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Models, High-Energy Theoretical Physics and Realism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2022

James T. Cushing
James T. Cushing*
Affiliation:
University of Notre Dane
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Extract

Let me say at the outset that the following exercise is an attempt to make some sense out of what I have seen my colleagues (and indeed at times myself) doing in science - more particularly in theoretical high-energy physics. I do not claim that my conclusions are final or permanent. In fact, it appears to me that Professor MacKinnon's new book, Scientific Explanation and Atomic Physics, may; present a suitable framework within which to discuss the issues raised here. In any event, since most of this paper consists of a story to be told, it may be of interest to philosophers of science.

Today I shall use developments In the field of theoretical high-energy physics to examine three issues of interest to the philosophy of science. First will be the use of highly abstract, formal models, in the generation and evolution of theories.

Type
Part I. High-Energy Physics
Information
PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association , Volume 1982 , Issue 2: Volume Two: Symposia and Invited Papers 1982 , 1982 , pp. 30 - 56
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

1

Edward MacKinnon, Andrew Pickering, Michael Redhead and Paul Teller provided very helpful comments on a preliminary draft of this paper.

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