Module 2 Lectures Flashcards
What is the standard picture of scientific progress?
New models/theories are improvements of previous models/theories
Generally new models/theories are seen as more true to reality
What is the standard picture for technological progress?
Technologies increasingly meet the design specs we want them to
What are different definitions of technology?
Practice oriented activity, application of science
objects, artifacts, techniks
A body of knowledge that is compatible with science and can be employed to control, transform, or create things or processes, natural or social to some practical end deemd to be valuable
A social process, the organization of techniks, procedures, knowledge for a particular end/goal (marcuse)
What are Kuhn’s main claims?
- Science is organized around theoretical frameworks called paradigms
- Revolutions (or shifts in paradigms) are irrational: progress cannot be substantiated
What is a paradigm?
A package of ideas and methods which make up both a view of the world and a way of doing science
Can only be one paradigm in a field of research
What are the characteristics needed for a field to be a paradigm?
- A set of core theoretical commitments/ideas/models
- Characteristic types of explanations/argumentation
- Characteristic methodologies
- Normative assumptions (what is good explanation and which problems should be focused on)
- exemplars (specific scientific achievements)
What is incommensurability?
A lack of neutral standard to judge a new paradigm to be better than the old one
You need to have things in common to compare it or have an independent measure
Why does Kuhn see no progression between paradigm in a revolution?
Abandonment of a paradigm is irrational due to incommensurability
Each paradigm has its own evaluative standards which work within the paradigm but not outside it
Truthfullness to reality cannot be a common standard
What are the steps in science according to Kuhn?
Prescience: absence of a paradigm
Normal science: arival of paradigm and puzzle solving within the paradigm
Revolutions: Crictical mass of anomalies and arrival of new paradigm lead to the abandonment of the old paradigm and adoption of the new one
(irrational)
Normal science again
etc.
What are reasons according to kuhn that guide scientists
in making paradigm shifts?
They are the result of social dynamics rather than evidence/anomalies alone
- imitation/bandwagon effect
- Mob psychology
- innovation biases
- ideological biases
Money also has an impact on it
What are Lakatos’ main claims?
- Science is organized around research programmes
- Scientific change (even during revolutions) is progressive
What are the elements of a research programme?
A hard core: basic theoretical assumptions; CANNOT be changed by followers of the programme
A protective belt: auxiliary factual and theoretical assumptions, usually to apply the ideas of the hard core; may be falsified; emperical research to verify it
Multiple research programmes coexist and compete within a particular field
What would Lakatos say should be done if refutation occurs in a research programme?
Either:
1. Keep the hard core or change the protective belt (within programme)
or:
2. Abandon the programme to new programme
What are the two types of change within a programme according to Lakatos?
Programme is progressive: Changes to the protective belt are led to the expansion of range of application, novel predictions, increased precision
Programme is degenerating: Changes to the protective belt cover up existing problems and application range doesn’t expand (ad-hoc assumptions and solutions)
When is it rational to stick to a programme according to Lakatos?
When changes the the protective belt are progressive
Sometimes it is rational to stick to a degenerating programme to see if it recovers. Not stated when exactly. Progress/rationality should be assessed with hindsight.
