HPS100H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Fallibilism, Formal Science
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Both scientific theories and methods of theory evaluation are changeable. Yes: generalism: there can be a general theory of scientific change. A theory that explains all the transitions from one theory to the next and from one method to the next. No: particularism: there cannot possibly be such a thing as a general theory of scientific change. Two reasons: there is no universal and fixed method of science. This says the method is changeable: there is nothing universal in science; each historical episode is unique. This says there is nothing permanent is science. Everything is changeable. (this is a stronger argument than the first one). The details of each scientific change in the mosaic are so specific that no two changes will be explained in the same way. Drug testing 1: experimental confirmation -> problem: unaccounted affects. Drug testing 2: controlled trial -> problem: placebo effect. Drug testing 3: blind trial -> e(cid:454)peri(cid:373)e(cid:374)ter"s bias.