What is this thing called science? Ch. 13 (B)

(Originally written November 15, 2006 in Book 8)

What is this thing called science?
Ch. 13 (Continued)

According to Mayo, an experiment constitutes support for a claim only if possible sources of error have been eliminated so that the claim would be unlikely to pass the rigorous test unless it were true.

The new experimentalists are generally concerned to capture a domain of experimental knowledge that can be reliably established independent of high-level theory.

Scientific knowledge is thus experimental knowledge confirmed by experiments. The growth of scientific knowledge is the accumulation and extension of experimental laws.

[Learning from error and triggering revolutions]

Mayo is also concerned with how well-conducted experiments enable us to learn from error.

An experiment offers a falsification; but, it also serves to identify an effect not perviously known.

The positive role of error detection in science comes out in Mayo's reformulation of Kuhn's notion of normal science.

Mayo identifies normal escinde with experimentation.

The experimentalists' detailed knowledge of the effects at work in an apparatus puts him or her in a position to be able to learn from error.

[The new experimentalism in perspective]

The new experimentalists have shown how experimental results can be substantiated. They have shown the products of experimental effects were highly independent of theory.

They see science as an accumulation of experimental facts.

To them, the best theories are those that survive severe experimental testing.

They have shown how rival theories can be brought together and shown how experiment can lead to scientific revolutions.

Experimentalism has brought philosophy back down to earth. But, Chalmers says that experimentalism is not the final answer.

Experimentalism seems to give too little emphasis to the theories of science.

Experimental knowledge is great, but to apply it to anything a theory is needed.

A problem with the new experimentalism is their concept of experimenting with he same type of experiment. What constitutes as the same type of experiment? Judgments made about what constitutes as a similar type of experiment must be made against a theoretical background.

Despite its efforts, the new experimentalism cannot eliminate theory or high-level theory from science.

[Appendix: Happy meetings of theory and experiment]

The merit of theory is demonstrated by the extent of which it survives severe tests.

The new experimentalists, though they try their best, cannot completely sever theory from the philosophy of science. Any adequate philosophy of science must include theory and experimentation.