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Identifying Error Types on Behalf of Better Science

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

Joseph D. Robinson*
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York, Upstate Medical Center at Syracuse

Extract

Philosophy of science may indeed perform a valuable normative function through historical analyses of characteristic errors, as Bechtel (1982) argues. But considerations of the two types of errors elected for this role, and harder looks at some of the historical examples prosecuted for these errors, disclose few helpful hints beyond the wisdom provided in Chapter I of freshman science texts coupled to a clear view of the future. To avoid churlishly spurning at first glance this offer of assistance, however, let us look in turn at the two candidates with their supporting examples.

Type
Discussion
Copyright
Copyright © Philosophy of Science Association 1983

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References

Bechtel, W. (1982), “Two Common Errors in Explaining Biological and Psychological Phenomena”, Philosophy of Science 49: 549574.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
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