Event

Mar 20, 2023
Universal Aspects of Scientific Practice: Commitment, Methodology, and Technique

The thesis proposed in this talk is a contribution to philosophy of science from the perspective of the practice of science. We seek general and indeed universal features which characterize scientific practice, that is, features that are inherent to the practice of science. We discern three salient universal features of scientific practice: commitment, methodology, and technique. We claim that these three features can invariably be found in any scientific practice, be it in constructing a theory, conducting an experiment, or exploring a new scientific domain. In most general terms, commitment plays the role of presupposition, methodology constitutes the inferential mode, and technique facilitates the transition from the general to the specific. Our claim is that scientific practice is essentially a judicious engagement with these three components where the goal is to draw conclusions and thereby to contribute to the corpus of scientific knowledge. We illustrate the thesis with the case of Maxwell’s contribution to electromagnetism, whose theory of electrodynamics changed fundamentally the perception of reality since the time of Newton.

Address
MPIWG, Harnackstraße 5, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Room
Villa, Room V005/Seminar Room
Contact and Registration

Link to the Zoom-Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/94690790127 Meeting-ID: 946 9079 0127 no registration required. For more information contact Kseniia Mohelsky officeblum@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de

About This Series

The seminar series of the Research Group “Historical Epistemology of the Final Theory Program” runs once a month, usually on a Monday at 14:30 in the seminar room of the Villa (Harnackstraße 5). The talks deal primarily with the history, philosophy, and foundations of modern (post-WWII) physics or with wider epistemological questions related to the work of the group. There are no pre-circulated papers.

2023-03-20T11:00:00SAVE IN I-CAL 2023-03-20 11:00:00 2023-03-20 13:00:00 Universal Aspects of Scientific Practice: Commitment, Methodology, and Technique The thesis proposed in this talk is a contribution to philosophy of science from the perspective of the practice of science. We seek general and indeed universal features which characterize scientific practice, that is, features that are inherent to the practice of science. We discern three salient universal features of scientific practice: commitment, methodology, and technique. We claim that these three features can invariably be found in any scientific practice, be it in constructing a theory, conducting an experiment, or exploring a new scientific domain. In most general terms, commitment plays the role of presupposition, methodology constitutes the inferential mode, and technique facilitates the transition from the general to the specific. Our claim is that scientific practice is essentially a judicious engagement with these three components where the goal is to draw conclusions and thereby to contribute to the corpus of scientific knowledge. We illustrate the thesis with the case of Maxwell’s contribution to electromagnetism, whose theory of electrodynamics changed fundamentally the perception of reality since the time of Newton. MPIWG, Harnackstraße 5, 14195 Berlin, Germany Villa, Room V005/Seminar Room MPRG Final Theory Program MPRG Final Theory Program Europe/Berlin public