"PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE"
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The content of No 2, 1997
Pascal Engel
Mathematical platonism and antirealism
Ryszard Wojcicki
The veristic and heuristic theories in science
The central claim of this paper is the following. There are two
different types of notions applied in science, and in fact in any discourse
whatsoever. Some of the notions are veristic,
i.e. they refer to some specific fairly well defined entities
(individual objects, species, relations, systems, regularities, etc.).
But there are also heuristic notions that serve the users to call
attention to the fact that a specific situation can be accounted for, or even less -
there is a chance that it can be accounted for, in a certain way known already
from some earlier application of similar ideas.
On numerous occasions we argue by analogy. Now, to argue by analogy
means to treat the situation accounted for as "similar" to some other already familiar
situations. The similarity in question can amount to some fairly explicitly
stated expectations, which go beyond the available evidence. The heuristic notions
can be characterized as the notions in terms of which such expectations
are stated. Since the right interpretation of those expectations should
be defined anew any time when an argument
by analogy is applied, also the concepts they involve share this characteristic.
Thus while the veristic concepts have some fixed references, the reference of a
heuristic concept should be defined anew every time when the concept is used.
A theory which involves any heuristic notions is called heuristic.
A theory is said to be veristic if all the descriptive notions
it involves are veristic. The notion of truth can be in a straightforward
way applied to veristic theories only.
Eugeniusz Zabski
There is something that does not exist, or an attempt to solve the riddle
of being
In the article the formalization of a certain fragment of ontology is presented. The axiomatic definition of property and few definitions of the notion
of existence are given. The opinion about two kinds of existence is
asserted.
Piotr Brykczynski
The dispositional predicates and partial definitions
In the paper the methodological status of the partial definitions
of dispositional predicates is considered. The problem of conservativeness, analyticity and
of a pragmatic role of such definitions is analyzed.
Grzegorz Nowak
Biologist as the subject and object of cognition
It is specific for biology that the scientist himself is an integral part
of his subject of study. In the article the problem of the cognitive limitations
of the scientist (as a representative of a certain species belonging
to the biosphere) is considered.
Marian Grabowski
The ideal of truth between triviality and significance
The hypothesis that there are connections between the "visibility
of the ideal of truth" and the quality of scientific knowledge, is defended
in this article. Deep and important scientific results are associated
with "truth as manifestatio" and - on the other hand - trivial,
inessential discoveries are associated with the coherence theory
of truth.
Artur Rojszczak
From propositions to sentences. Truth-bearers and the objectivity
of knowledge
In the article a historical and systematical presentation of pros
and cons of different theories of truth-bearers is contained. Different
definitions of truth-bearers are presented. In author's opinion, in the Brentanian
tradition metaphysical rather than epistemological arguments for the objectivity of truth are typical.
Renata Zieminska
Truth and certainty
In the article Chisholm's conception of truth is considered. In author's
opinion Chisholm defends the possibility of certain knowledge by modifying
the concept of "certainty". Contrary to the philosophical tradition,
in Chisholm's view the certainty of knowledge does not imply its truth.
Archives:
Jan Lukasiewicz, Two modern philosophers: Descartes and Kant.
