Ideas of W.H. Newton-Smith, by Theme

[Canadian, fl. 1980, At Balliol College, Oxford University.]

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1. Philosophy / G. Scientific Philosophy / 1. Aims of Science

3870	The real problem of science is how to choose between possible explanations

3853	For science to be rational, we must explain scientific change rationally

3859	We do not wish merely to predict, we also want to explain

1. Philosophy / G. Scientific Philosophy / 2. Positivism

3854	Positivists hold that theoretical terms change, but observation terms don't

3855	Critics attack positivist division between theory and observation

3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 6. Verisimilitude

3861	Theories generate infinite truths and falsehoods, so they cannot be used to assess probability

3869	More truthful theories have greater predictive power

10. Modality / C. Sources of Modality / 1. Sources of Necessity

3867	De re necessity arises from the way the world is

11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 4. Belief / a. Beliefs

3872	We must assess the truth of beliefs in identifying them

13. Knowledge Criteria / E. Relativism / 6. Relativism Critique

3857	Defeat relativism by emphasising truth and reference, not meaning

14. Science / A. Basis of Science / 1. Observation

3858	A full understanding of 'yellow' involves some theory

14. Science / A. Basis of Science / 5. Anomalies

3864	Anomalies are judged against rival theories, and support for the current theory

3862	All theories contain anomalies, and so are falsified!

3863	The anomaly of Uranus didn't destroy Newton's mechanics - it led to Neptune's discovery

14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 1. Scientific Theory

3865	Why should it matter whether or not a theory is scientific?

14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 5. Commensurability

3866	If theories are really incommensurable, we could believe them all

20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 3. Acting on Reason / c. Reasons as causes

3871	Explaining an action is showing that it is rational