2 (ISBN)
Description
Our best scientific theories explain a wide range of empirical phenomena, make accurate predictions, and are widely believed. Since many of these theories make ample use of mathematics, it is natural to see them as confirming its truth. Perhaps the use of mathematics in science even gives us reason to believe in the existence of abstract mathematical objects such as numbers and sets. These issues lie at the heart of the Indispensability Argument, to which this Element is devoted. The Element's first half traces the evolution of the Indispensability Argument from its origins in Quine and Putnam's works, taking in naturalism, confirmational holism, Field's program, and the use of idealisations in science along the way. Its second half examines the explanatory version of the Indispensability Argument, and focuses on several more recent versions of easy-road and hard-road fictionalism respectively.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
File size
1,14 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-009-10315-2 (9781009103152)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
A. C. Paseau | Alan Baker
Indispensability
Book
06/2023
Cambridge University Press
€24.00
Shipment within 15-20 days
Persons
Content
1. Introduction; 2. Naturalism and holism; 3. Hard road nominalism: field's program; 4. An objection from scientific practice; 5. The enhanced indispensability argument; 6. Easy road fictionalism; 7. Hard road fictionalism; 8. Conclusions; References.
