Hempel's Dilemma and Research Programmes: Why Adding Stances Is Not a Boon
Abstract
Hempel's Dilemma is intended to force physicalists to make an unfavourable choice between the current physics and a future physical theory. The problem with the first horn of the dilemma is related to the fact that current physics is, strictly speaking, inconsistent, while the problem with its second horn is that we do not know how a future, completed physical theory will look like. In this paper, the two strategies of avoiding the dilemma are compared and assessed: the attitudinal approach, according to which physicalism is a stance or an attitude, and Lakatosian approach, according to which physicalism is best understood as a research programme. It is argued that the latter approach ought to be preferred over the former approach because, among other things, it better explains how some physicalists and their opponents sometimes switch the sides, as well as why different physicalists undertake different activities within a given time interval.
Keywords:
stance / physicalism research programme / paradigm / Hempel's Dilemma / Attitudinal approachSource:
Organon F, 2017, 24, 4, 487-510Publisher:
- Vydavatelstvo Slovenskej Akad Vied Veda, Bratislava
Funding / projects:
- Logical-epistemological basis of metaphysics (RS-MESTD-Basic Research (BR or ON)-179067)
Institution/Community
Filozofija / PhilosophyTY - JOUR AU - Prelević, Duško PY - 2017 UR - http://reff.f.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2378 AB - Hempel's Dilemma is intended to force physicalists to make an unfavourable choice between the current physics and a future physical theory. The problem with the first horn of the dilemma is related to the fact that current physics is, strictly speaking, inconsistent, while the problem with its second horn is that we do not know how a future, completed physical theory will look like. In this paper, the two strategies of avoiding the dilemma are compared and assessed: the attitudinal approach, according to which physicalism is a stance or an attitude, and Lakatosian approach, according to which physicalism is best understood as a research programme. It is argued that the latter approach ought to be preferred over the former approach because, among other things, it better explains how some physicalists and their opponents sometimes switch the sides, as well as why different physicalists undertake different activities within a given time interval. PB - Vydavatelstvo Slovenskej Akad Vied Veda, Bratislava T2 - Organon F T1 - Hempel's Dilemma and Research Programmes: Why Adding Stances Is Not a Boon EP - 510 IS - 4 SP - 487 VL - 24 UR - https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_reff_2378 ER -
@article{ author = "Prelević, Duško", year = "2017", abstract = "Hempel's Dilemma is intended to force physicalists to make an unfavourable choice between the current physics and a future physical theory. The problem with the first horn of the dilemma is related to the fact that current physics is, strictly speaking, inconsistent, while the problem with its second horn is that we do not know how a future, completed physical theory will look like. In this paper, the two strategies of avoiding the dilemma are compared and assessed: the attitudinal approach, according to which physicalism is a stance or an attitude, and Lakatosian approach, according to which physicalism is best understood as a research programme. It is argued that the latter approach ought to be preferred over the former approach because, among other things, it better explains how some physicalists and their opponents sometimes switch the sides, as well as why different physicalists undertake different activities within a given time interval.", publisher = "Vydavatelstvo Slovenskej Akad Vied Veda, Bratislava", journal = "Organon F", title = "Hempel's Dilemma and Research Programmes: Why Adding Stances Is Not a Boon", pages = "510-487", number = "4", volume = "24", url = "https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_reff_2378" }
Prelević, D.. (2017). Hempel's Dilemma and Research Programmes: Why Adding Stances Is Not a Boon. in Organon F Vydavatelstvo Slovenskej Akad Vied Veda, Bratislava., 24(4), 487-510. https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_reff_2378
Prelević D. Hempel's Dilemma and Research Programmes: Why Adding Stances Is Not a Boon. in Organon F. 2017;24(4):487-510. https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_reff_2378 .
Prelević, Duško, "Hempel's Dilemma and Research Programmes: Why Adding Stances Is Not a Boon" in Organon F, 24, no. 4 (2017):487-510, https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_reff_2378 .