Article/Publication Details

A Pessimistic Induction against Scientific Antirealism

(Original title: A Pessimistic Induction against Scientific Antirealism)
Organon F, 2014, vol. 21, No 1, pp. 3-21.
Language: English
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Abstract

There are nine antirealist explanations of the success of science in the literature. I raise difficulties against all of them except the latest one, and then construct a pessimistic induction that the latest one will turn out to be problematic because its eight forerunners turned out to be problematic. This pessimistic induction is on a par with the traditional pessimistic induction that successful present scientific theories will be revealed to be false because successful past scientific theories were revealed to be false.

Keywords

Pessimistic induction, scientific antirealism, success of science

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