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The Status of Scientific-Technological Instruments from the Point of View of Scientific Anti-Realism

Pedram, Ali | 2019

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 52954 (42)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Philosophy of Science
  6. Advisor(s): Akbari, Javad
  7. Abstract:
  8. One of the main arguments between scientific realists and scientific anti-realists is about observability. As a prominent anti-realist, van Fraassen and his theory of constructive empiricism and his views on observability and the use of scientific instruments, have been the subject of many debates. He believes that observation is the sole path to knowledge and observation is only possible through unaided human eye, so seeing through scientific instruments like microscopes does not count as observation, therefore the information gained from these procedures are not necessarily true.This thesis not only examines van Fraassen’s outlooks on the matter, but also examines his opponents’ view and their who put forward the idea that we can not make a clear distinction between the concept of observable and unobservable. They also argue that since van Fraassen accepts telescope as an instruments which yields true observation, the we have to accepts a variety of instruments as dependable instruments such as MRI machines, television, etc. If this holds true, then van Fraassen has to rethink his position on the distinction between observables and unobservables and not consider instruments such as telescopes, as engines which produce new images and expand the observable realm. As a consequence, he has to limit the unobservable realm and considers the entities discovered through scientific instruments as true observable entities. There are many reasons to support the idea that what these instruments give us are not irrelevant to the experiment and this can be proved by manipulating the subject of the experiment and also by verifying our findings in several empirical ways
  9. Keywords:
  10. Realism ; Antirealism ; Van Fraassen ; Observability ; Unobservable ; Scientific Realism ; Scientific Instruments

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