Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-r5zm4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-28T04:22:28.422Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

2 - The Life of Theory in the New Experimentalism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2010

By
Alan Chalmers  and
Deborah G. Mayo
Edited by
Deborah G. Mayo  and
Aris Spanos
Deborah G. Mayo
Affiliation:
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Aris Spanos
Affiliation:
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Get access

Summary

Introduction

Deborah Mayo's “error-statistical” account of science and its mode of progress is an attempt to codify and capitalise on the “new experimentalist” approach to science that has made its appearance in the past few decades as an alternative to “theory-dominated” accounts of science. Rather than understanding scientific progress in terms of the replacement of one large-scale theory by another in the light of experiments designed to test them, new experimentalists view progress in terms of the accumulation of experimental discoveries and capabilities established independently of high-level theory. The new experimentalists aspire to an account of science and its mode of progress that evades problems associated with the theory dependence of observation, the underdetermination of theories by evidence, the Duhem problem and incommensurability that have beset the theory-dominant approach. Here is how Mayo (this volume, p. 28) herself characterizes the situation:

Learning from evidence, in this experimentalist philosophy, depends not on appraising large-scale theories but on local experimental tasks of estimating backgrounds, modeling data, distinguishing experimental effects, and discriminating signals from noise. The growth of knowledge has not to do with replacing or confirming or probabilifying or ‘rationally accepting’ large-scale theories, but with testing specific hypotheses in such a way that there is a good chance of learning something – whatever theory it winds up as part of.

Central to Mayo's version of the new experimentalism is her notion of a severe test.

