A New Task for Philosophy of Science. (4th April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maxwell, Nicholas
• Is Part Of: Metaphilosophy. Volume 50:Number 3(2019)
• Page Start: 316
• Page End: 338
• Publication Date: 2019-04-04
• Subjects: philosophy of science -- physics -- revolution for science -- revolution for philosophy of science -- metaphysics of science -- problematic aims of science -- natural philosophy -- standard empiricism -- aim‐oriented empiricism -- physicalism -- scientific progress; Philosophy -- Periodicals; 105
• DOI: 10.1111/meta.12355
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0026-1068

Abstract

Abstract: This paper argues that we philosophers of science have before us an important new task that we urgently need to take up. It is to convince the scientific community to adopt and implement a new philosophy of science that does better justice to the deeply problematic basic intellectual aims of science than that which we have at present. Problematic aims evolve with evolving knowledge, that part of philosophy of science concerned with aims and methods thus becoming an integral part of science itself. The outcome of putting this new philosophy into scientific practice would be a new kind of science, both more intellectually rigorous and one that does better justice to the best interests of humanity.