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Full Idea
How likely is it that a truly successful, coherent, explanatory ontological hypothesis is true?
Gist of Idea
Is it likely that a successful, coherent, explanatory ontological hypothesis is true?
Source
Bas C. van Fraassen (The Empirical Stance [2002], 1.5)
Book Ref
Fraassen,Bas van: 'The Empirical Stance' [Yale 2002], p.17
A Reaction
Van Fraassen announces "I reject metaphysic" (p.3), so we know where he stands. Anything becomes less certain as it moves to a higher level of generality. Should we abandon generalisation? There is much illumination in metaphysics.
| 12771 | Is it likely that a successful, coherent, explanatory ontological hypothesis is true? [Fraassen] |
| 12772 | Philosophy is a value- and attitude-driven enterprise [Fraassen] |
| 12770 | We may end up with a huge theory of carefully constructed falsehoods [Fraassen] |
| 12769 | Inference to best explanation contains all sorts of hidden values [Fraassen] |
| 12768 | We accept many scientific theories without endorsing them as true [Fraassen] |
| 12773 | Analytic philosophy has an exceptional arsenal of critical tools [Fraassen] |