Shan, Yafeng. A New Functional Approach to Scientific Progress
2019, Philosophy of Science. 86(4): 739-758
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Added by: Clotilde TorregrossaAbstract:
This article develops and defends a new functional approach to scientific progress. I begin with a review of the problems of the traditional functional approach. Then I propose a new functional account of scientific progress, in which scientific progress is defined in terms of usefulness of problem defining and problem solving. I illustrate and defend my account by applying it to the history of genetics. Finally, I highlight the advantages of my new functional approach over the epistemic and semantic approaches and dismiss some potential objections to my approach.
Comment: This paper proposes and argues for a new functional approach to scientific progress. Would work well in a unit on scientific progress or theory change, or in an integrated history and philosophy of science course. Some prior familiarity with Kuhn and Laudan helps; the genetics case study is accessible without a biology background.
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