Theoretical Concepts and Hypothetico-Inductive Inference

ISBN-13: 9789401025980 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 269 str.

I. Niiniluoto;R. Tuomela

Opis

Conceptual change and its connection to the development of new seien tific theories has reeently beeome an intensively discussed topic in philo sophieal literature. Even if the inductive aspects related to conceptual change have already been discussed to some extent, there has so far existed no systematic treatment of inductive change due to conceptual enrichment. This is what we attempt to accomplish in this work, al though most of our technical results are restricted to the framework of monadic languages. We extend Hintikka's system of inductive logic to apply to situations in which new concepts are introduced to the original language. By interpreting them as theoretica1 concepts, it is possible to discuss a number of currently debated philosophical and methodological problems which have previously escaped systematic and exact treatment. For instance, the role which seientific theories employing theoretical con cepts may play within inductive inference can be studied within this framework. From the viewpoint of seientific realism, sueh a study gives outlines for a theory of what we call hypothetico-induetive inference. Some parts of this work which are based on Hintikka's system of in ductive logic are fairly technical. However, no previous knowledge of this system is required, but, in general, acquaintance with the basic ideas of elementary logic and probability theory is suffieient. This work is part of a project, originated by Professors Jaakko Hintikka and Raimo Tuomela, concerning the role of theoretical concepts in science."

Spis treści

1. Theoretical concepts and inductive Inference.- 1. Problems of Inductive Systematization: the Transitivity Dilemma.- 2. Inductive Systematization Established by Theories.- 3. A Logical Framework for the Dynamics of Conceptual Change and Induction.- 2. Hintikka’s Two-Dimensional Continuum of Inductive Logic.- 1. Summary of Hintikka’s Two-dimensional Continuum.- 2. The Treatment of Incomplete Evidence.- 3. Inductive Probabilities of Weak Generalizations.- 1. Probabilities in the Observational Language.- 2. Evidential Theoretical Concepts.- 3. Non-Evidential Theoretical Concepts.- 4. Inductive Probabilities of Strong Generalizations.- 5. Piecewise Definable Theoretical Concepts.- 6. Epistemic Utilities and Inductive Systematization.- 1. Measures of Information and Systematic Power.- 2. Expected Epistemic Utilities of Generalizations.- 3. Competing Generalizations.- 7. Theoretical Concepts and Inductive Explanation.- 1. Explanatory Power of Theories.- 2. Inductive Explanation Illustrated.- 3. Positive Inductive Relevance, Supersessance, and Screening Off.- 4. Inductive Explanation within Hintikka’s System.- 8. Corroboration and Theoretical Concepts.- 1. Theoretical and Observational Support.- 2. Measures of Corroboration Based on Positive Inductive Relevance.- 3. Hintikka’s Measure of Corroboration.- 9. The Logical Indispensability of Theoretical Concepts within Inductive Systematization.- 1. The Theoretician’s Dilemma: Methodological Instrumentalism Refuted.- 2. Logical Indispensability and Positive Inductive Relevance.- 3. Logical Indispensability and Rules of Acceptance.- 10. Linguistic Variance in Inductive Logic.- 1. Linguistic Invariance and Linguistic Variance.- 2. Probability Kinematics.- 3. Goodman’s New Riddle of Induction.- 11. Towards a Non-Inductivist Logic of Induction.- 1. Deductivism and Inductivism.- 2. Hypothetico-Deductive and Hypothetico-Inductive Inference.- 3. The Atheoretical Thesis.- 4. Converse Deduction and Indirect Support.- 5. Conjectures.