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A theory of types of scientific change and its application to string theory
Nader Basafa
Art der Arbeit
Masterarbeit
Universität
Universität Wien
Fakultät
Fakultät für Philosophie und Bildungswissenschaft
Studiumsbezeichnung bzw. Universitätlehrgang (ULG)
Interdisziplinäres Masterstudium Wissenschaftsphilosophie und Wissenschaftsgeschichte
Betreuer*in
Richard Dawid
DOI
10.25365/thesis.42578
URN
urn:nbn:at:at-ubw:1-20203.25904.388159-0
Link zu u:search
(Print-Exemplar eventuell in Bibliothek verfügbar)
Abstracts
Abstract
(Deutsch)
Nicht vorhanden
Abstract
(Englisch)
I shall argue that the latest major theoretical construct in physics, the string theory, which has resulted in a powerful theoretico-logico-mathematical construct on the one hand, and theoretical constraints of empirical inaccessibility, predictive incapacity, as well as implicit underdetermination on the other, might quality as a paradigm shift in the spirit of the early Kuhn‘s thoughts on paradigms. Following Paul C. L. Tang I shall argue that the unit of scientific development is paradigm shift and not Kuhnian revolutions. “Paradigm shifts represent a genus, and scientific revolutions are species within that genus; and whereas all K-revolutions [Kuhnian revolutions] are paradigm shifts, the converse does not hold.”
Later Kuhn‘s thoughts on paradigms and revolutions, however, are somewhat different. For the later Kuhn, it is the “speciated“ research community with a distinct incommensurable lexicon and taxonomic structure that becomes the epitome of the paradigm. Nevertheless, the idea of a paradigm shift or revolutionary change is still very useful in conceptualizing scientific change and progress in science. I shall approach the issue in two parts. The first part will consist of surveying the literature by Kuhn, and on Kuhn and his critics in search of support for the distinction outlined above. In the second part, I shall apply my findings in the first part and apply it to string theory and its development to determine if string theory satisfies the conditions of a paradigm shift or a revolution. In this context, I shall use popular texts written by contemporary physicists on the subject. The motivation to proceed in this fashion is two folds: First, I believe on a meta level physicists argue for their case – free from formal constrainsts – using popular books to win not only the support of the general public, but also to use them as an informal means of exchange of relevant philosophical content and consequences of their work with their peers. Second, it is also the Kuhnian backdrop to this work that blends well into this fashion of exchange among the members of the scientific and philosophical community and their interested general public.
Schlagwörter
Schlagwörter
(Englisch)
String theory scientific change paradigm shifts Kuhn
Schlagwörter
(Deutsch)
wissenschaftliche revolution paradigmenwechsel stringthorie Thomas Kuhn
Autor*innen
Nader Basafa
Haupttitel (Englisch)
A theory of types of scientific change and its application to string theory
Publikationsjahr
2016
Umfangsangabe
105 Seiten
Sprache
Englisch
Beurteiler*in
Richard Dawid
Klassifikation
08 Philosophie > 08.99 Philosophie: Sonstiges
AC Nummer
AC13316340
Utheses ID
37683
Studienkennzahl
UA | 066 | 944 | |