Type
Chapter
Information
Error and Inference
Recent Exchanges on Experimental Reasoning, Reliability, and the Objectivity and Rationality of Science
 , pp. 58 - 87
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Buchwald, J. (1985), From Maxwell to Microphysics, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.Google Scholar
Chalmers, A. (2002), “Experiment and the Growth of Experimental Knowledge,” pp. 157–69 in Gardenførs, P., Wolenski, J., and Kijania-Placek, K. (eds.), In the Scope of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, Kluwer, Dordrecht.Google Scholar
Chalmers, A. (2003), “The Theory-Dependence of the Use of Theories in Science,” Philosophy of Science, 70: 493–509.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chalmers, A. (2005), “Transforming Atomic Chemistry into an Experimental Science: The Status of Dalton's Theory,” The Rutherford Journal, 1, http://www.rutherfordjournal.org.Google Scholar
Chalmers, A. (2009), The Scientist's Atom and the Philosopher's Stone: How Science Succeeded and Philosophy Failed to Gain Knowledge of Atoms, Springer, Dordrecht.Google Scholar
Hacking, I. (1983), Representing and Intervening, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hunt, B. (1991), The Maxwellians, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.Google Scholar
Krajewski, W. (1977), Correspondence Principle and Growth of Science, Reidel, Dordrecht.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laudan, L. (1989), “A Confutation of Convergent Realism,” in Leplin, J. (ed.), Scientific Realism, University of California Press, Berkeley.Google Scholar
Maxwell, J.C. (1873), A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, Vol. 2, Dover, NY (reprinted 1953).Google Scholar
Mayo, D.G. (1996), Error and the Growth of Experimental Knowledge, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mayo, D.G. (2002), “Theory Testing, Statistical Methodology and the Growth of Experimental Knowledge,” pp. 171–90 in Gardenførs, P., Wolenski, J., and Kijania-Placek, K. (eds.), In the Scope of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, Kluwer, Dordrecht.Google Scholar
Post, H.R. (1971), “Correspondence, Invariance and Heuristics,” Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, 2: 213–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rowland, A., and Hutchinson, C.T. (1887), “Electromagnetic Effects of Convection Currents,” Philosophical Magazine, 27: 445–60.Google Scholar
Will, C.M. (1993), Was Einstein Right? Putting General Relativity to the Test, Basic Books, New York.Google Scholar
Will, C.M. (1996), “The Confrontation Between General Relativity and Experiment, a 1995 Update,” pp. 239–80 in Hall, G.S. and Pulham, J.R. (eds.), General Relativity: Proceedings of the Forty Sixth Scottish Universities Summer School in Physics, SUSSP Publications, Edinburgh, and Institute of Physics, London.Google Scholar
Will, C.M. (2004), “The Confrontation Between General Relativity and Experiment,” Living Reviews in Relativity, http://relativity.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrr-2001-4/title.html.Google Scholar
Worrall, J. (1989), “Structural Realism: The Best of Both Worlds,” Dialectica, 43: 99–124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Worrall, J. (2002), “New Evidence for Old,” pp. 191–209 in Gardenfors, P., Wolenski, J., and Kijania-Placek, K. (eds.), In the Scope of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, Kluwer, Dordrecht.Google Scholar
Chalmers, A. (1999), What is This Thing Called Science? 3rd ed., Open University Press, and University of Queensland Press.Google Scholar
Chalmers, A. (2009), The Scientist's Atom and the Philosopher's Stone: How Science Succeeded and Philosophy Failed to Gain Knowledge of Atoms, Springer, Dordrecht.Google Scholar
Donovan, A., Laudan, L., and Laudan, R. (1988), Scrutinizing Science, Kluwer, Dordrecht (reprinted by Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kuhn, T. (1962), The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.Google Scholar
Laudan, L. (1997), “How About Bust? Factoring Explanatory Power Back into Theory Evaluation,” Philosophy of Science, 64: 306–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mayo, D. (1988), “Brownian Motion and the Appraisal of Theories,” pp. 219–43 in Donovan, A., Laudan, L., and Laudan, R. (eds.), Scrutinizing Science, Kluwer, Dordrecht (reprinted by Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mayo, D.G. (1996), Error and the Growth of Experimental Knowledge, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mayo, D.G. (2000a), “Experimental Practice and an Error Statistical Account of Evidence,” pp. S193–S207 in Howard, D. (ed.), Philosophy of Science, 67 (Symposia Proceedings).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Will, C.M. (1993), Theory and Experiment in Gravitational Physics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (revised edition).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Will, C.M. (2004), “The Confrontation between General Relativity and Experiment,” Living Reviews in Relativity, http://relativity.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrr-2001-4/title.html.Google Scholar
Chalmers, A. (2000), “‘What Is This Thing Called Philosophy of Science?’ Response to Reviewers of What Is Thing Called Science? 3rd Edition,” Metascience, 9: 198–203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chalmers, A. (2002), “Experiment and the Growth of Scientific Knowledge,” pp. 157–69 in Gardenfors, P., Wolenski, J., and Kijania-Placet, K. (eds.), In the Scope of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, Vol. 1, Kluwer, Dordrecht.Google Scholar
Mayo, D.G. (2000b), “‘What Is This Thing Called Philosophy of Science?’ Review Symposium of A. Chalmers' What Is This Thing Called Science?” Metascience, 9: 179–88.Google Scholar
Mayo, D.G. (2002), “Theory Testing, Statistical Methodology, and the Growth of Experimental Knowledge,” pp. 171–90 in Gardenfors, P., Wolenski, J., and Kijania-Placek, K. (eds.), In The Scope of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science (Vol. 1 of the 11th International Congress of Logic, Methodology, and Philosophy of Science, Cracow, August 1999), Kluwer, Dordrecht.Google Scholar
Staley, K. (2008). “Error-Statistical Elimination Of Alternative Hypotheses,” Synthese (Error and Methodology in Practice: Selected Papers from ERROR 2006), Vol. 163(3): 397–408.Google Scholar
Worrall, J. (2000), “‘What Is This Thing Called Philosophy of Science?’ Review Symposium of A. Chalmers' What Is This Thing Called Science?” Metascience, 9: 17–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buchwald, J. (1985), From Maxwell to Microphysics, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.Google Scholar
Chalmers, A. (2002), “Experiment and the Growth of Experimental Knowledge,” pp. 157–69 in Gardenførs, P., Wolenski, J., and Kijania-Placek, K. (eds.), In the Scope of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, Kluwer, Dordrecht.Google Scholar
Chalmers, A. (2003), “The Theory-Dependence of the Use of Theories in Science,” Philosophy of Science, 70: 493–509.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chalmers, A. (2005), “Transforming Atomic Chemistry into an Experimental Science: The Status of Dalton's Theory,” The Rutherford Journal, 1, http://www.rutherfordjournal.org.Google Scholar
Chalmers, A. (2009), The Scientist's Atom and the Philosopher's Stone: How Science Succeeded and Philosophy Failed to Gain Knowledge of Atoms, Springer, Dordrecht.Google Scholar
Hacking, I. (1983), Representing and Intervening, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hunt, B. (1991), The Maxwellians, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.Google Scholar
Krajewski, W. (1977), Correspondence Principle and Growth of Science, Reidel, Dordrecht.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laudan, L. (1989), “A Confutation of Convergent Realism,” in Leplin, J. (ed.), Scientific Realism, University of California Press, Berkeley.Google Scholar
Maxwell, J.C. (1873), A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, Vol. 2, Dover, NY (reprinted 1953).Google Scholar
Mayo, D.G. (1996), Error and the Growth of Experimental Knowledge, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mayo, D.G. (2002), “Theory Testing, Statistical Methodology and the Growth of Experimental Knowledge,” pp. 171–90 in Gardenførs, P., Wolenski, J., and Kijania-Placek, K. (eds.), In the Scope of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, Kluwer, Dordrecht.Google Scholar
Post, H.R. (1971), “Correspondence, Invariance and Heuristics,” Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, 2: 213–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rowland, A., and Hutchinson, C.T. (1887), “Electromagnetic Effects of Convection Currents,” Philosophical Magazine, 27: 445–60.Google Scholar
Will, C.M. (1993), Was Einstein Right? Putting General Relativity to the Test, Basic Books, New York.Google Scholar
Will, C.M. (1996), “The Confrontation Between General Relativity and Experiment, a 1995 Update,” pp. 239–80 in Hall, G.S. and Pulham, J.R. (eds.), General Relativity: Proceedings of the Forty Sixth Scottish Universities Summer School in Physics, SUSSP Publications, Edinburgh, and Institute of Physics, London.Google Scholar
Will, C.M. (2004), “The Confrontation Between General Relativity and Experiment,” Living Reviews in Relativity, http://relativity.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrr-2001-4/title.html.Google Scholar
Worrall, J. (1989), “Structural Realism: The Best of Both Worlds,” Dialectica, 43: 99–124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Worrall, J. (2002), “New Evidence for Old,” pp. 191–209 in Gardenfors, P., Wolenski, J., and Kijania-Placek, K. (eds.), In the Scope of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, Kluwer, Dordrecht.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×