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    Against the Linguistic Strategy for the Ontic Conception of Scientific Explanation

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    Fensholt_ku_0099M_15350_DATA_1.pdf (713.0Kb)
    Issue Date
    2017-05-31
    Author
    Fensholt, Rebecca Janell
    Publisher
    University of Kansas
    Format
    34 pages
    Type
    Thesis
    Degree Level
    M.A.
    Discipline
    Philosophy
    Rights
    Copyright held by the author.
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    Abstract
    Philosophers of science are interested in characterizing the nature of scientific explanation. Much of the debate has been about which format or structures best represent, and thus explain, scientific phenomena. Pushing back against these representational views, Craver has been developing an ontic account of scientific explanation. According to this view, explanations are not representations of things in the real world but are the things in the world themselves. In a recent paper, Craver (2013) argues in favor of the ontic view by appeal to our use of the word ‘explain.’ In this paper, I evaluate Craver’s linguistic strategy and argue that it fails to provide support for the ontic view. Craver introduces a distinction between four senses of ‘explain’ and argues that one sense - the ontic sense - is the literal and foundational sense. This is taken to justify the ontic view. In this paper, I argue that linguistic tests for primacy do not privilege the ontic sense of ‘explain,’ and in fact, indicate that the ontic sense is subordinate. I conclude by raising some general questions about the merits of the linguistic strategy as method of justification for the ontic view of scientific explanation.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/1808/25806
    Collections
    • Philosophy Dissertations and Theses [64]
    • Theses [3828]

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    Contact KU ScholarWorks
    785-864-8983
    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    785-864-8983

    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    Image Credits
     

     

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